04-01-2019, 10:06 AM | #1 |
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I'm curious - why no "340i"?
Out of curiosity, I was wondering why BMW opted not to make a regular 340i with the lower output B58 engine used in non-M Performance *40i vehicles such as the 540i, 740i, and X5 40i.
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04-01-2019, 10:25 AM | #2 |
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BMW has a huge amount of data on option take rates for the F30 340i that they can sift through. I'd guess a significant percentage of the 340i's sold had the M-sport package which would rationalize their decision.
I'd also be interested in knowing the distribution of 320i/330i/340i sales in the US. I see 340i's once in a while in Boston, but 90% of the 3 series I see are 4 cylinders. I'd guess 340i production numbers are significantly less than their 4 cylinder counterparts. |
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04-01-2019, 11:35 AM | #3 |
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1) Money - M sport costs more and can be built into the base price
2) Type of Buyer - Likely those going for more power are enthusiasts and would prefer M-Sport 3) Sales Distributions - Sales probably had a higher take rate of M-Sport models on the previous 340i than say lower trims (330i, 320i) 4) Other BMWs - Almost every other model has already adapted/will adapt to the top model being an M-Sport trim, so the 3 would as well. 5) Competitors/Branding - Calling something an M340i and putting an M bade is better to market/use for brand appeal than just calling it a 340i. Competitors like Mercedes and Audi already adopted to the system years ago (C43 AMG/S4)
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04-01-2019, 11:51 AM | #4 |
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The answer to this seems really obvious. People who want the big engine typically are going to want the full performance package. Audi and BMW have been marketing their 6 cylinder cars that way (S, AMG) and it only makes sense for BMW to be competitive and follow suit.
In Canada at least, M Sport was standard on all 6 cylinder F30's since 2014. |
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04-01-2019, 12:30 PM | #6 |
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It's not, there a difference. This comes standard with E-LSD , M sport brakes (Not all M Sport packages include the brakes) and M sport exhaust from last year's F30 M performance Exhaust, I believe. And all the cerium grey cosmetic parts , mirrors, grill, front bumper vent covers. There might be a few more things, but can't remember off the top of my head.
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04-01-2019, 12:39 PM | #7 | |
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04-01-2019, 01:10 PM | #8 |
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No idea what your trying to say, I'll just move on buds. E- LSD was never ever part of M sport package, M sport brakes are tho on the 3 series. All the cerium grey cosmetic components , not that I care for it, was never part of the M sport package. It's BMW new marketing crap, the M550i has it, the M760i , now the M340i. And M suspension comes standard, it's the $700 option for Adaptive , if thats what your referring to. So yeah theres differences , all Im trying to say.
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04-01-2019, 01:18 PM | #9 | |
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My point was that if they made a "standard" 340 then most likely M-sport package would have gotten you what you're getting with M340i. So they just skipped "standard" 340 because if I'm not mistaken at least post LCI, last couple of years, I haven't seen a non-Msport pkg 340 on a road anyway, even if it were technically available. |
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04-01-2019, 01:48 PM | #11 |
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To echo most of the above BMW obviously felt that
a. research determined that 340 buyers looking for the big engine were typically searching for the sportiest variant at that price level b. there was demand for even sportier performance/exhaust/power even among those who did not opt for track pack or MPPSK (buyers wish they would have) c. take rates on the track pack with msport brakes and MPPSK were higher than expected (considering dev was probably well underway this was likely a confirmation data point not driving force) Its pretty clear these were universal observations among the german brands over the last 5-10 years as audi reconfigured its S and RS relationship to position the S cars against the 335/340. MB moved the C400 to AMG badging and bodykit as C450 then C43 along with more sport oriented setup. And at LCI the F30 340 moved the msport package to the standard configuration (someone would really have to go out of their way to get a luxury line 340) |
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04-01-2019, 01:53 PM | #12 | |
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BMW seems to have been trying to reduce number of combinations of options for their cars, which lowers costs/ eases assembly, and also prevents weird combinations that dont sell. Its probably why there is no red leather this time either, and an even more limited color palette (or well we aren't getting those sand colors this time it seems...) I'm sure some analyst figured out that the number of 335i/340i sold last year without m-sport was small. That it would be simpler to just combine mppk/m-sport/trackhandling/b58 as a giant option package called "m340i" for a 330i and be done with it. And here we are. |
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04-01-2019, 03:55 PM | #13 | |
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04-02-2019, 10:09 AM | #14 | |
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So I don't think they called it M340i because "it'd be M-Sport anyway", but rather to upsell it to a higher base price and maybe have less options to worry about. |
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04-02-2019, 11:56 AM | #16 | |
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With the F30, the m-sport package was almost 100% cosmetic. It added the sport suspension, but you could get the sport suspension in the sport line anyway. So "m-sport" in the F30 era was really almost a misleading poseur label, and you could see it in a lot of reviews where authors said they had "the sportiest version of the F30, the m-sport". Which could actually be something soft, squishy, and non-sporty like an m-sport 335iX. Or slow, soft, and squishy like an m-sport 328iX. The real go-fast bits like m-sport brakes and dynamic shocks were optional. And the go-even-faster bits were almost secret options from the m-performance product line including suspension, tune, exhaust, etc. Finally, you could get a 60k 335i m-sport with essentially the same interior as a 35k 320i base. So overall you could end up with an m-sport that was soft, slow, squishy, and with a budget interior. It didn't really make for a premium feel or help with branding. So BMW wrapped up all the go-fast and go-even-faster bits, and I assume (hope) a nicer interior, into the M340i. So now it's actually a faster car with a more distinctive look and not just a (possible) poseur. The M340i is really what an m-sport should've been in the first place. |
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04-02-2019, 12:32 PM | #17 |
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Things have changed. Merc has their two tier AMG cars and BMW is doing the same. Instead of having an M3 and a M3 lite or whatever they have the M3 and the m340i. There's really no point for the 340i as well, the 330i motor is plenty good.
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04-02-2019, 01:16 PM | #18 | |
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04-02-2019, 03:23 PM | #19 | |
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No need to have another "base" 340i. This is it. |
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04-02-2019, 10:45 PM | #20 |
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Speak for yourself! If it wasn't for the 340i I wouldn't consider a 3 series.
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04-03-2019, 01:26 AM | #21 | ||
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04-03-2019, 01:42 AM | #22 | |
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