BMW M340i xDrive Goes Pedal to the Metal on the Autobahn, Tops Out Sooner Than Expected

Now, the base-level M3 Sedan has a starting MSRP of $72,800 before tax ($995 destination charge). In this configuration, you get access to 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-list M3 Competition xDrive Sedan goes up to 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.

But it will also require an additional $8,000 out of your pocket. And for that kind of money, your 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) will improve by about 0.7 seconds. If you're set on buying a brand new car, but running on a tight budget there is a third option.

The M340i xDrive Sedan starts at $56,850 before tax ($995 destination charge) but will only give you access to 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. The thing is, this car has the same 0 to 60 mph rating as the standard M3 Sedan.

Of course, that's not the defining aspect for a vehicle at this level, but still. The guys over at Autotop.nl have gotten their hands on one, and it seems to also have an Akrapovic exhaust and an AC Schnitzer Tuning box.

Given these upgrades, it's now rated at 420 horsepower and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm). With that in mind, the Autobahn happens to be close by, so a test is in order. Getting up to 62 mph (100 kph) takes 4.27 seconds. From there on, up to 124 mph (200 kph), an additional 11.17 seconds are needed. A second run reveals an even better result of 10.22 seconds for the same measurement.

Judging by their official scoreboard, this is slightly faster than a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance. This car can also run the quarter-mile (402 meters) in 12.27 seconds, which isn't that bad but not that impressive either. This is the kind of result that you could achieve with an older Mitsubishi Lancer Evo or Audi S3 after a bit of tuning.

According to the digital dashboard, the M340i xDrive tops out at 158 mph (254 kph). Of course, the GPS reading reveals a less impressive reading of just 151 mph (244 kph). At this point, if top speed and insane acceleration are all that you care about, there are plenty of other faster cars on the market.

But you'll probably have to sacrifice some comfort for that. If you did enjoy seeing this car in action, it seems that it's currently up for sale, priced at €77,500 ($79,100).

You can probably try to locate an M3 Competition for that budget, and with some upgrades that will go as fast as 196 mph (315 kph). The thing is, if you are going to buy an M340i, you'll always be thinking about the other car. So it might be smarter to just go to the top of the list from the get-go.