Bimmerpost
3
/
4 Series
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions M340i with RWD or AWD?

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      01-08-2022, 01:58 PM   #221
GD1981
Lieutenant
433
Rep
521
Posts

Drives: 2021 BMW M340i
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: New Jersey

iTrader: (0)

I live in the Northeast and always opt for RWD. As many have mentioned, there are certain benefits that come with AWD. But for me personally, less weight, better balance and better steering feel is more important.

During inclement, winter weather, I have a JGC to haul me around.
Appreciate 0
      01-08-2022, 04:13 PM   #222
RLL RACER
Second Lieutenant
92
Rep
212
Posts

Drives: BMWM8TurnerM6(2)M3's(1)Bavaria
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Wisconsin

iTrader: (0)

Would not be without x drive. If you think it adds weight thus bogging the car down and or other headaches. Your very mistaken. No matter what climate x drive shows it dominance on all types of roads and race tracks. Rain. shine snow, sleet or just when you want a standing start with launch control, GOODBYE RWD! SEE YA! NO WEIGHT TRANSFER like rwd cars. Audi started it all with quattro and they still has that 1st position in the auto industry, but BMW does a similar and VERY good awd system with a rear bias.. One of the reasons Audi owns the race world for many years, was back in the day of the coupe quattro being banned from the use of quattro, then fast forward to the r-8 through r-18 days with the the use of quattro on race tracks. Now all car brands make awd before they all boo hoo-d it., but is no equal to quattro or x drive. I can take a quattro rs-3 for example and burn your rwd car off the line by 8 car lengths, before you may catch me, a big may! I have been in the racing world for years and driven them all. AWD all the way! Thus you made a mistake in your rwd option choice for your car.

Last edited by RLL RACER; 01-08-2022 at 06:42 PM..
Appreciate 1
      01-08-2022, 09:34 PM   #223
trife.
Second Lieutenant
trife.'s Avatar
195
Rep
217
Posts

Drives: '23 X3MC x Porsche Cayenne
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Southeast

iTrader: (0)

I really don't think it's *that* serious for most of us here. 🤣

But do you, sir.
Appreciate 0
      01-09-2022, 03:39 PM   #224
RLL RACER
Second Lieutenant
92
Rep
212
Posts

Drives: BMWM8TurnerM6(2)M3's(1)Bavaria
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Wisconsin

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by trife. View Post
I really don't think it's *that* serious for most of us here. 🤣

But do you, sir.
What? Really!
Appreciate 0
      01-09-2022, 04:49 PM   #225
cujc14
New Member
cujc14's Avatar
United_States
5
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: 2020 BMW M340i
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Minneapolis

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DZ F30 View Post
As someone who lives in a place where it almost never rains, I think I would be more inclined to get an M340i with RWD. However, I'm just curious to see if anyone would rather spec an M340i with AWD instead. If so, why?
I'm a fan of AWD. There is some more weight however you are spreading the power across 4 wheels instead of 2. Sport + mode gives you a lot of power and feel of rear wheel drive but you have the control of AWD should the road conditions demand it.
Appreciate 0
      01-09-2022, 04:52 PM   #226
cujc14
New Member
cujc14's Avatar
United_States
5
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: 2020 BMW M340i
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Minneapolis

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by RLL RACER View Post
Would not be without x drive. If you think it adds weight thus bogging the car down and or other headaches. Your very mistaken. No matter what climate x drive shows it dominance on all types of roads and race tracks. Rain. shine snow, sleet or just when you want a standing start with launch control, GOODBYE RWD! SEE YA! NO WEIGHT TRANSFER like rwd cars. Audi started it all with quattro and they still has that 1st position in the auto industry, but BMW does a similar and VERY good awd system with a rear bias.. One of the reasons Audi owns the race world for many years, was back in the day of the coupe quattro being banned from the use of quattro, then fast forward to the r-8 through r-18 days with the the use of quattro on race tracks. Now all car brands make awd before they all boo hoo-d it., but is no equal to quattro or x drive. I can take a quattro rs-3 for example and burn your rwd car off the line by 8 car lengths, before you may catch me, a big may! I have been in the racing world for years and driven them all. AWD all the way! Thus you made a mistake in your rwd option choice for your car.
Couldn't have said it better. Having the flexibility and confidence of the AWD system far out weights any drawbacks of additional weight.
Appreciate 1
      09-21-2022, 07:49 PM   #227
sb45
New Member
2
Rep
8
Posts

