We continue to believe the M340i is the sweet spot in the vast lineup offered by BMW for the 3 Series. It strikes the perfect balance between luxury and performance while avoiding the hefty premium of the M3 and its giant kidneys. The Touring version would be our pick of the range, but the United States is sadly missing out on the classy performance wagon.
Featured in a new drag race is the xDrive model before the Life Cycle Impulse going up against two other performance sedans equipped with six cylinders and a pair of turbochargers. While the M340i has an inline-six mill, the Genesis G70 3.3T and Cadillac CT5-V rely on V6s with 3.3-liter and 3.0-liter displacements, respectively. All three weigh just under 4,000 pounds (a little over 1,800 kilograms) and use automatic transmissions, an eight-speed unit for the BMW and Genesis while the Cadillac has a 10-speed ‘box.
When it comes to horsepower, the M340i is the most potent of the trio by packing 382 hp, followed by the G70 with 365 hp and the CT5-V with 360 hp. It’s a known fact BMW typically underrates its engines and it’s especially true here in the case of the B58. However, the Bavarian sports sedan has the least torque among the three. Well, at least on paper.
Numbers aside, it’s hardly a surprise the M Performance 3 Series Sedan didn’t break a sweat and effortlessly beat the two sporty luxury sedans. It was particularly quick at the start of the drag race and it was never in any real danger of losing first place. The subsequent drag race was more of the same as the M340i achieved another win with ease.
As for the roll race from 32 mph (50 km/h), it was yet another win and the gap between first and second place was similar. It was a much closer roll race from 50 mph (80 km/h), but the BMW prevailed once again. As predictable as the outcome of these acceleration tests might have been, it’s a good reminder of the impressive performance delivered by the B58.
Source: Sam CarLegion / YouTube
