BMW India has launched the powerful BMW M340i xDrive in the country. Locally-produced at BMW Group Plant Chennai, it is the first high-performance BMW with an M engine to be made in India. The car is available at an attractive price (ex-showroom) of INR 62,90,000. This makes it more accessible than the previous generation Audi S5 that was priced at Rs 70 lakhs which is now set to launch very soon as well.
BMW India had opened bookings for the much-awaited BMW M340i xDrive from 3:40 pm, 5 March 2021 onwards. The car will be available in limited units and can be exclusively booked online at BMW Online Shop for one lakh rupees only. The overwhelming response to pre-launch booking means all units planned for production till June 2021 are sold.
The first 40 customers will enjoy a specially curated Driver Training at an iconic race track in India. It’s a thrilling opportunity to master the racing line skills with the help of BMW Certified trainers. Owners will be able push the sporting boundaries and get the most out of their BMW M340i xDrive.
Engineered by BMW M, the car delivers a concentrated distillation of the 3’s sporting essence. Together, the high engine performance, M-specific chassis tuning, BMW xDrive all-wheel drive and the M Sport rear differential provide for an outstanding driving experience. To enhance the sporty appearance, customers can personalise their car with specially curated BMW M Performance Accessories packages – Enthusiast Pack, Racer’s Pack and Motorsport Pack.
Customers can visit https://www.bmw.in/M340i and explore a 360° view of the car’s exterior and interior. They will be directed to a bookings page where booking can be done through a secure online payment mechanism. Deliveries will be done on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Thanks to BMW India Financial Services, customized and flexible financial solutions can be designed as per individual requirements. BMW 360˚ offers exclusive financial packages with great value and absolute peace of mind. Service Inclusive and Service Inclusive Plus further reduce cost of ownership. Customers can choose from a variety of service plans according to duration and mileage. The packages cover Condition Based Service (CBS) and maintenance work with plans ranging from 3 yrs / 40,000 kms to 10 yrs / 2,00,000 kms.
The feature list on the new M340i xDrive will include the SensaTec leather upholstery for the seats, Sport Seats with M Seat Belts, M Leather Steering wheel, M Rear Spoiler, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, Head-Up Display, Apple CarPlay, Gesture control, Wireless Charging, LaserLight, Parking Assistant System, Tyre Pressure Display, and High Gloss Shadow Line. Being an M badged version, the M340i xDrive also gets a bunch of performance upgrades including the M Sports suspension, M Aerodynamic Package, M rear spoiler, M Sport brakes and M Sport differential.
The exterior design has a front end cuts a wide, low-slung and aggressive figure. The large BMW kidney grille mesh inserts are framed by a single surround and split up by wide bars that link to the headlight units. The car features the Adaptive LED headlights with BMW Laserlight which offers variable illumination of the road ahead. They stand apart with their hexagonal daytime driving light rings and blue, L-shaped elements in the inner and outer light sources. The car’s hood, long wheelbase, short overhangs and elegantly flowing roofline accentuate its sporting profile when viewed from the side.
Horizontal lines and the slim, stylishly darkened light units housing L-shaped LED taillights give the rear a wide and athletic stance. Complementing the M aerodynamics package with aerodynamically optimized body elements, the car features a body coloured M rear spoiler on the boot lid. The vehicle’s exclusive look is also enhanced by exterior mirror caps, air intake struts, trapezoidal tailpipe trims and the model lettering all finished in Cerium Grey metallic. Adding to the sporty look are the standard 18-inch M light alloy wheels style 790 M Bicolor with mixed tyres. The option to upgrade to 19-inch M light alloy wheels in 792 M or 796 M styling is also available.
