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I've driven a red M340 today on the M-Town event today.
Got mixed feelings.
I owned 2018 340 xDrive M Sport with adaptive suspension for 6 months last year which I mostly liked except for the steering which I hated.
Currently I drive 2016 535 xDrive base model which I hate except for the steering which is kind of OK.
Yes M340 feels a little bit bigger than 2018 340, but coming from F10 it did not feel large to me, rather small instead.
I liked the engine power but not the sound. It was too noisy to my taste in all modes, including the comfort mode.
Normally I do not want to hear a car's engine unless I do want to hear it and I only want to hear the engine when playing with something like a Mustang on a highway.
In this M340 you hear the engine all the time even when just following a 4 cylinder Camry.
There also was too much wind noise coming from the drivers window. It actually was so bad that I suspect that something was wrong with the car.
The car was a fully loaded M340 with a track pack.
I did not like the suspension much either. Very firm wheels/tires and somewhat soft suspension in comfort mode. In sport/sport+ mode the suspension was nicely firm but 19 wheels made the ride choppy and too firm to my taste.
The steering was firm, heavy and weird just like 2017 340 with M Performance pack I once drove.
Overall the car reminded me that 2017 340 with M performance pack. That car I somewhat liked but disqualified it as a family car.
My lease ends before the end of this year and I am still not decided between M340 and 540 MSport. If BMW would put 382hp engine into 540, I probably would get a 540. Now I do not know but leaning towards 540
Maybe I am just too old for this car. I am over 40 with a wife and a 7 year old kid. My family does not object speed (I routinely get to 120mph in the big kahuna 535) but they not going to accept much noise of any kind.
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