Guest test driver Dan Stoffman with the 2020 BMW M340i .Brendan Miller/Postmedia As some automakers focus on SUV production to leave the world of the sedan behind them, others are more committed to the four-door vehicle than ever. Case in point, BMW.Theyve just launched their seventh-generation 3 Series with the 2020 M340i sedan and the car brings a great deal more to the driving experience. BMW accomplished this by increasing overall chassis rigidity, and the company focused on reducing weight while lowering the centre of gravity. BMW claims the 3 Series now has perfect 50/50 front and rear weight distribution.They also fitted the M340i with a new 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine with an aluminum crankcase and cylinder head topped off with a twin-scroll turbocharger. Power is transferred through an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission equipped with paddle shifters. In other markets, BMW sells a rear-wheel drive only M340i, but in Canada, the only version available is the all-wheel drive equipped M340i xDrive.Calgarian Dan Stoffman enjoys driving. His first car was a 1985 Chevy Celebrity, given to him by his grandfather. That was followed by a 1988 Toyota Camry, given to him by his father. The first vehicle he bought for himself was a 2005 Mazda3, equipped with a standard transmission and a dynamic suspension package. While he could fit his growing family wife, two kids and three dogs in the Mazda, in 2015 he opted for a more grown-up car and bought a BMW 435i Gran Coupe.My top three purchasing considerations are performance I like vehicle dynamics and horsepower, Stoffman explains, and continues, Also, it has to be big enough for family, and it needs to be all-wheel drive equipped. I do have a fourth consideration; Ive always preferred sedans over SUVs.When he was planning to replace the Mazda, he says hed never wanted a BMW.I was concerned about reliability, he says. But Id heard theyd dramatically improved their reliability and went to look at the BMWs. Id driven a number of different test vehicles, and the BMW had much more of an exhilarating drive, and it hit all my checkpoints. How did he feel about the M340i xDrive, equipped with the $8,300 Premium Excellence Package, $600 adaptive M suspension and the $1,450 Tanzanite Blue II metallic paint? All in, the car cost $72,200, not including freight, PDI or other taxes.I think the exterior lines are phenomenally striking, Stoffman says. Its a sexy car, with the overall rake its a classic BMW shape. I like the rear wheel fender flares and the way they tie in; its a muscular looking car.I was, however, a little disappointed in the kidney grille and the shape of the headlights. Its not as classic and its gone a little Japanese in the front end for me, but you do get used to it.When he got inside the car, Stoffman says everything fell into place and it didnt take him long to get comfortable in the power adjustable and heated drivers seat. The interior was finished in BMWs Cognac Vernasca leather, and the Premium Excellence Package adds oak grain open-pored wood trim.I was very impressed by the technology, he says. It was a fully digital dash, and the dials are well laid out and are easy to use. The cockpit is ergonomically made for the driver, and its really nice.After pushing the engine start button, Stoffman says he was thrilled to hear the exhaust note.This car is tuned, he says, and adds, After getting it on the road, I was grinning from ear to ear, admits Dan Soffman With the eight-speed transmission, this is a tight machine; the suspension holds the car nicely, the brakes are firm and it handles like its on rails.Even when placed in Sport or Sport Plus mode, a setting that stiffens up the suspension, Stoffman says the M340i xDrive still felt smooth and luxurious.And the customization of the driving experience is seemingly infinite, Stoffman adds. The Sport mode now allows for an individualized and customized setting for each dynamic driving input (steering, engine, transmission and suspension). The instrument cluster has multiple digital gauges and panels to enjoy, like a G-force meter, horsepower and torque gauge, or simply the media, which shows images of album covers on your instrument cluster.“After getting it on the road, I was grinning from ear to ear,” admits Dan StoffmanAlthough the trunk opening was narrow, Stoffman was able to fit his sons large rolling hockey bag, a youths hockey stick, two backpacks and a briefcase into the space. In terms of overall utility, he says the car offers plenty of room for the driver and front and rear seat passengers.Its like a high-powered Swiss Army knife, Stoffman adds, Its just very capable of doing many different tasks you could commute daily, you could take it to the track, or you could take it on a night on the town.I priced it out, and BMW has added more horsepower and more technology, and its the same price as what I paid four years ago for my 435i. Id
Origin: Reader Review: 2020 BMW M340i xDrive