[330Stevie]

I can relate to the slight frustration at it dropping gears on accelerating at motorway speeds, however if you stuck it manual there is still enough torque to make good progress without dropping cogs quite as much as the auto would deem necessary.

[LiamM340i]

So, I managed to get the test drive Earlier than expected!
I’m blown away with how much better the car is than my OLD f31 335d, the tech is on another level, the quality of the cabin and materials again, unbelievable in comparison.

After a 200 mile drive to view the m340i, my 335d achieve 44 mpg sat at 72(not the best)

On the return leg the m340 managed 45 mpg at the same speed! For a car as fast and capable the efficiency is crazy.

The handling/chassis is on another planet, I can only image what the g80 m3/4’s are like in the twistys!

Now to refer to the question I asked in my first post, would I be disappointed coming from a mapped 335d performance wise.
The M340 is undoubtedly a much faster car, which leads me to believe that BMWs quoted figures are very conservative.

Colour wise I went for oxide grey and wow! Maybe one of the best colours I’ve seen on any car, pictures don’t do it justice!

I’ll post some pictures tomorrow when she’s had a clean and I’ll also dig the spec out too😃

[BennyDunks]

Congrats! Look forward to seeing it.

[goodbyalfa]

Welcome to the baby M club.
Seems like most of the players on this forum drive one

One thing I noticed coming from a F36 440i was the suspension set up. Quite a bit firmer and more sporty focused, but not really uncomfortable in any way.
Also the latest b58 engine with MHT is both more responsive low down, clearly more powerful, and with the latest G20 active aero more economical than the f36 equivalent.
So when someone asks is your car one of those tree hugging hybrids you can say yes :
BMW witchcraft.

Oh and I love the fact you have a sport individual mode which means you can set the car up as you want it, without going all out.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by AndyTo

Where the 35d is the better engine is on a long motorway run, I've just done another 4.5hr drive to take the family away for half term and the F31 was a more comfortable car on a long drive, the diesel was a much more effortless drive, a gentle accelerate from 60-70 the 40i drops a gear and doesn't pull very hard. Its no slouch but waaaay slower that there derv, to match the 35d acceleration 50-70 the 40i will drop 2 gears when the derv will just pull like a train and after 4 hours that starts to get annoying, in fact inside an hour I get a bit pissed off.

the M340i is a better car, more fun for more of the time, which is why anyone buys the big engine model, but if you do a lot of long motorway journeys the 40d is the better engine if the car is your only daily.

I made the same switch as you (F31 335d to G21 M340i, albeit my 35d wasn't mapped) and agree entirely with your comments above.

Overall I'd definitely rate the G21 as a much better car - especially the chassis - but I also notice the relative lack of torque in the sort of situation you describe and find it a touch irritating when the car changes down for a few seconds and then changes up again; holding it in manual might be an option but to me that shouldn't be necessary in an auto! In the same circumstances the 35d would have just added the speed without feeling the need to drop a gear and I do miss that effortless go.

As it happens I now do very little in the way of long motorway runs but if I was I'd also be thinking an M340d might be a better option. That said I do wonder if the gearbox in the 40i can be remapped to help eliminate these unnecessary downchanges?

[LiamM340i]

Originally Posted by goodbyalfa

Welcome to the baby M club.
Seems like most of the players on this forum drive one

One thing I noticed coming from a F36 440i was the suspension set up. Quite a bit firmer and more sporty focused, but not really uncomfortable in any way.
Also the latest b58 engine with MHT is both more responsive low down, clearly more powerful, and with the latest G20 active aero and more economical than the f36 equivalent.
So when someone asks is your car one of those tree hugging hybrids you can say yes :
BMW witchcraft.

Oh and I love the fact you have a sport individual mode which means you can set the car up as you want it, without going all out.

Thanks mate!

Yeah it can be firm but very comfortable at the same time excellent set up.
It’s still baffling how it can achieve the figures it does!

Yes sport plus, especially with the sport steering is terrible feels like the days before power steering! So sports individual is great to set up your ideal driving mode😃

[LiamM340i]

Originally Posted by JNW1

I made the same switch as you (F31 335d to G21 M340i, albeit my 35d wasn't mapped) and agree entirely with your comments above.

Overall I'd definitely rate the G21 as a much better car - especially the chassis - but I also notice the relative lack of torque in the sort of situation you describe and find it a touch irritating when the car changes down for a few seconds and then changes up again; holding it in manual might be an option but to me that shouldn't be necessary in an auto! In the same circumstances the 35d would have just added the speed without feeling the need to drop a gear and I do miss that effortless go.

