[M340i Pride]

Couldn't find any info in the internet. We all know that M340i is blistering fast in the straights. But I wonder how much of that could be transferred on a track...

[tarrant64]

Haven't seen much in the way of lap times posted. I'll eventually have some for my local track but that really doesn't mean much and is relative only to me and it's not a notable track where I live in the midwest.

The car is fast, probably casually track worthy.

It did a 2:01.1 at Hockenheim, and here's a list of how that compares.
https://fastestlaps.com/tracks/hockenheim-gp

[josehb]

Originally Posted by tarrant64

Haven't seen much in the way of lap times posted. I'll eventually have some for my local track but that really doesn't mean much and is relative only to me and it's not a notable track where I live in the midwest.

It did a 2:01.1 at Hockenheim, and here's a list of how that compares.
https://fastestlaps.com/tracks/hockenheim-gp

Yes, I think you can have fun with this car on track days but I would not over do it maybe 4 or 5 times a year at best otherwise is to much stress for this type of car. I order the cooling pkg which should help on track days with the extra oil cooling, better brakes and better tires, Michelin Sport 4s.

[Ikester19]

Possible but not advisable unless you have the upgraded brake/tyre and cooling package as the B58 does suffer from heat soak. The stock suspension setup is not ideal for the track either.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by Ikester19

Possible but not advisable unless you have the upgraded brake/tyre and cooling package as the B58 does suffer from heat soak. The stock suspension setup is not ideal for the track either.

I never had an issue with heat soak on my old 2018 340i at the track. It did have the track handling package with the extra oil cooler.

[Ikester19]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

I never had an issue with heat soak on my old 2018 340i at the track. It did have the track handling package with the extra oil cooler.

I've never had first hand experience with heat soak. Having said that I've never tracked my car. As per your comment the M technology package addresses that with an extra radiator under the bumper.

[M340i Pride]

Originally Posted by tarrant64

Haven't seen much in the way of lap times posted. I'll eventually have some for my local track but that really doesn't mean much and is relative only to me and it's not a notable track where I live in the midwest.

The car is fast, probably casually track worthy.
https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/04/09/v...0great%20names.

It did a 2:01.1 at Hockenheim, and here's a list of how that compares.
https://fastestlaps.com/tracks/hockenheim-gp

So in another words, its not that great on track, at least not as much as its straight line speed would suggest.

[tarrant64]

Originally Posted by M340i Pride

So in another words, its not that great on track, at least not as much as its straight line speed would suggest.

Great is relative to the driver and their needs. Comparison is important here in my opinion. Great compared to an actual G80 M3? Debatable, we don't know yet. To a C8? Probably not. Comparable to the prior gen M3? Some say it's "as" good, and probably with some mods would be an equal if not better match.

I've pushed it hard to enough to know it's going to be "good enough" on a track for casual. If you're that serious about track usage, you wouldn't have purchased the M340i - there are better track cars out there, stock, for the money honestly.

[TruthOne]

Unless you're going to rip out your interior for race seats , new track suspension and roll cages you're not going to be setting any records. That goes for the G80 too but I know people who have ordered it and plan on tearing all the seats out already. Nice to be rich. There are people who buy GT3's new and tear everything out. They take it very serious. Just go to have fun not to be the fastest at the track because you won't be. The McClarens, Stripped GT3's, C8's and Lamborghini's will blow by you regardless.

[tarrant64]

Originally Posted by TruthOne

Unless you're going to rip out your interior for race seats , new track suspension and roll cages you're not going to be setting any records. That goes for the G80 too but I know people who have ordered it and plan on tearing all the seats out already. Nice to be rich. There are people who buy GT3's new and tear everything out. They take it very serious. Just go to have fun not to be the fastest at the track because you won't be. The McClarens, Stripped GT3's, C8's and Lamborghini's will blow by you regardless.

Agree - enjoy it for what it is. It'll be faster than a lot of cars, but not THE fastest or setting lap records.

