New G20 BMW M340i Says "Auf Wiedersehen" to Camaro SS, Gets Thrashed Instead

Short of an M3, the M340i is the quickest 2021 3-Series model that you can currently buy from BMW. Grabbing one as new means parting with at least $54,700 if you’re OK with the rear-wheel-drive version, while the xDrive all-wheel-drive model costs upwards of $56,700.

Power comes from a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six unit, producing 382 hp (387 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. Go for the xDrive setup and it will take you just 4.1 seconds in order to hit 60 mph (96 kph), with the rear-wheel-drive version requiring 4.4 seconds. BMW’s exquisite eight-speed automatic gearbox is definitely worth praising here.

You can see the M340i hard at work in this clip trying to overcome a power deficit against a Chevrolet Camaro SS, which according to the uploader, has a ten-speed automatic gearbox, meaning it’s the MY2019 updated model.

Under the hood lies a 6.2-liter V8 engine, producing 455 hp (461 PS) and 455 lb-ft (616 Nm) of torque. It needs around four seconds flat to hit 60 mph, but that’s under perfect conditions. We’d bet on an M340i xDrive anytime to hit the 60 mph mark ahead of any stock Camaro SS.

Alas, this particular Camaro features a big cam E85 mod, while the Bimmer runs an E50 with downpipes setup. This means more power for both, but not by much.

The Chevy is ultimately more powerful and a heck of a lot cheaper to purchase. Today, you can get this 6.2-liter V8 engine for as little as $34,995 in the 2021 Camaro LT1, while the 1SS can be had from around $40,000, with the very same ten-speed auto found in this SS model.

If the two cars raced from a standstill, maybe things would have played out differently. As it stands, though, the driver of the BMW probably learned a valuable lesson.