As it happens I now do very little in the way of long motorway runs but if I was I'd also be thinking an M340d might be a better option. That said I do wonder if the gearbox in the 40i can be remapped to help eliminate these unnecessary downchanges?

Yeah the low down grunt of the 35d engine was nice, but I just found it disengaging and not very rewarding to drive. But that’s just my personal driving style, I much prefer an engine that likes to Rev.

I don’t find the b58 to lack any low down grunt and motorway speeds even coming from my 335d which had 780 nm.
I have only driven it 250 miles so far so time will tell.

But so far it has more than enough.

I had a b8.5 Audi s5 (supercharged) before my 335d, now that did lack torque.
Even when it was stage 2 running just shy of 500 bhp and 650nm around town it was always wanting to change down as I believe peak torque was up at 4K.

So the b58 to me feels like it has plenty!👍🏽

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by LiamM340i

Yeah the low down grunt of the 35d engine was nice, but I just found it disengaging and not very rewarding to drive. But that’s just my personal driving style, I much prefer an engine that likes to Rev.

I don’t find the b58 to lack any low down grunt and motorway speeds even coming from my 335d which had 780 nm.
I have only driven it 250 miles so far so time will tell.

But so far it has more than enough.

I agree the B58 petrol is a much nicer and more engaging engine to sit behind, not least because it revs when you want it to (and makes a nice noise while doing so!).

However, if I'm baulked by slower traffic on a motorway on occasion my current car definitely looks to drop a gear to regain speed where my old 335d never needed to; the gearing in top is pretty much identical so to me the only thing that can be causing the downshifts is the (comparative) lack of torque. As I say, it's not a major issue for me because I don't do a lot of motorway driving nowadays but if I did I'd find it a bit irritating to be honest. So while I very much like the petrol - and don't regret the choice I made - I can see why some drivers might prefer the M340d; horses for courses and all that!

[Beemer5to3]

The B58 is an absolute masterpiece - I was worried a little when I swapped my G20 320i for a G15 840i, but on a steady run it's easily getting up to 40mpg, and that's without MHT and on a bigger car - absolutely quality balance of performance, sound, and economy. My 320i was only getting 45mpg on the same run!

[225]

Glad you are enjoying it! I have had the chance to enjoy some alone time with sport plus engaged the last few days and forgot what a beast it can turn into.
I do agree no way they are only putting out 374 hp! Yes there are plenty of faster cars out there but not many can hoon it past just about everything one minute and then be a comfortable family bus the next.

[beerglass007]

Originally Posted by LiamM340i

So, I managed to get the test drive Earlier than expected!
I’m blown away with how much better the car is than my OLD f31 335d, the tech is on another level, the quality of the cabin and materials again, unbelievable in comparison.

After a 200 mile drive to view the m340i, my 335d achieve 44 mpg sat at 72(not the best)

On the return leg the m340 managed 45 mpg at the same speed! For a car as fast and capable the efficiency is crazy.

The handling/chassis is on another planet, I can only image what the g80 m3/4’s are like in the twistys!

Now to refer to the question I asked in my first post, would I be disappointed coming from a mapped 335d performance wise.
The M340 is undoubtedly a much faster car, which leads me to believe that BMWs quoted figures are very conservative.

Colour wise I went for oxide grey and wow! Maybe one of the best colours I’ve seen on any car, pictures don’t do it justice!

I’ll post some pictures tomorrow when she’s had a clean and I’ll also dig the spec out too😃

Hahahaha Nice one

Told you its night and day the F series compared to G Series

Its not just the B58 which makes it, totally different car which will blow the F series away

[LiamM340i]

Originally Posted by 225

Glad you are enjoying it! I have had the chance to enjoy some alone time with sport plus engaged the last few days and forgot what a beast it can turn into.
I do agree no way they are only putting out 374 hp! Yes there are plenty of faster cars out there but not many can hoon it past just about everything one minute and then be a comfortable family bus the next.

Must be north of 400 bhp, it doesn’t feel much different to my old 480 bhp s5!
Dragy times will confirm when I get chance.