The interior is designed to accentuate cabin spaciousness and the driver-focused cockpit. The sport seats with M-specific upholstery in a Sensatec/Alcantara trim provide excellent lateral support and have a great range of adjustment. The Anthracite BMW Individual roof liner, BMW Individual High-Gloss Shadow Line elements, M leather steering wheel with shift paddles, M seat belt and interior trim strips in Aluminum Tetragon provide a performance-oriented ambience. As exclusive design features, the digital instrument cluster and front door sills bear the model lettering ‘M340i’. Adding to the sense of space is the large panorama glass sunroof. Ambient Lighting with six dimmable light designs creates an atmosphere for every mood while Automatic 3 zone A/C further enhances the in-cabin experience. Welcome Light Carpet, which is projected from the side sill, welcomes passengers in glamorous style. The boot has a capacity of 480 litres and can be expanded further by folding down the 40/20/40 split rear seat backrest.
The first-ever BMW M340i xDrive is powered by 2,998 cc straight-six petrol engine which produces an output of 387 hp and 500 Nm maximum torque. It is accompanied by a characteristic sound thanks to the M Sport exhaust unit. The car completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, making it the quickest car to be produced in the country.
The eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission performs smooth, almost imperceptible gearshifts. At any time, in any gear, the transmission collaborates perfectly with the engine, enabling it to develop its full power and efficiency. For even greater driving pleasure, it is available with steering wheel paddle shifters and cruise control with braking function as standard. The Driver Experience Control modes SPORT and SPORT+ help support more dynamic driving even further by transferring power to the rear wheels.
As a category first, the car features BMW xDrive, the intelligent all-wheel drive technology which monitors the driving situations and is quick to respond to ensure maximum traction, agility and vehicle stability. The standard M Sport rear differential enhances traction and cornering by electronically controlling the distribution of power to each individual wheel. It helps to avoid understeer and oversteer in situations involving multiple changes of direction and load.
With kinematics and elastokinematics tuned for dynamic driving, the M Sport suspension features more rigid bearings and body struts, firm springs and anti-roll bars. It helps lower the ride height by 10 mm and offers a more engaging driving experience. The Variable Sport Steering is precise and responsive even when only a slight steering input is applied. With the variable ratio, it adjusts to the steering angle changes making it as adept at keeping the car in a straight line as at maximizing cornering agility and maneuvering comfort. M Sport brakes provide excellent braking performance and an intuitive feel, whether negotiating city streets or driving around a circuit on a track day. The brake calipers are painted blue and display the M logo. The BMW Performance Control system increases the stability of the car by targeted braking of the wheels.
A host of BMW ConnectedDrive technologies continue to break the innovation barrier in the automotive industry. Modern cockpit concept BMW Live Cockpit Professional includes 3D Navigation, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display behind the steering wheel and a 10.25-inch Control Display. Occupants can operate a number of car functions simply by speaking to their BMW Virtual Assistant. Hands do the talking with BMW Gesture Control that recognizes six pre-defined hand movements for control of a number of functions. The smartphone holder integrated into the centre console allows inductive, Wireless Charging for mobile phones. Wireless Apple CarPlay® / Android Auto ensures seamless smartphone connection with the car to access several functions. The car features a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system with 16 loudspeakers.
BMW Head-Up Display projects driving-related information onto the windscreen and directly into the driver’s field of view without having to divert their eyes from the road. Parking Assistant with Rear View Camera makes parking in tight spots easier. The Reversing Assistant provides unmatched support in reversing out of a parking spot or through narrow driveways. It keeps a record of the last 50 metres driven and assists by taking over the steering.
BMW EfficientDynamics includes features such as Auto Start-Stop, Brake-Energy Regeneration, Electronic Power Steering, 50:50 Weight Distribution and ECO PRO mode in Driving Experience Control.
BMW Safety technologies include six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensors, Runflat Tyres with Tyre Pressure Indicator, ISOFIX child seat mounting and integrated emergency spare wheel under the load floor.
The cars will soon start arriving at showrooms and test drives have begun. With the new variant, BMW India now has a very interesting line-up in the 3 Series family. This includes the frugal and fun diesel engines, the more comfortable GL version, and the now the M340i for the proper petrolhead.
