Yahoo Autos Our 2020 BMW M340i Rekindled an Old Flame
40,000-Mile Wrap-Up
Ask a Car and Driver editor what vehicles they own, and you'll get answers ranging from an Aston Martin Vantage to a Geo Tracker. Ask enough of us that question, though, and you'll notice which car comes up most often: the BMW 3-series. For decades, when we committed our own money to a long-term purchase, we were repeatedly drawn to the compact Bimmer—across generations, body styles, and engines—for its consistently rewarding character.
That long love affair cooled with the arrival of the sixth-gen (F30 chassis) 3-series in 2012. We felt betrayed as the magic from prior generations slipped away with the adoption of unfeeling electric power steering, a turbo four-cylinder base engine, and a general tuning philosophy at odds with the model's sporting roots. After a 23-year run, the unthinkable happened: The 3-series failed to make the 10Best cut. Despite our disappointment, we held out hope for a reconciliation. Maybe the seventh-generation (G20) 3-series would earn a place in our hearts and homes.
When that 3-series launched for 2019, our early dalliances with it suggested that this relationship could be rekindled. BMW renewed its attention to the chassis, and we had learned an important lesson. After our long-term test of the 2012 BMW 328i, we knew not to settle for the standard 2.0-liter inline-four this time around. It's a strong performer with impressive refinement, but to capture the spirit of BMW's glory days in its newest vehicles, you have to shell out for the more expensive models. So we waited a year for the debut of the M340i, with a 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six under the hood.
In pursuit of the most driver-focused model, we ordered our M340i with adaptive dampers ($700) and the aptly named Cooling and High Performance Tire package ($1500), which includes an additional engine oil cooler, a more powerful cooling fan, and summer tires. All-wheel drive is available for $2000, but we passed; powering all four wheels would be sports-sedan sacrilege. Because we'd be spending 40,000 miles in the M340i, we indulged in several options that drove the bottom line from $54,995 to $67,070. Among them were all the driver-assistance and safety systems, heating for the front seats and steering wheel, remote start, a power trunklid, wireless phone charging, a Harman/Kardon stereo, and Portimao Blue paint, which is worth every penny of $550.
If you demand a do-it-yourself gearbox, you'll have to stretch further to the $70,895 M3. That's a shame because this car deserves a manual transmission—needs one, really. An engine that's this full of thrust, this quick to rev, and this polished all the way to redline is best appreciated when you're playing an active part in the performance. However, among automatics, the standard ZF eight-speed is superb. It shifts quickly and fluidly and intuits your intentions, making the shift paddles redundant with its excellent logic. With the cylinders' crosshatched finish still fresh, the straight-six shoved the 3827-pound M340i to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds at 115 mph. Note that those times mean this car keeps pace with or outruns every prior-generation base M3. And remember, this thing makes less than 400 horsepower, if you believe BMW's claims.
Of course, we didn't treasure past 3-series just because they were quick in a straight line. When the road weaves, the M340i feels at home. You might find yourself using trees as braking markers as the chassis sucks you into a faster pace. When you're exiting a corner with the inline-six on boil, the BMW seamlessly maximizes the available traction by automatically varying the lockup force in the standard electronically controlled limited-slip differential. We had hoped for more dramatic improvements with the second attempt at electric power steering in a 3-series, but there's still more information delivered through the seat of the pants than the steering wheel. "It's not that bad," wrote deputy testing director K.C. Colwell, owner of multiple 3-series, in one of the highest compliments anyone paid to the steering. Though the steering is responsive to inputs and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber sticks to the skidpad at 0.96 g, there's just no feel as the tires break away.
The M340i has a softer side too. Aided by a longer wheelbase than the previous car, this 3-series maintained its composure on our nation's derelict interstates. It traversed plenty of them over 18 months, going as far east as Connecticut and as far south as Daytona Beach, plus taking three trips to the Rockies or beyond. We refueled in 27 states. Those miles on the open road certainly factored into our stellar 27-mpg average. The inline-six is an absolute ripper when you ask for it and a marvel of efficiency when you don't. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the BMW returned 33 mpg, beating the EPA estimate by 3 mpg.
Throughout its long-term evaluation, the M340i was mostly obedient, but not without flaw. During our first trip out west, the active grille shutters that contribute to the M340i's aerodynamic slipperiness became stuck in the open position, illuminating a check-engine light. When we returned to Michigan, the dealer replaced the lower shutter assembly under warranty. During our 40,000 miles, we also added four quarts of oil to the engine at the computer's direction. While needing to add oil to any modern engine might sound alarming, BMW insists that our car's consumption was normal.
The car calls for maintenance as indicated by the oil-life monitor at roughly 10,000-mile intervals, and the cost is covered for the first three years or 36,000 miles. Our fourth stop, outside that window, included cabin and engine air filters as part of the routine service and set us back $539. During the car's final checkup, we had the dealer inspect the climate-control system, as multiple drivers had noted its inability to adequately cool the cabin. The technician discovered that a baffle within the ductwork had malfunctioned and was restricting airflow. Fixed under warranty, the system was back to blowing with polar-vortex force. The dealer also agreed to replace the bubbled trim on the steering wheel, but with the part backordered from Germany, our car was gone before that could happen.
