RE: BMW reveals 374hp M340i ahead of LA show

RE: BMW reveals 374hp M340i ahead of LA show

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Discussion

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Blink982 said:
The performance is certainly impressive but I question who would buy one. The performance kind of leaves it in no-mans land. Surely it's too powerful and expensive to be a viable purchase/lease to run as a daily and if you really want a performance BMW, the proper M model is where to go. Strangely enough I can see the point in the M240i though but not in a 3 series, maybe it's the reputation as a rep-mobile. I had a loaner 320d recently and whilst it left me cold as a drivers car, it was a perfectly acceptable mile muncher and other brands could learn a thing or two from the satnav and tech.
Why it is too powerful to run as a daily. Loads of people run 340s as dailies? Loads of people run M3s/C63s as dailies. What makes this special?
Why should people double their spend (if leasing) or lash out an extra 50% on cash purchase just because 'it is where to go?'

Don't get this.

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
So......What do you think will be better? As a sporting saloon (based on the glowing reviews the handling/drive has had in pre-production?)

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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9k rpm said:
Does anyone with an automatic with more than 6 ‘gears’ ever really use it in manual?
Yes. A lot. Why wouldn't you with beautiful chrome column mounted paddles to tease?

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Gooly said:
Pointless. Bet the engine sounds will be synthesised through the speakers too... may as well just get a 320d, 90% of the time it'll be the exact same car and despite having 380BHP I can't imagine it's all that exciting when you do put your foot down for the 2-3 seconds you can actually use it for. At least the C43 and S4 are good looking... What is the point BMW if not a poised, smart looking, RWD with a nice legible interior? The 8 series being an absolute heap as well doesn't inspire confidence either. How do Merc get it so right these days and BMW don't?
Well aren't you a ray of sunshine?

Baron von Teuchter

16,132 posts

201 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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rofl

The v8 M3 never felt monstrously fast. Nice engine, car was far too heavy for it.

dbl96

2 posts

64 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Not sure about the E92 being considered monstrously fast... I had a test drive in one a couple of weeks ago and it barely pushed me back in the seat!

Also bet that claimed 0-60 of the new car gets blitzed in actual tests, considering how fast the the m140i and m240i do it.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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How are so many people complaining about a 375bhp 3 series?! The world is better that it exists for people who don’t want to / can’t affford to run full m cars

Limpet

6,293 posts

160 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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p1stonhead said:
How are so many people complaining about a 375bhp 3 series?! The world is better that it exists for people who don’t want to / can’t affford to run full m cars
Nails it. The M Lite range delivers exactly that. Useability and affordable running and servicing costs with M-car straight line performance. Being less focused and less demanding to drive is a problem for some, but makes them a really nice daily proposition, and easy to live with.

The way some people go on, it's like these are being positioned as a substitute for the M cars, rather an additional choice for people who enjoy the performance but dont want the costs associated with an M car.

I genuinely don't understand some of the hate posted on here. If it's not your cup of tea, wait until the M3 is launched, or buy something else.




Gooly

965 posts

147 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
I agree - not a merc fan but at least they have some sort of clarity in what they deliver. BMW seem to be diluting their USP and brand as each year goes on - I understand things change as regulations come in, the days of the 1300kg manual 6 pot 3 series are long gone but what theyre producing now just seems to be a mishmash of stale marketing BS... Perhaps there's hope for the M4, or maybe the next 1 series will continue to fly the flag.


Ares said:
Well aren't you a ray of sunshine?
If it makes a difference, I was excited when the last gen 340i came out...

Limpet said:
Nails it. The M Lite range delivers exactly that. Useability and affordable running and servicing costs with M-car straight line performance. Being less focused and less demanding to drive is a problem for some, but makes them a really nice daily proposition, and easy to live with.

The way some people go on, it's like these are being positioned as a substitute for the M cars, rather an additional choice for people who enjoy the performance but dont want the costs associated with an M car.

