BMW introduces most powerful non-M 3 Series sports sedan

(November 15, 2018) WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — BMW has introduced the most powerful non-M 3 Series ever — the 2020 BMW M340i and M340i xDrive Sedans. The new top of the range, seventh generation, M Performance 3 Series will make its world debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show Nov. 30 – Dec. 9 with the M340i xDrive model.

Over the past 40 years, no other BMW has embodied the concept of the Ultimate Driving Machine better than the BMW 3 Series.  Modern design, exceptional handling, efficiency and innovative technology, all signature characteristics of a BMW, have been developed to the highest level ever through engineering and testing. The new 2020 BMW M340i and M340i xDrive Sedans represent not only the core of the BMW 3 Series range (of which over 15 million units have been sold worldwide) but also the heart and passion of the BMW brand.

When the first BMW 3 Series arrived on U.S. shores in 1976 as a successor to the iconic BMW 2002, it built upon the sport sedan foundation pioneered by that model and launched a new name: the BMW 3 Series that would become BMW’s most successful model — a status it retains to this day.

Over the course of six model generations, the BMW 3 Series has ranked as the world’s biggest-selling premium car, led the way for high-performance powertrain and chassis technology and earned a reputation as a pioneer of technological innovations in its segment. The latest M Performance edition of the car sees BMW building on the sporting tradition of the 3 Series, whose exploits in motorsports have earned it many accolades. The seventh generation of the sports sedan moves the game on once again in terms of driving dynamics, not to mention premium quality and innovation, in its segment.

The summer of 2019 will see the arrival of the BMW M340i and M340i xDrive Sedans. The new BMW M Performance models will showcase the full dynamic potential of the new BMW 3 Series. An updated six-cylinder inline gasoline engine, M Performance chassis tuning, optional xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive and the standard M Sport rear differential will deliver performance attributes that will satisfy and impress any driver.

The rear-wheel drive BMW M340i will offer the pure driving experience that 3 Series enthusiasts have enjoyed for the past 40 years. With reduced weight compared to its all-wheel drive sibling and enhanced steering feel compared to the outgoing models, the M340i Sedan will be the driver’s exhilarating driving companion. The BMW M340i xDrive Sedan adds the increased traction of all-wheel drive to improve the new model’s abilities in both dry and adverse road conditions.  

The new version of the straight-six engine, developed for the BMW M340i and M340i xDrive Sedans, produces 382 horsepower and peak torque of 369 lb-ft. A 0–60 mph time of 4.2 seconds (provisional figure) takes this new BMW M Performance model into territory previously inhabited by BMW M cars.

The 3.0 liter, six-cylinder features an aluminum crankcase and aluminum cylinder head. A new, single, Twin-scroll turbocharger with an integral, compact, steel exhaust manifold and impellers that weight approximately 25% less than those of preceding models, builds boost pressure more rapidly. Fuel is supplied by means of new High Precision Injection technology which allows injection pressures up to 350 bar. The current version of M TwinPower Turbo technology also features VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control and Double VANOS variable camshaft control.

Power and acceleration are accompanied by the characteristic sound of the six-cylinder, inline engine, which has gained additional presence thanks to the dual-pipe exhaust system. In SPORT and SPORT+ modes, which can be activated via the Driving Experience Control switch, the valve-controlled exhaust system generates a particularly distinctive sound.

The new sedans are equipped with the standard 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission. The latest upgraded version of this quick-shifting sport automatic transmission features a new, optimized hydraulic control system and shorter gearing for improved response and acceleration. The 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission’s Launch Control function optimizes traction during acceleration off the line more effectively than in previous versions and shift paddles on the steering wheel allow for manual gear selection.

Intelligent connectivity enables the sport automatic transmission to adapt its shift strategy according to the route and driving situation. Working with the standard navigation system, the 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission uses data from this system and from the optional Active Cruise Control system’s radar sensor. This makes it possible for the transmission to avoid unnecessary gear changes when negotiating a series of fast corners and, when approaching a vehicle ahead for example, to shift down early in order to use the engine braking to scrub off speed.