Following the BMW 340i’s replacement of the BMW 335i, the Bavarian brand has just launched its 440i in Europe. The BMW 440i replaces the outgoing 340i and brings about the same changes as in that car as well.
So, for 2016, the BMW 440i gets the new B58 3.0 liter turbocharged inline-six engine, revised steering and suspension, some very minor interior touches and also some exterior tweaks. But it’s the engine that everyone wants to know about. The new B58 engine that replaces the beloved N55 engine is an absolute gem and makes the 340i one of the most fun cars to drive in its class. So what does it do to the 4 Series?
Exactly the same thing, according to Auto Express. The new BMW 440i M Sport is capable of 0-60 mph in under five seconds, thanks to its 326 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. But it isn’t necessarily the outright speed that makes this new engine so good in the 440i, it’s the way it delivers it. The new B58 is silky smooth, making most other engines on the market seem downright coarse. It also loves to rev, despite being turbocharged, and will sing all the way to redline. It sounds damn good, too. It’s certainly the best sounding BMW without an M badge and might even sound better than the M3/M4.
The new suspension and front-end tweaks make the 440i M Sport both more comfortable than the outgoing 435i and make it sharper, too. We noticed this in the BMW 340i and it should be even more prominent in the 440i, given the car’s wider wheel track and more aggressive setup. The steering is also improved over the 435i, as it’s a bit heavier and better judged. It’s still overly light in Comfort mode, but going up to Sport cures that and doesn’t feel artificial like it does in the 435i.
While it’s a bit on the expensive side, the BMW 440i M Sport is a great looking car that looks better than the one it replaces, is faster and smoother now thanks to the new engine and is still the best handling car in its class. So all of the improvements made to the BMW 340i over the 335i have been done and then some to the BMW 440i.
[Source: Auto Express]
