With Matt Farah doing press car videos for The Smoking Tire, he’s left Zack to do the fan drives. In this new video with Zack at the wheel, they test a slightly modified BMW 340i and it’s surprisingly powerful.
The only mods this BMW 340i has are bolt-on power upgrades. So no suspension or braking modifications, which makes it bone stock on the outside. Under the hood, though, it sports a new intake and engine tune, to go along with a new catless down-pipe and mid-pipe, which allows it to make about 380 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Which is really quite impressive actually and it’s a testament to how good the 340i’s B58 engine really is. So with that much power and stock exterior looks, this BMW 340i is a bit of a sleeper car that can probably hang with M3s.
When they start off, you can immediately hear this 340i’s down-pipe, or lack thereof. It’s loud and angry but it sounds really good. The B58 engine is probably BMW’s best sounding engine right now (until the new 8 Series comes out) and this shows that. Just allowing it to breathe better makes it sound like a properly aggressive sports car.
Aside from its extra power, this is a pretty stock 340i. So it handles and drives exactly like a normal BMW 340i. Which is no bad thing, because the 340i is a great car. But it’s really nothing to write home about. Its power, though, is significant because it makes a pretty normal sedan seriously quick. And it’s all been done with relatively un-invasive upgrades, such as the engine tune and intake.
The best part about this BMW 340i, though, is the exhaust. It’s loud, angry and surprisingly throaty. The standard 340i has a hushed grumble but this is properly unhinged. And it sounds fantastic. So to those out there that have BMW 340is, look into doing some simple power upgrades and just a new down-pipe to make their car feel very special. If they want something even more special, go for a set of coilovers and brakes and you’ll have a great little sleeper on your hands without having the flared out looks of the BMW M3. Plus, this way, you get the better engine.
