Okay, folks—can anyone name a faster diesel-powered car you can buy new right now? Nope, us, neither. A 0-100kph time of 4.6sec for the sedan (4.8sec for the wagon) makes the BMW M340d faster than the Audi S4 (and S6, S7, SQ7, and SQ8) and any diesel-engined Mercedes. Gosh.
The M340d uses the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel straight-six as the existing and very good 330d, but BMW has added 74hp (335hp over 261hp), 119Nm of torque (699Nm plays 580Nm—all available from 1,750rpm) and a 48V mild-hybrid system that patches over the cracks in the internal combustion engine’s power delivery.
The gearbox is the same eight-speed automatic—which is fine because as auto gearboxes go, it’s among the best—while the M Sport exhaust is said to deliver a “highly distinctive aural accompaniment.” Both sedan and Touring M340ds get xDrive all-wheel drive as standard, along with M Sport brakes, suspension, steering, differential, and body styling.
As far as economy goes, BMW claims as much as 22.2km/L and as little as 143g/km for the M340d, which replaces the old 335d, meaning it already meets Euro 6 emissions standards due to come into force in 2021.
We’re already massive fans of the gasoline-powered M340i. But will we like the diesel as much? Watch this space.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