[M340i Pride]

Originally Posted by tarrant64

Great is relative to the driver and their needs. Comparison is important here in my opinion. Great compared to an actual G80 M3? Debatable, we don't know yet. To a C8? Probably not. Comparable to the prior gen M3? Some say it's "as" good, and probably with some mods would be an equal if not better match.

I've pushed it hard to enough to know it's going to be "good enough" on a track for casual. If you're that serious about track usage, you wouldn't have purchased the M340i - there are better track cars out there, stock, for the money honestly.

In your opinion which cars are better at track for the similar $$?

[MBM340]

Originally Posted by M340i Pride

In your opinion which cars are better at track for the similar $$?

OMG there are plenty of them....I have been driving BMWs for 35 years and I love my M340, but a better track car for the same money?
- 2018 Corvette Grand Sport
- 2019 BMW M2 Competition
- 2018 Mustang Shelby GT350R

How about better track cars for less $$:
- Ariel Atom
- Mazda MX5 Miata Club

For more money there are a lot of them:
- 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4
- Lambo Gallardo
- Etc Etc.


My humble opinion is that the M340 was NOT designed as a track car at all. You can track any car, but for those of you who have not raced cars on a track before, racetracks beat the shit out of normal street cars. The design and development of a street car is LIGHTYEARS away from what is needed to go fast and stop fast on track.
Each marque usually has a car or two that CAN do well on track, in our BMW family the M2 and M3 come to mind, but the M340 is not designed to race on track. Ford has the aforementioned GT350R and most manufacturers have one model that can be tracked and perform well, but man I can tell you from having raced many vehicles over the years that if you take your DD M340 on track....well, good luck with that.

[M340i Pride]

Originally Posted by MBM340

OMG there are plenty of them....I have been driving BMWs for 35 years and I love my M340, but a better track car for the same money?
- 2018 Corvette Grand Sport
- 2019 BMW M2 Competition
- 2018 Mustang Shelby GT350R

How about better track cars for less $$:
- Ariel Atom
- Mazda MX5 Miata Club

For more money there are a lot of them:
- 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4
- Lambo Gallardo
- Etc Etc.


My humble opinion is that the M340 was NOT designed as a track car at all. You can track any car, but for those of you who have not raced cars on a track before, racetracks beat the shit out of normal street cars. The design and development of a street car is LIGHTYEARS away from what is needed to go fast and stop fast on track.
Each marque usually has a car or two that CAN do well on track, in our BMW family the M2 and M3 come to mind, but the M340 is not designed to race on track. Ford has the aforementioned GT350R and most manufacturers have one model that can be tracked and perform well, but man I can tell you from having raced many vehicles over the years that if you take your DD M340 on track....well, good luck with that.

I agree with you on all those cars! I won't mess with a vette either . But do you think the mazda can actually beat a m340i around a track??

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by M340i Pride

I agree with you on all those cars! I won't mess with a vette either . But do you think the mazda can actually beat a m340i around a track??

On a road course, yes.

[tarrant64]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

On a road course, yes.

I actually disagree on the Miata part. That can and will come down to the driver, but on a road course that favors horsepower with long straights, the Miata will not keep up even with it's ability of momentum. Look at my original links for what track times are out there. MX-5 did a 2:16 on the track I listed, M340 did 2:01 - 15 second difference is huge in lap times. Don't disqualify the M340i as not being a fully fledged M-car that it's not capable. Honda Accords today are capable today.

But overall, yes there are 'better' cars for DEDICATED track use, but not many can cover track and DD. Without purchasing an M3/M3, I think the M340i will do just fine given the proper typical attention (pads, fluids, tires). The rest comes down to wear and tear and ultimately when you find the limit of the car two things will happen: you're either happy with what you have, or you go searching for that next greater track car.