I genuinely don't understand some of the hate posted on here. If it's not your cup of tea, wait until the M3 is launched, or buy something else.
What's the point of 380bhp in a road car if you have not a semblance of engagement? Beyond that, it's ugly and the dash design is ridiculous... I'm sure the marketing peeps know what they're doing and maybe this is what the market wants but all I see is a car with a BMW badge that has none of things that make a BMW good bar a peachy straight 6... I think the question isn't whether or not a 380bhp 3-series is exciting but more what does it offer over a C43 and S4? For the last gen, I could have come up with loads of reasons why I'd go for a 340i but can't say I can say the same about this.

Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 13:38

theplayingmantis

3,721 posts

81 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Ares said:
theplayingmantis said:
Ares said:
theplayingmantis said:
Greg the Fish said:
To make it look like teeth so the inferior people will move their in vastly inferior vehicles will move out of the way for fear of being eaten by someone FAR more successful.
But not successful enough to get an M3...

Don’t get the point of this. If you want power you can’t use in the road go whole hog and get M3 and track it, otherwise this just smacks of cant afford the monthlies for an M3,rightly or wrongly.
What's hard to understand? So if you can't afford £70k for an M3 you should just drive a 200bhp diesel?

And if you can't use 374bhp, perhaps it's time to hand your licence in.
oh st maybe thats why i crashed my quad! couldn't handle the power! anyway, i maintain you cant use the full beans on the road the majority of time, legally, as you will know from your quad. Its still nice to have, even more so the unicorn factor.

Your not going to track a repmobile, you might as well finance a quad for a probably only small amount more pm than you would on this and get a infinitely superior car, if not the badge cachet.

Again see no point to this.

But then i'm not going to get in an argument with you over it as i know i wont win and don't have the time as my commutes not that long.
It's not about winning....but shouting about "Don’t get the point of this. If you want power you can’t use in the road , it suggests you think that 370bhp is too much for the road? If you think that, stick to low powered cars. wink
Someones at lunch/just come out of a meeting wink


everything's about winning, this is PH remember, the most pointless argumentative forum Ive ever made the mistake of joining! wink

i knew i shouldn't have looked back here!...i do think 370bhp is a bit pointless given its not enough to bother tracking...and imo most of the time you wont be able to use it all on the road. Yes the few times you can its fun. Are you saying you use the Quads 500 on the road? i dont, well not often, but its still nice to have and it gives me the option of tracking it if i want. But i feel the same to this beemer as i do regards audi s models and merc equiv (although im sure all are fine cars), i see no point to them, to me they are a purgatory, middle ground between the boggo spec and the nice versions, screaming i'm too good for the boggo but cant actually get into a proper nice model, but then i think weirdly so am probably in a minority of 1 on this thinking).
i think AR with the Veloce have got it right a useable amount of power at a fair price in a nice package, contrary to loads who think there should be a middle ground between it and the Quad. But then to my weird thinking if i didn't/couldn't get an m3 i wouldn't want a warm one instead... i'd just get a 320...(i appreciate the irony here given i have a 330 too...but i didn't buy it!) anyway im getting incoherent in rambling so will go back to lurking...

moffat

1,020 posts

224 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Gooly said:
Pointless. Bet the engine sounds will be synthesised through the speakers too... may as well just get a 320d, 90% of the time it'll be the exact same car and despite having 380BHP I can't imagine it's all that exciting when you do put your foot down for the 2-3 seconds you can actually use it for. At least the C43 and S4 are good looking... What is the point BMW if not a poised, smart looking, RWD with a nice legible interior? The 8 series being an absolute heap as well doesn't inspire confidence either. How do Merc get it so right these days and BMW don't?
If you have a current 340i or 440i and get the MPPSK which provides a full cat back exhaust and remap to 360bhp the synthesised sound through the speakers is coded out so you get the real sound which is epic.

Your points about comparing to a 320d is absurd and frankly not very 'Pistonheads'.

RWD is a different point and I think the proof will be in the driving. I am a huge fan of RWD (440i MPPSK + JB4) and with MP4S tyres have neer really felt the need for xDrive. If it drives like a RWD car and the weight doesn't increase it will be interesting.


