A new BMW M340d xDrive Touring could be in the works

The Bavarian brand may be about to make a new move, as rumours suggest it could be working on a new, more powerful touring version. It concerns the BMW M340d, and no, we haven’t mistyped the badge at the end: it’s a ‘d’ for diesel.

Diesel vehicles may have had a bad reputation in recent years, but they remain important in certain markets such as Europe, where BMW is expected to launch a new variant of the new-generation 3 Series powered by a diesel engine.

Everything points to its debut taking place next year, 2020, probably at the Geneva Motor Show. Some sources have already reported that it will be called BMW M340d xDrive. As its own designation reveals, it will feature four-wheel drive, while the engine is probably the same as the one fitted to the BMW X3 and the BMW X4 M40d.

The six-cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine with 3.0 litres develops 326 CV and a huge 680 Nm of torque in both SUVs, propelling them to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h on both models.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqUoLkQ2ym0

BMW M340d xDrive: this is the new performance estate from the Bavarian brand

Average fuel consumption sits around 7 litres / 100 km, according to the figures published for the WLTP test cycle. Since the BMW 3 Series estate will be more aerodynamic and presumably lighter, it could even be quicker than the SUVs it shares its powertrain with.

While we were all drooling over the BMW M340i and testing the BMW 330i, the engineers in Munich were working hard to build a new M Performance car for the 3 Series range. This time, a diesel. Next year, most likely in the first quarter, we will see a new badge in the 3 Series range: the BMW M340d xDrive.

The future BMW M340d is reportedly going to be available with a Touring body style. In any case, it will sit at the top of the model’s diesel line-up, above the BMW 330d xDrive, which starts at around 46,000 euros and offers 265 CV.

Currently, the top-of-the-range 3 Series from BMW, at least until the new BMW M3 2020 arrives, is headed by the BMW M340i xDrive. It is available in both body styles, saloon and touring, is powered by a 374 CV six-cylinder inline petrol engine and will have a starting price of around 50,000 euros in saloon form, while the Touring version will cost roughly 1,700 euros more.

Technical specifications of this car

SedanBMW Serie 318 versions · from 50,200 €