BMW M340i xDrive review: Sweet mix of performance and luxury

The M340i xDrive is clearly distinguishable as the most powerful 3 Series owing to its sportier appearance courtesy the BMW kidney grille finished with a mesh design, an integrated rear spoiler, and a set of trapezoidal exhausts.

You also get a contrasting metallic gray finish on the external mirrors while the 18-inch M light alloy wheels are offered as standard.

Inside, the M340i xDrive has a performance-centric cabin while still being sufficiently luxurious and practical.

Changes to the interiors include M-specific upholstery, sports seats finished in Alcantara, a new roof liner made of anthracite, and a leather-covered M steering wheel.

There is also a generous amount of aluminium used on the dashboard, which imparts a dual-tone sportier feel to the otherwise all-black interiors.

Powering the M340i xDrive is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, 6-cylinder petrol engine which develops an impressive 387hp of power and 500Nm of torque. Power is sent to all the wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifters.

The performance claims are pretty impressive with a 0-100km/h time of just 4.4 seconds. In the real world, it feels even quicker and has a sharp throttle response.

The M340i xDrive offers a specially tuned M Sport suspension with several chassis upgrades to handle the extra power.

Also crucial to its overall driving performance is the rear-biased xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which provides plenty of grip for the driver to exploit the full potential of the car regardless of the surface.

We also liked the steering for its sharp and precise feedback.

Overall, the BMW M340i xDrive lives up to its promise of being a proper sports car with four doors. The performance and handling that it offers is exemplary while being nearly as comfortable as the standard 3 Series sedan.

With an expected starting price of around Rs. 65 lakh, the M340i xDrive should be the ideal choice for those wanting a versatile performance car.