[Venkatesh]

BMW India has launched the X3 M40i at Rs 86.5 lakh.

[the_skyliner]

Decent pricing from BMW!

This will sell for sure - as there is literally nothing that will compete with this one.

However, why BMW choose to use the shade for marketing which they aren't offering in India is beyond my understanding.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

Why BMW choose to use the shade for marketing which they aren't offering in India is beyond my understanding.

Couldn't agree more. The only reason I can think of is the fact that Brooklyn Grey and Black Sapphire won't photograph anywhere near as nice as this does (Verde Ermes?). Guess the rationale is that once buyers are hooked, they'll take grey or black, even if begrudgingly.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

BMW India has launched the X3 M40i at Rs 86.5 lakh.

Attachment 2449891

Wow, that is very good pricing indeed! Especially considering this is a CBU, at least initially.

Summary of key differences I noted between the X3M40i and the M340i - may be useful for those trying to decide which one to get between the two:

Advantages of the X3M40i

• Gets adaptive M suspension - to me this is the biggest plus point vis-a-vis the M340i. This one is going to be a lot more comfortable on rough roads without compromising too much on handling in the twisties.
• Gets hill descent and hill start assist. The M340i spec sheet does not mention this so, not sure if the sedan also comes with this. Even if it did, the GC of the M340i is nowhere near anough to go on any kind of hills!
• Gets Red Brake callipers (Versus Blue in M340i) - Yay!
• Gets sun-blinds for rear windows, which the M340i lacks.
• Gets gesture control and surround view camera, which are missing in the sedan
  

On the other hand, the M340i scores on many other fronts:

• The FE penalty for being an SUV is higher than expected - 10.49 kpl versus 13.1 that the M340i is rated at. (20% lower FE). Expect 5-6 kpl in real world city driving.
• At 360 HP, this SUV drivers 14 hp less than the M340i. Similarly, it is 0.5 seconds slower to 100 kph (4.9 instead of 4.4 seconds). There is no mention of the 48V mild hybrid system in the spec sheet of the X3M40i - I wonder if this is present in the M3X40i. If not, that could be the reason for the lower HP?
• This is a CO2 monster - 217 gm per KM (versus 182 g/km for the M340i). BMW will need to sell a lot of gutless X1s to make up for this to meet their overall CAFE target of 140 g/km across the fleet.
• Seat Upholstery is all sensatec art-leather while the M340i gets Alcantara leather for seating surfaces.
• The biggest miss compared to the M340i is iDrive 8, with that sweet massive integrated touchscreen and connected car features. After getting the M340i LCI, I am now so spoilt by just having to use my phone to enter and start my car and drive away with just my phone on me,
• Going by the spec sheet, launch control is not mentioned for the X3M40i while it is for the M340i - not sure if it is present in the SUV.
• The unique reversing assistant, which automatically retraces the last 50 M of the route you drove is present in the M340i but missing in the X3M40i
• Of course. high speed ride and overall handling of a tall boy SUV can never be as planted as a low slung sedan like the M340i
• Most important point - the next gen X3 will be out in less than a year and the current X3 is almost at the end of its life cycle. So this car is likely to look a bit stale much faster. Whereas, the M340i is only at the mid-point and will remain fresh for another 3-4 years. It is the first to get the new and modern drive-by-wire gear selector and that massive integrated screen with iDrive 8 which is going to be standard ion all new BMWs for the next 6-7 years.
• Brooklyn Grey is a nice shade, but nowhere as special as the Dravit Grey, which is like a chameleon that changes colors depending on type and amount of light outside.

Full Spec Sheets of both cars attached.

[CEF_Beasts]

Fair price considering it’s a CBU and the AMG GLC43 Coupe is it’s only competitor…

Both are quite closely matched in terms of specs as well, just that the GLC43 is available only in Coupe guise.

[Harsha89]

My X3 gives an average fuel economy of 11 km/L overall. This one will give around 7.5-8 Km/L. 20 inch alloy wheels will change what was an already medium-firm ride quality using 19 inch alloys to strictly *firm* ride.
I guess it's a good buy for the enthusiast with cash to spare. Not practical in my opinion, since I'm hardly able to test the full capability of my 30i given our poor roads and traffic scene.

[Neelavi]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

[*]Gets adaptive M suspension - to me this is the biggest plus point vis-a-vis the M340i. This one is going to be a lot more comfortable on rough roads without compromising too much on handling in the twisties.

Thanks for summing up the pros and cons of both. I think of all the points mentioned, the first one will be defining one for buyers. The 340i while alluring for drivers is hard on families with a very stiff ride. The one's seeking a sporty but practical vehicle to enjoy drives with family would prefer the X3 if the ride quality is better. In any case, we Indian buyers finally are having such great choices!

[Axe77]

Mumbai on road pricing.

[drivepha]

I'm seriously considering making a booking. I would appreciate it if anyone can share the dealer discounts being offered in Hyderabad/Bangalore on X3 M40i.

[Selective]

Can any BHPian who has bought this car can share their experience please? Especially ride quality and what FE to expect?