The performance guise of the 3-series from the German luxury carmaker, the M340i xDrive has been introduced in India for the very first time. The price of the performance machine is Rs 62.90 lakh, ex-showroom. The M340i xDrive also becomes the very first locally assembled performance M car for BMW. BMW has also been preparing a ton of launches this year to challenge the luxury car segment leader, Mercedes Benz in India. Both these luxury brands have adopted the product offensive strategy to grab more market share for themselves. This is a product of that strategy and these carmakers also increasingly focusing on high levels of localization and local assembly of even the performance versions of their luxury cars. Sticking to BMW for now, let us take a look at what the M340i xDrive offers in terms of exterior styling, interior, features, safety and engine-transmission options.
Also read: BMW X3 xDrive 30i SportX launched in India at Rs 56.50 lakh – All you need to know!
2021 BMW M340i xDrive – Exterior Styling
The exteriors of the M340i xDrive might look similar to the regular 3-series at first glance but look closely and you will find some changes. The overall appearance makes it look sleeker and more modern than the regular one. The front is accentuated by the Adaptive LED Laserlight, a large single surround kidney grille with gunmetal inserts to give it a performance-oriented look, hexagonal DLRs housing and comes in Sunset Orange, Dravit Grey Metallic and Tanzanite Blue colour scheme options. The rear is typical BMW with L-shaped LED tail lamps, body-coloured M rear spoiler, 18-inch M light-alloy wheels, with an option of getting the 19-inchers as well. Overall the M340i xDrive does look sporty and aggressive from the outside.
Also read: BMW 220i M Sport in India at Rs 40.90 lakh – All you need to know!
2021 BMW M340i xDrive – Interior, Safety and Features
As usual, the interior houses the driver-oriented setup with Sensatec/Alcantara upholstery, a large Panorama Glass Sunroof and M touch at various places. The features list is also extensive with functions like a 10.25-inch Digital Touchscreen Infotainment System with BMW Connected Drive Technologies and Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Connectivity, a 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit like Instrument Cluster, Virtual Assistant, Gesture Control, Wireless Charging, a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system with 16 loudspeakers, Heads up Display, Reverse Parking Camera with Assistance, Ambient Lighting, Automatic 3 zone Air Conditioning, a Welcome Light Carpet and a ton of other exclusive premium features form BMW.
Also read: BMW 3 Series Limousine launched in India – All you need to know!
On the safety front, the M340i xDrive features six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensors, Runflat Tyres with Tyre Pressure Indicator and ISOFIX child seat mounting.
2021 BMW M340i xDrive – Engines and Rivals
The BMW M340i xDrive is powered by a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo petrol engine a massive 387hp and 500Nm mated to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission which propels the sedan from 0-100 kmph in a lightning 4.4 secs. To enhance the performance there are a bunch of goodies from the M Division of BMW like M Sport Rear Differential, M Sport Suspension, M Sport Brake, Variable Sport Steering, xDrive and BMW Performance Control. With the price tag of Rs 62.90 lakh, ex-showroom it will rival the likes of Audi S5 Sportback and Mercedes-AMG C 43 coupe.
