The M340i and C 43 couldn't be more different in the oily bits department. Slotted right below the M3 and C 63, these performance-oriented models currently retail at $59,600 and $59,900, respectively.
The peeps at Start Your Engines have recently tested both of them on the track, including 0-to-100 acceleration. That's kilometers per hour because the video below comes from the Land of the Rising Sun, where 100 clicks mean 62 miles per hour. Not surprising in the least, BMW's go-faster sedan proved faster in the hands of former racing driver Kazuo Shimizu.
0-to-100 testing at Start Your Engines includes two runs. In comfort mode, the xDrive-equipped M340i clocked 4.9 seconds compared to 5.58 for the C 43, which comes with 4MATIC all-wheel drive by default. In the second run, sport mode improved acceleration times to 4.6 and 4.8 seconds. Pretty good for this particular segment, but the big loser here is the Mercedes-AMG C 43.
The more pretentious car of the two is the heaviest of the bunch as well, despite hiding a 2.0-liter engine underhood. It's not your usual four-pot setup, though, because it's a hand-built engine with an electric turbocharger inspired by Formula 1 hybrid power units.
Shimizu and co-tester Masamichi Ishi both preferred the M340i over the C 43, which might shock a few people out there. A Bimmer with a regular production engine and a ZF-supplied automatic rather than AMG's wet-clutch gearbox? What kind of sorcery is this?
To be frank, the M340i is the sweet spot in the 3er's lineup. Not as hard as the M3, yet not as vanilla as the 330i, the M340i is perfectly suited for both dailying and spirited driving on a winding road. Had the M340i Touring been offered stateside, it would have also doubled as a family car aimed at those who simply cannot stand SUVs. Think X3 M40i, the closest thing to the M340i Touring in the automaker's lineup.
The beating heart of the M3's lesser sibling is called B58, a turbocharged sixer that serves as the basis for the S58 in the M3. Both engines are known to belt out more ponies and pound-feet than BMW says they do. Even the B58 of the Z4-twinned Supra packs a bigger punch than Toyota says it does on paper.
BMW also mastered launch control and ZF 8HP calibration, which is only natural for the first automaker to use the 8HP in a series-production vehicle. The vehicle in question is the F01-generation 760i.
Even though BMW invests billions in electric vehicle development, Munich's favorite son doesn't intend to discontinue internal combustion engines anytime soon. Merc wants to go all in on EVs in 2030, but only in markets where conditions allow for mass-market EV adoption to the detriment of ICE automobiles.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News