The new generation BMW M3 is taking its sweet time coming to the market. Usually, BMW launches its M models about a year after the “regular” flavor ones are launched. This time, we’re nearly two years into the current generation 3 Series and the M3 is still a few months away. In the meantime, the BMW M340i models are doing everything they can to fill in that gap in the BMW range.
The BMW M340i is also probably the best buy in the range and will remain so even after the M3 is launched. It brings a very good mix of performance and comfort, one that will be hard to beat at this price point. I won’t even get into the ECU remap side of things. However, the M340i is a fast car even without an ECU tune, to be honest.
In the video below, the guys from CarWow have lined it up to race against a rival that’s out of its league. The Audi RS4 is not the car from Ingolstadt that would normally have to face the M340i. The proper Bavarian rival would be the M3.
Since the G80 generation is nowhere to be seen, the M Performance model had to step up. Mind you, the S4 would typically be the car the M340i would have to face in a proper comparison. But, since Audi decided to switch to diesel engines in Europe for the S models, that would’ve been an unfair comparison once again.
On paper, the RS4 has the clear advantage over the BMW. Some 70 extra horsepower and the exact same weight for the both of them means there can only be one winner here. And yet, the BMW manages to deliver a surprise in the first race. Curious? Check out the video below.
