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BMW enthusiasts sometimes consider the BMW M340i to be one of the greatest all-around Bimmers available, if not the best. It is quick, comfortable, and useable as any other 3 Series; it does everything a BMW devotee could want from a vehicle. Luckily, the M340i is available in the United States for us Americans. Even so, our European friends are still in for a double treat because in addition to the M340i, they also get the BMW M340d, the M340i’s diesel-powered twin.
You can see which is better in this brand-new video by Joe Achilles: the BMW M340i or the M340d. The fact that both vehicles share a chassis, a suspension, an interior, a set of accessible drivers, and technology makes them quite similar. So, the main distinction between them is found in the engine, and even that is very comparable.
A 3.0-litre inline-six gas engine with turbocharging produces 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque powers the BMW M340i. It is known as “B58” and is regarded as one of the greatest BMW engines in recent memory. These are both 48-volt mild hybrids after the 3 Series LCI upgrade. The BMW M340d uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel inline-six with 340 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The M340d also gets a codename called “B47”. While gasoline engines produce more horsepower, rev higher and quicker, and produce more excellent sounds, diesel engines typically consume significantly less fuel and have superior low down torque. In this instance, everything still holds. Which is quicker, though?
Achilles put both vehicles through an unique 0-60 mph test. BMW claimed a 4.6 second time for the spring, but the M340i could complete it in 3.92 seconds. In contrast, the M340d completed the task in 4.44 seconds, which is still incredibly fast but not quite as rapid as the M340i.
Which vehicle—and especially which engine—is so genuinely superior? The video’s full results are worth viewing, so I won’t give them away. But it indeed appears like the answer depends on your use case. The BMW M340i is quicker, sounds better, and should be more enjoyable to drive on winding backroads. The M340d, on the other hand, offers a tidal wave of low end torque that makes it thrilling to drive in its own right and far better fuel efficiency and less air pollution. In our opinion, the European buyer who gets to select between the two is the real winner in this situation.