[tarrant64]

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...ve-track-test/

[Montaver]

The M340i will be fun on track - RWD, limited slip differential, plenty of power. It's held back a by weight and cooling (annoying you can't spec a G20 with no sunroof). The brakes are far more substantial that what an E90 M3 has stock for example.

As for it being slower than a Miata... have you ever shared a track with a Miata?! They are moving traffic cones, the m340i will be leagues quicker. I haven't looked at lap times but an m340i would be comfortably quicker than a lot of cars you see at at HPDE (BRZ, E46 M3, 350z etc). It would quite easily hold its own, but it will chew consumables.

[MBM340]

Originally Posted by Montaver

The M340i will be fun on track - RWD, limited slip differential, plenty of power. It's held back a by weight and cooling (annoying you can't spec a G20 with no sunroof). The brakes are far more substantial that what an E90 M3 has stock for example.

As for it being slower than a Miata... have you ever shared a track with a Miata?! They are moving traffic cones, the m340i will be leagues quicker. I haven't looked at lap times but an m340i would be comfortably quicker than a lot of cars you see at at HPDE (BRZ, E46 M3, 350z etc). It would quite easily hold its own, but it will chew consumables.

CALM down everyone. I NEVER said a Miata would beat our M340. That was NOT the question. He asked for a "Better" track car, not a faster one...

And no way the Miata beats our M340 but it is still better in many respects as a track car because Mazda has focused a TON of resources on getting the Miata on track whilst BMW has spent ZERO effort on getting the M340 on track.

[tarrant64]

Originally Posted by MBM340

...whilst BMW has spent ZERO effort on getting the M340 on track.

That's not really true though. They provided specific performance packages for the M340i - so that it would be a comfortable track car (not dedicated track machine mind you).

I don't intend to argue that to make light of the M3-M5's out there, it's just literally in their press releases in regards to what they built out that specific M340i performance series to do.

[MBM340]

Originally Posted by tarrant64

That's not really true though. They provided specific performance packages for the M340i - so that it would be a comfortable track car (not dedicated track machine mind you).

I don't intend to argue that to make light of the M3-M5's out there, it's just literally in their press releases in regards to what they built out that specific M340i performance series to do.

Fair enough, but Mazda has Spec Racing Miata series' in SCCA and has raced the MX-5 as a lower level professional series. I am just saying I haven't seen a series on an IndyCar weekend dedicated to the M340.

Again, not saying you can't track the M340, just that there are MANY other cars that are better at doing that job.

[Montaver]

Originally Posted by MBM340

CALM down everyone. I NEVER said a Miata would beat our M340. That was NOT the question. He asked for a "Better" track car, not a faster one...

And no way the Miata beats our M340 but it is still better in many respects as a track car because Mazda has focused a TON of resources on getting the Miata on track whilst BMW has spent ZERO effort on getting the M340 on track.

Well that's not entirely true. I would go so far to say they have put more thought and resources into the m340i for casual track time than any non-M car to date

- It has an LSD as standard
- Still a RWD option
- A track cooling pack is an option
- It has bigger brakes than the M3 just two generations ago
- The first journalist test drives were at Portimao! A race track.. (The Straight Pipes did a full video)

[tarrant64]

Originally Posted by MBM340

CALM down everyone. I NEVER said a Miata would beat our M340. That was NOT the question. He asked for a "Better" track car, not a faster one...

And no way the Miata beats our M340 but it is still better in many respects as a track car because Mazda has focused a TON of resources on getting the Miata on track whilst BMW has spent ZERO effort on getting the M340 on track.

Originally Posted by MBM340

Fair enough, but Mazda has Spec Racing Miata series' in SCCA and has raced the MX-5 as a lower level professional series. I am just saying I haven't seen a series on an IndyCar weekend dedicated to the M340.

Again, not saying you can't track the M340, just that there are MANY other cars that are better at doing that job.

And that's absolutely fair. to the credit of the MX-5, yes it does have it's own spec series in a lot of different races. That car is definitely purpose built for it's class, for sure.