Monty Python

4,812 posts

196 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Zygot said:
As the driver of an inferior vehicle I will see more of the back end.
And laugh at the peashooter exhaust inside the enormous twin trendy trapezoid exhaust trims, which obviously add as much girth to the drivers trouser appendage.
My thoughts exactly - the ones on the current 340i look much better.

Limpet

6,293 posts

160 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Gooly said:
What's the point of 380bhp in a road car if you have not a semblance of engagement?

Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 13:38
Quite, but as nobody outside of BMWs development team has driven it yet, how do you know?

TwinExit

532 posts

91 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Limpet said:
On what planet is that then, as it's not this one?

.....

Of course, the dealers will do their best to get you into a new agreement and a shiny new car, and many take this option, but that is exactly what it is, an option. There is no obligation whatsoever on the part of the buyer to do so.
And that's the key, the dealer offers discounted entry to a newer/better model, so much so it would not make financial sense to simply hand your old car back and 'walk away' to another brand, it defeats the purpose of going into a PCP deal in the first place.

Up-selling to existing customer base is now pretty much modus operandi over at BMW...


Gooly

965 posts

147 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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moffat said:
If you have a current 340i or 440i and get the MPPSK which provides a full cat back exhaust and remap to 360bhp the synthesised sound through the speakers is coded out so you get the real sound which is epic.

Your points about comparing to a 320d is absurd and frankly not very 'Pistonheads'.

RWD is a different point and I think the proof will be in the driving. I am a huge fan of RWD (440i MPPSK + JB4) and with MP4S tyres have neer really felt the need for xDrive. If it drives like a RWD car and the weight doesn't increase it will be interesting.
I don't think it is absurd - It's definitely not a position I'd normally take, considering my last two BMWs were a 328i manual and a 540i manual. Have always been a big fan of the full fat 3-series until now. I just think if you take away RWD, and also have a car that is inevitably going to be more refined and feel more removed from the road then 90% of the time will a 340i actually be any use? If the only benefit is power (and fair enough, I'm sure it'll sound good with an MPPSK or similar) then realistically how often will you really feel the benefits of a 340i over a slower one? I love a good powerful saloon but this just seems like it's going to be a very fast and very anodyne and really quite ugly mode of getting from A - B. With every last iteration of 3-series, I would always choose the top spec 6-pot over cooking models because there was a tangible benefit in driving them day to day, even if you weren't flat out. I'm just not sure that will be the case here - the 340i of last generation was bordering on feeling sterile, once you add on AWD and even better NVH (and inevitably more weight / size) I don't really see how this wont be even more sterile.

I suppose my point is - the 3-series doesn't really seem to be a car you buy for fun (at least anymore), more just a competent and reasonably enjoyable way of getting from A-B, highlighted by things like the curb weight, AWD, auto boxes, etc. In that case, is an extra 150bhp really going to add much to that experience?

Limpet said:
Quite, but as nobody outside of BMWs development team has driven it yet, how do you know?
Sure, but do you really think it'll be more engaging than the outgoing model? Just by looking at it on paper and given the fact that newer models tend to be even more refined. I just don't see what purpose the new 340i can really serve, and Mercedes and Audi seem to both have rivals that at least seem a little more resolved in their identity.


Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 14:46

Kenny Powers

2,618 posts

126 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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380hp, very fast and very well appointed 4-door saloon designed to perform the daily grind with comfort and pace is “pointless” laugh

Gooly

965 posts

147 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Kenny Powers said:
380hp, very fast and very well appointed 4-door saloon designed to perform the daily grind with comfort and pace is “pointless” laugh
How much pace on the road is it really going to add over a lower spec model? Does 380BHP actually get you places faster in the UK? Do you really think you're going to extract the extra performance in a tangible way on the road other than a little blat down an empty DC every now and then? I'm not a luddite against speeding, its more just that in my experience even if you're ragging the balls off a 3-series you're going to get there at the same time whether you're in a 320d or a 330i. So if the aim isn't to get there quicker, then it should be to have more fun... but then whats fun about a big, heavy, 4wd automatic saloon with an obscenely powerful lump up front? I'd rather a 140i...