Michigan's cratered roads damaged our landing gear a few times. We blew out three tires and tweaked one of the 19-inch wheels (the latter didn't cause a problem, so we left it). The dealer also destroyed one of the Michelins during a tire change and paid for its replacement.
For the most part, the M340i's logbook was thick with praise. A couple of staffers complained about the relatively thin, firm seat-bottom cushions. After a 1000-mile day, they'll have you reaching for Preparation H. (To be fair, not many seats leave you feeling fresh after 14 hours at the wheel.) Others griped about the digital instrument cluster, with its limited adjustability and awkward C-shaped gauges. And we could easily live without the driver-assist options. Our drivers took little issue with the adaptive cruise control, but most found the lane-keeping assist too jerky. Nearly every staffer's first move before a drive was to disable all the digital helpers. We were happy to take matters into our own hands; this is a sports sedan, after all.
Our year and a half with the M340i rejuvenated our passion for the 3-series. In times of isolation, having the M340i parked in the driveway meant a welcome escape whenever we needed it. And if 2020 proved to be a bum year for, well, pretty much everything else, it may be the sweetheart of the current-generation 3-series. For 2021, BMW saddles the M340i's inline-six with a 48-volt motor-generator that adds weight and complexity but no performance gains. The 3's sleeper looks and traditional kidney grille are still more appealing than the bucktoothed maw of the 4-series and new M3, and we think it's only a matter of time before that design finds its way to the lesser 3-series models.
For decades, we turned to the 3-series because it was engaging to drive yet practical for daily use. The M340i largely reestablishes that balance, returning much of the excitement that was lost with the previous model. Give it a few years and you just might find an M340i or two among our staff's many 3-series.
Rants and Raves
I'm in love with this BMW. It transitions from relaxed to rowdy with simple right-foot adjustments. —Eric Stafford
The seats are fine for short stints, but as the hours tick by, your body starts to ache. —Michael Aaron
The engine is amazingly quiet and smooth, even when starting up in single-digit temperatures. —Joey Capparella
Definitely a 3-series I would enjoy owning. It has the right balance of livability and performance. —Michael Simari
You can't deny the fidelity of the chassis or the body control. This car is so predictable and informative. —Eddie Alterman
The Lexus ES–ification of the 3 has finally stagnated. Give me a stick, BMW, and we can discuss replacing one of my E90s. —K.C. Colwell
Most cars become tiresome after logging 5500 miles in eight days. Not this one, though. —Dave VanderWerp
Go ahead and call it a comeback. The 3-series is once again the sports-sedan benchmark. —Eric Tingwall
BMWs used to have elegant gauges. The M340i's digital setup is difficult to read and overdesigned. —Tony Quiroga
30,000-Mile Update
When we last checked in on our Portimao Blue BMW M340i, it had emerged from an elongated hibernation and its odometer had once again started to accumulate miles. And what a joy it has been to get back behind its steering wheel. Though Michigan's recent frigid months have been relatively mild compared to previous years, our car's sure-footed Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 winter tires have reinforced our decision not to splurge for the $1860 all-wheel-drive option. While the M340i xDrive is plenty playful, there's a greater sense of driver engagement when its 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is driving only the rear wheels.
Since our last visit, the M340i has ventured south to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit Barber Motorsports Park and its spectacular museum. From there it was off to the sunshine of Daytona Beach where, sadly, no top-speed attempts were made on the storied sand between there and Ormond Beach. On the return trip, BMW's junior M 3-series traveled to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for a meet and greet with the hotly anticipated new M3. While staff opinions vary widely regarding the comfort of the M340i's front seats, staff photographer Michael Simari took zero issue with them over of the course of 2000 miles. Including the thousands of miles we've logged to the south plus a trip east to Connecticut, our average fuel economy is holding strong at an impressive 26 mpg.
Perhaps our Bimmer's most important journey was to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for our Lightning Lap event, where we lapped a similar-spec M340i. Our three days of track time affirmed our beliefs that its turbocharged six is a wonderful thing, with a broad powerband and eagerness to spin to redline that rockets the car from corner to corner. We've had zero issue with our example's brake-pedal feel during normal street driving, but laps of repeated abuse made stepping on the left pedal of the Lightning Lap car feel as if we were pressing our foot into a pot of mashed potatoes. Despite the pedal's sponginess, the brakes were still effective throughout its impressive 3:03.2 lap.
Pushing the M340i to the limits around VIR's 4.1-mile Grand Course also verified our appreciation for the car's excellent chassis—and our discontent with BMW's numb steering. "It's impossible to deny the fidelity of this car's chassis or body control," noted former editor-in-chief Eddie Alterman. "The car is ridiculously easy to place on the road, despite the feel-free steering." A few staffers have come to accept the 3-series's less-than-tactile tiller, with deputy testing director K.C. Colwell claiming, "It's not that bad." His opinion likely was bolstered by a stint in the new M440i xDrive, which was fitted with an even less satisfying variable-ratio steering system.