Drives: 23' M340i, 17' 330xi, 23' X5
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: MD

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by cujc14 View Post
Couldn't have said it better. Having the flexibility and confidence of the AWD system far out weights any drawbacks of additional weight.
Except you didn't mention that it's not just about the weight, you also give up the driving dynamics of a RWD, and that matters to some of us. I read this entire thread because I'm presently ordering a 2023 M340 and was on the fence on xDrive, I've owned more than a few sports cars (including three Porches) and sports sedans in both AWD and RWD, and this whole debate is a grey area, the truth is it depends on who you are and what you want out of the car, and what the car is intended to be. The big thing I would say to the AWD folks that you're not hearing is that the AWD does feel vastly different than RWD to a skilled driver, and many find the feel of the AWD to be lacking in fun and engagement and a lot of other superlatives that just plain take away from the overall enjoyment of driving. To some of us, in certain cars, AWD is a buzz kill. It's not just about the performance numbers, it's akin to the debate between rowing gears and dual-clutch; of course AWD is faster in all situations, but for a 400ish hp car with summer tires, RWD is a really balanced car and absolute hoot to drive, and the AWD most definitely detracts from that experience and only adds back a small fraction of performance; it's not a 600+hp car, that's a different discussion. The 330/340 are daily drivers, so who cares about the tenths of seconds you lose over the AWD, you gain back significant benefits in the "feel" and "fun" of the car. So if anyone else is reading this whole thread as a sanity check, ask yourself how you'll use the car and how you drive. Nobody mentions who they are as drivers in these threads, do you have any legit driving experience like autocross or a racing background in carting or motorcycles or whatever? If so you probably approach/appreciate the machine differently than someone who lacks the background to appreciate the finer points in steering feel and handling. Are you big on 0-60 times so you can be the idiot at the stop light trying to race the mustang next to you, then maybe AWD is your thing, but for a huge swath of folks that appreciate the 330/340 for what they are, RWD is not only appropriate, it's the superior setup if the car is for non-snow driving as a DD. Yes, RWD is always going to underperform AWD, yes it can be more unforgiving and challenging to control than AWD, but if you're a skilled driver, I don't need to tell you why RWD in a sub 400hp sports sedan is better, you already know that.
Appreciate 0
      09-21-2022, 08:33 PM   #228
cyam
Lieutenant
157
Rep
410
Posts

Drives: BMW M340i X (2020 G20)
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: AU

iTrader: (0)

I think one point that fails to get mentioned is that the xDrive is quite variable.

In Sport modes it is decidedly rear wheel bias, in Comfort modes it is more 50/50. Also in sport modes the M diff locks more aggressively. (This is information I have obtained directly from BMW support on the M340i xDrive)

Consequently in sport modes with traction nannies reduced or switched off, it really does feel like a RWD and you can easily get this sideways. It becomes quite an oversteer feeling car - not the typical understeer bias you expect from an AWD.

When you take into account how adjustable the xDrive is on this car, the argument for RWD becomes somewhat reduced. In the end there are different options for different people - no right or wrong or best.
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 02:35 AM   #229
sb45
New Member
2
Rep
8
Posts

Drives: 23' M340i, 17' 330xi, 23' X5
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: MD

iTrader: (0)

Exactly, there is no right/wrong/best. The x-drive "variability" really has nothing to do with it for the RWD folks though, yes, modern AWD systems are less intrusive than older ones, but that doesn't really change the fact that there are a lot of us that can still tell a huge difference in how the car handles and it has nothing to do with kicking the ass end of the car sideways (I'm not sure why everyone thinks that's what the RWD folks are are trying to do with their cars?) The bottom line is that each person needs to drive them back to back and see if it matters to them. When I did that it mattered to me BIG TIME, if it doesn't matter to someone else perhaps they don't have the driving background to discern the difference, or perhaps they do have the skill and they actually just prefer the AWD feel better and/or they also want/need the performance/livability advantages it brings (maybe they grew up on Subaru's and AWD is what they're used to?). But until they build an AWD system that is completely transparent and can give the identical sensations and razor accuracy of an un-driven front end, there are many that will continue to want RWD in a BMW sports sedan, because at 400hp with sticky summer tires it's just a perfect car to have the RWD setup on and really enjoy the balance of the whole thing. Even better, go do a track day and drive AWD vs RWD in anything, you'll likely be faster in the AWD's, but many find RWD's a much more engaging experience (just like manual shifting), and that's what they're looking for... to increase the driving engagement and feel the echoes of a proper RWD track car coming to life in their daily driver. I'm personally not opposed to owning AWD, and in some cars it makes sense, but RWD still has it's place, and it provides something that AWD detracts from, that's why some of us still find it a "superior" choice in the 330/340 platform, and that's why I spec'd RWD on my M340.
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 06:57 AM   #230
JK479
Lieutenant Colonel
JK479's Avatar
1063
Rep
1,911
Posts