And perhaps more importantly, why a 340i over a C43 or an S4? Both of which are, in my opinion at least, better looking and just seem that little bit more "special"...

Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 14:51

TwinExit

532 posts

91 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
quotequote all
Gooly said:
How much pace on the road is it really going to add over a lower spec model? Does 380BHP actually get you places faster in the UK? Do you really think you're going to extract the extra performance in a tangible way on the road other than a little blat down an empty DC every now and then? I'm not a luddite against speeding, its more just that in my experience even if you're ragging the balls off a 3-series you're going to get there at the same time whether you're in a 320d or a 330i. So if the aim isn't to get there quicker, then it should be to have more fun... but then whats fun about a big, heavy, 4wd automatic saloon with an obscenely powerful lump up front? I'd rather a 140i...

And perhaps more importantly, why a 340i over a C43 or an S4? Both of which are, in my opinion at least, better looking and just seem that little bit more "special"...

Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 14:51
The 340i merely fills in the rather large gap between those approaching the end of their payment plans for lesser cars like the aforementioned 320d's and 330i's of this world to the enthusiast models like the M3 or M4.

I am astounded that such a 'commodity car' is getting too much airtime on this forum.


Gooly

965 posts

147 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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TwinExit said:
The 340i merely fills in the rather large gap between those approaching the end of their payment plans for lesser cars like the aforementioned 320d's and 330i's of this world to the enthusiast models like the M3 or M4.

I am astounded that such a 'commodity car' is getting too much airtime on this forum.
Because IMO the last one was a very appealing package, and had the potential to be all cars to all people... potter about in it if you want, but an MPPSK and the M LSD and you have a pretty appealing, fun, RWD, characterful saloon that's something pretty close to a drivers car and also taps into the classic appeal that BMW saloons used to have. It also looked nice, and had an interior free of the typical Merc chintz / over-design. This just doesn't seem as appealing. Disappointing if not predictable

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Gooly said:
Kenny Powers said:
380hp, very fast and very well appointed 4-door saloon designed to perform the daily grind with comfort and pace is “pointless” laugh
How much pace on the road is it really going to add over a lower spec model? Does 380BHP actually get you places faster in the UK? Do you really think you're going to extract the extra performance in a tangible way on the road other than a little blat down an empty DC every now and then? I'm not a luddite against speeding, its more just that in my experience even if you're ragging the balls off a 3-series you're going to get there at the same time whether you're in a 320d or a 330i. So if the aim isn't to get there quicker, then it should be to have more fun... but then whats fun about a big, heavy, 4wd automatic saloon with an obscenely powerful lump up front? I'd rather a 140i...

And perhaps more importantly, why a 340i over a C43 or an S4? Both of which are, in my opinion at least, better looking and just seem that little bit more "special"...

Edited by Gooly on Wednesday 14th November 14:51
I guess it's a matter of taste, and thankfully one thing BMW do, unlike other manufacturers, is appeal to a broad base of customers.

From experience of the whole BMW range I'd be happier in a 1300kg lower powered model on 16s than a 1600kg beast with 19" wheels and an automatic gearbox and xDrive. The latter is my idea of barge, irrespective of the power output. The context of that is that I regularly drive a car that's much faster than either of them, so the relative difference between a 320 and a 340 isn't really significant for me, but the difference between a 1300kg car and a 1600kg car certainly is and always will be, equally the difference in grip and feel between 205 16s and 255 19s matters to me, or the interaction of a manual box compared with the big heavy auto box that does it all for you. Equally, someone else with different priorities may prefer the 340 to the 320. The key is that unlike most other marques, BMW give us the choice by offering both ends of the range with M Sport suspension, so we can add good handling to a lightweight feelsome car and we don't have to ofsett it with the heaviest drivetrain choice. What I would like to see is that extended to manual gearboxes and rear wheel drive, which is my only comment on this new car.