[LiamM340i]

Originally Posted by beerglass007

Hahahaha Nice one

Told you its night and day the F series compared to G Series

Its not just the B58 which makes it, totally different car which will blow the F series away

You weren’t kidding mate! It feels like a car a few classes above.
My F series felt fairly up to date inside… until I sat in the new car😂

[330Stevie]

Congrats mate….. awaiting pictures

[LiamM340i]

Originally Posted by 330Stevie

Congrats mate….. awaiting pictures

Thanks mate, I’ll get heels washed tomorrow and post some 👍🏽

[DavidXJ]

Originally Posted by LiamM340i

Thanks mate, I'll get heels washed tomorrow and post some 👍🏽

Looking forward to seeing it! Congrats on the new beast. You're clearly besotted already! As for d vs i, torque vs motorway downshifts... Should we really be bothered by this? I tend toward the existential on this matter: in less than a decade--after we are all finally coerced to waft around in soulless, instantaneously accelerative EVs that have way more shove than a diesel has ever achieved--the sound of gear change at 60 will be far from bothersome but rather the source of nostalgia, a much-cherished throwback to a soon-to-be obsolete era of properly athletic engines.

[beerglass007]

Originally Posted by DavidXJ

Looking forward to seeing it! Congrats on the new beast. You're clearly besotted already! As for d vs i, torque vs motorway downshifts... Should we really be bothered by this? I tend toward the existential on this matter: in less than a decade--after we are all finally coerced to waft around in soulless, instantaneously accelerative EVs that have way more shove than a diesel has ever achieved--the sound of gear change at 60 will be far from bothersome but rather the source of nostalgia, a much-cherished throwback to a soon-to-be obsolete era of properly athletic engines.

You say the EV has more shove I disagree

I had my first ride in a Tesla 3 the other day, after 2 years of my mate saying how fast it was and how I need one and shouldn't of got the BMW

I let him take me out in the Tesla first and yeah its quick for a car, but what really impressed me was the handling. I've heard loads about EV 0-60 times and how crap they handle because its 2 ton of battery. Well the 0-60 was ok ish and the 20-70 overtaking was different, almost sick feeling different, but the corner speeds were very good for heavy EV car

Then we changed over to the BMW and he called it out. Yeah I get it, that's fast and sounds amazing. In fact it was quicker than his Tesla and said the performance model Tesla 3 is what I would need. So basically a £70K EV car to match the spec and performance of mine

Don't even get me started on the build quality of the model 3. The cheap PVC seats & rattles just shocking. Oh but its so cheap to run, yeah if you charge at home, but on the Tesla network is the same price as petrol

The EV shove isn't no great than holding down the left shift paddle on the M340I and watching it fly

[DavidXJ]

Originally Posted by beerglass007

You say the EV has more shove I disagree

I had my first ride in a Tesla 3 the other day, after 2 years of my mate saying how fast it was and how I need one and shouldn't of got the BMW

I let him take me out in the Tesla first and yeah its quick for a car, but what really impressed me was the handling. I've heard loads about EV 0-60 times and how crap they handle because its 2 ton of battery. Well the 0-60 was ok ish and the 20-70 overtaking was different, almost sick feeling different, but the corner speeds were very good for heavy EV car

Then we changed over to the BMW and he called it out. Yeah I get it, that's fast and sounds amazing. In fact it was quicker than his Tesla and said the performance model Tesla 3 is what I would need. So basically a £70K EV car to match the spec and performance of mine

Don't even get me started on the build quality of the model 3. The cheap PVC seats & rattles just shocking. Oh but its so cheap to run, yeah if you charge at home, but on the Tesla network is the same price as petrol

The EV shove isn't no great than holding down the left shift paddle on the M340I and watching it fly

This is all very reassuring to hear! (I only have the experience of riding in a Model S, which was intolerably jerky given the zero throttle lag--soon dissolving any romance one might have with 0-60 times, that's for sure.) Anyway, I'll be thinking of your Tesla reflections the next time I burble my 40i into life on a cold start and throw it into some B-road corners.

[4monks]

Nice one Liam - enjoy the car.

[marksandygill]

As much as I hate Tesla, there's a bit of nonsense there

Firstly the Tesla Supercharger network is 28p/kwh so £21 to charge up and get say 285 miles, an M340i costs what £85 to fill up so that means people in M340i's are getting over 1150 miles out of a tank?!

Secondly the Model 3 Performance is £60k not £70k, once you've added a few options (not that you can at the moment! ) to an M340i it's going to be around the same price

Build quality isn't where it needs to be for a car of that price, I hate the touch screen only approach and it looks like a frog, but they are cheaper to run and faster around a track than the old M3...

[xenon]

I was in a very current Tesla 3 yesterday (71 plate, I understand it's after a barely-noticeable facelift) and there was nothing at all wrong with the interior build quality, no different from my G21 at least. This was the performance model and a 340i wouldn't see which way it went.

[Charlie (Wessex)]

Problem is, I neither want to drop £60k on one, nor pay £800 a month