Drives: I6-> iX
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Anywhere

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sportstick View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by xlover View Post
Disagree with this, maybe it was accurate when awd was first introduced but in modern bmws the xdrive system is full integrated into the stability control and traction management systems. The computers are constantly balancing torque delivery using the awd diff front/rear and the electronic rear diff left/right. IMO you are handicapping the car by choosing rwd. For a modern performance awd system it's like cutting off an arm by taking away the ability to use the front wheels
We continue to disagree. Although you are correct about system integration, that is a necessity if one is to have a modern AWD system with the associated powertrain/chassis electronics. Although the car does exactly what you suggest, the actual practical real world benefit is nil to miniscule other than in the climate conditions previously discussed, and the downsides persist. The analogy of cutting off an arm is not all all applicable for vehicles such as the 3 Series, short of an M3 (or other higher power, exotic vehicles), where getting the high-performance torque of the powertrain to the road via two tires' contact patches could be more easily overwhelmed, with a loss of traction. For the 330 or 340, adding AWD is more akin to asking an athlete to run a sprint while carrying another 100lbs.
Hey BMW- give the m340i a cut off switch for and like the M 😏

Great debate going on here. It's great to read both perspectives.

As a diehard RWD guy- and having driven both, I prefer AWD now. This power needs it.

I owned 04 330i, 06 530i, 09 911- all RWD. I now have a C4 911 stick- night and day difference of a true daily sports car with awd.

I've driven the m340 and x version. Hands down the more planted car is the x.

No clue about the track. All I can say about the track is the P car shines at all speeds on the track with awd. I'm sure the x does too on bmw.
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 07:31 AM   #231
wdc330i
Lieutenant
223
Rep
477
Posts

Drives: '22 M440xi GC
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Atlanta

iTrader: (0)

I also went AWD on my 440 Gran Coupe, after a zillion RWD BMWs. Agreed that it applies power much better and is just as fun—if not more so—pulling out of curves. It’s like an uber LSD, although the car also has the MSport differential.
__________________
'22 M440xi GC (BSM/Tacora) Previous: 2017 M240i Convertible; 2016 X5 50i; 2017 Boxster 718s; 2012 328iT Sport; 2009 X5 3.0; 2006 M3C; 2006 530xiT; 2003 325xiT; 2002 330i Sport; 2001 Z3 2.5; 2001 330i.
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 09:11 AM   #232
whynotme
Second Lieutenant
68
Rep
206
Posts

Drives: '19 X5 xDrive 40i
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: New England

iTrader: (0)

I'm surprised by all the talk about superior driving feel on RWD, given that 99% of us spend 99.999% on public roads where you can't exactly stretch the limits of these cars. AWD wins out by a landslide for me based on where and how I'll be driving the car 99.99% of the time.
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 10:54 AM   #233
Sportstick
Major General
Sportstick's Avatar
4606
Rep
5,979
Posts

Drives: '15 228i and '24 X3 sDrive30i
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Southwest USA

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by whynotme View Post
I'm surprised by all the talk about superior driving feel on RWD, given that 99% of us spend 99.999% on public roads where you can't exactly stretch the limits of these cars. AWD wins out by a landslide for me based on where and how I'll be driving the car 99.99% of the time.
This is completely applicable to daily driving on public roads and does not require any stretching of limits to experience, although your location in New England can understandably affect your point of view. Where I live, it never snows. The issue is more specific than "driving feel". It's the discernable difference in steering feel and how responsive the front of the car is to changes in direction due to excess weight. It was easy to identify with an A/B test drive comparison before I ordered. Jalopnik identified the same phenomenon with a lower weight over the front wheels when they preferred the lighter 4 cylinder engine in the 2 Series. Weight and its placement in the vehicle are always major factors.

If I lived in your climate, in addition to having dedicated winter tires, I'd likely opt for AWD as well. However, freed from that issue, and wanting the nimbler and more responsive steering and transition feel, RWD remains the preference. BTW, adding a strut tower brace also enhances this experience.
__________________
2015 228i 6MT/Track Handling/Tech/Cold/Premium/Lighting/Driver Assistance/KCDesign Strut Brace/M2 LCAs/Rogue SSK/BBS SR/PS4S/ER Chargepipe/AA Intercooler/Dinan Shockware/MPerformance Spoiler/Black Grilles/Xpel Ultimate PPF & Prime XR+ Tint/Adam's Ceramic/no CDV
2024 X3 sDrive30i/MSport/Premium/Dynamic Handling/Shadowline/Parking/Xpel Prime XR Plus/Weathertech Cargo Liner

Last edited by Sportstick; 09-22-2022 at 11:10 AM..
Appreciate 1
      09-22-2022, 10:57 AM   #234
Sportstick
Major General
Sportstick's Avatar
4606
Rep
5,979
Posts

Drives: '15 228i and '24 X3 sDrive30i
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Southwest USA

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by cujc14 View Post
Couldn't have said it better. Having the flexibility and confidence of the AWD system far out weights any drawbacks of additional weight.
Only if you track or have a climate that would benefit. If neither apply, the conclusion differs.
__________________
2015 228i 6MT/Track Handling/Tech/Cold/Premium/Lighting/Driver Assistance/KCDesign Strut Brace/M2 LCAs/Rogue SSK/BBS SR/PS4S/ER Chargepipe/AA Intercooler/Dinan Shockware/MPerformance Spoiler/Black Grilles/Xpel Ultimate PPF & Prime XR+ Tint/Adam's Ceramic/no CDV
2024 X3 sDrive30i/MSport/Premium/Dynamic Handling/Shadowline/Parking/Xpel Prime XR Plus/Weathertech Cargo Liner
Appreciate 0
      09-22-2022, 11:39 AM   #235
whynotme
Second Lieutenant
68
Rep
206
Posts

Drives: '19 X5 xDrive 40i
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: New England

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sportstick View Post
This is completely applicable to daily driving on public roads and does not require any stretching of limits to experience, although your location in New England can understandably affect your point of view. Where I live, it never snows. The issue is more specific than "driving feel". It's the discernable difference in steering feel and how responsive the front of the car is to changes in direction due to excess weight. It was easy to identify with an A/B test drive comparison before I ordered. Jalopnik identified the same phenomenon with a lower weight over the front wheels when they preferred the lighter 4 cylinder engine in the 2 Series. Weight and its placement in the vehicle are always major factors.

If I lived in your climate, in addition to having dedicated winter tires, I'd likely opt for AWD as well. However, freed from that issue, and wanting the nimbler and more responsive steering and transition feel, RWD remains the preference. BTW, adding a strut tower brace also enhances this experience.
Thank you for the explanation. Never knew it would feel that different.....
Appreciate 1
Sportstick4605.50
      09-23-2022, 04:22 PM   #236
sb45
New Member
2
Rep
8
Posts

Drives: 23' M340i, 17' 330xi, 23' X5
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: MD

iTrader: (0)

I wouldn't go so far as to say that automotive journalists are the burning bush of opinions, but I think we can agree that Car and Driver has the opportunity to test a crap-ton of cars and therefore has a pretty informed perspective. Food for thought....they insisted on RWD in their M340 long-term test car, and they talked quite a bit in their updates about why they thought that was the proper choice. In a nutshell, they echo what a lot of us are saying, which is the x-drive results in a clumsy feeling front end. They complained that the BMW electric steering is not really great in the first place, and when you spec AWD it only magnifies the issue further. I'm putting PS4S tires on mine and only driving it in fair weather, so to me RWD is a no brainer, but if I was going to use the car in inclement conditions, AWD would probably be my choice, and if I was going to track/autocross the car, I'd be buying a different car (maybe an M2 comp?).
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:07 AM.




g20
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST