[karan561]

Video;

Join me for this adventure as i drive my BMW M340i xDrive to the Pench National Park. I also do a quick comparison & review of the M340i LCi on how different it feels from my car.

https://youtu.be/6O7kKpJ5asQ

For the above video you may access the Interested Chapters based on the Timestamps provided below;

0:00 - Intro
1:06 - Driving to Madhya Pradesh
5:09 - M340i v/s M340i LCi Comparison
8:33 - Safari Drives (Pench Tiger Reserve, Turia Gate)
10:19 - Fixing the Tyre Puncture at a local tyre shop
10:53 - Driving the M340i LCi (Technical Discussion)
13:21 - Samruddhi Expressway Positives
14:56 - Negatives
16:54 - Triplog

[karan561]

BMW M340i v/s 2023 M340i (LCi);

As I had the M340i & M340i LCI (belongs to BHPian kedarwalke) with me so it was a given I'd perform a quick comparison review.



^ The front of the LCI is more aggressive, with new bumpers, flatter grille and a different DRL designed to make the car look fresher and wider too.

However the E46 inspired headlight notch is gone & so are the laser lamps;



Pre-LCI has loads of Cerium Grey elements which IMO are the identity of M Performance models;



LCI loses that in favour of Gloss Black elements;



^ Love the new Mirror design of the LCI, proper M Car look

792M Wheel design seems tailor-made for the M340i;



^ LCI gets the 791M which is a shame as they were available in the pre-facelift model too & had debuted with the 50 Jahre Edition.

This is where I love the LCI design i.e. the rear bumper, diffuser (much more aggressive) & vertical reflector design which add to a wider stance;



^ The tailpipes are also larger (by 10mm) and protruding more outward. Interestingly the "xDrive" badge is gone from the LCI.

My car has horizontal reflectors & a vertical blank (hopefully a reflector can be installed, any leads would be helpful );



Driving the 2023 M340i (LCI);



The M340i LCI continues having the stupendous B58 motor, however now its Hybridised. It gets Euro Spec 374 HP tune (previously it was 382 HP) & a 48V mild hybrid system. Here are some of the advantages of this system;

- The Combination starter-generator, and the small battery can add up to 11 HP to the engine power when needed.
- Enables the car to start and stop the engine more swiftly and quietly than previous model.
- The engine turns off while deceleration and also during coasting.
- System designed to eliminate turbo lag.
- Improves FE.

Overall fun factor remains however the Electric assistance is felt (in a good way). Car feels sprightly and also gets a " M Sprint " which boosts performance for short bursts.

Some of the negatives of the new M340i LCI are that its about 21 Kgs heavier than the pre facelift model. The original 1st lot Pre-LCI cars still are the most RAW & sound the best (Both of our cars have the M Performance Exhaust Installed).

Handling remains a strong point still which remains unchanged. The new gen runflats have improved a lot however cannot match the ride & performance of tubeless, hence switching to Michelin PS4S* (have official BMW Part nos.) is still highly recommended and the only top priority mod needed.

Interior Experience;



iDrive 8 is the highlight of this interior. Very clear & crisp HD display with nice graphics too. The gesture control is gone hence that's a big positive. HUD feels like the i7 or new gen 7 series style. M Seatbelts are gone and so is the gear knob/shifter in favour of a toggle switch so that's a negative. However the Interior trims are now Carbon Fibre (Glossy) where as the pre-LCI had an Aluminium Tetragonal design. The 2023 model also gets App connectivity from which the car & its features, data can be accessed in addition to the regular key fobs it now also gets a M Card which can be used as a key. The steering wheel design & most of the switchgear/buttons (whatever remaining) remain unchanged.

[karan561]

Pench National Park, Turia Gate;

Always good to be back in the Jungle;



Spotted Deers as usual were abundant;



A Bulky Sambar;



A well behaved Langoor;



A Solitary Nilgai;



A Snoopy Fox;



The Showstopper;



^ Its STARE made our entire road trip worth it

Though we spotted a tiger too from afar on Day 1 itself but wasnt a good sighting as this Leopard.



^ The beauty of Pench National Park.

[karan561]

Samruddhi Mahamarg Review;



Was indeed a very proud moment to drive on the Samruddhi Expressway as its a great example of where the Indian road infrastructure is headed to as right now this is the latest, modern & longest expressway in India.

Here's my quick review in the form of Positives & Negatives;

Positives;

- Most important positive is that as its an access control highway there are no tolls on the expressway as they are present only at the entry & exit ramps. Less irritation for sure and helps you maintain the momentum.
- Very less vehicles, most of the times we were driving alone. However things may change soon once the Mumbai stretch opens.
- No places for u turns, enhances safety, driver confidence and good for night driving too.

Negatives;

- Road quality/expansion joints uneven in certain areas. The tar section is not evenly laid with the concrete section. This causes the car to bounce and disturbs to overall expressway experience.



^ Here's an example of such a section.

- Less fuel stations & No restaurants or resting areas.



^ We had to plan our fuel halts accordingly.

- Animals are still being Spotted. Monkeys & Dogs, like this one who I clicked because I liked his confidence while crossing the lanes & thought should be made famous;

[karan561]

TRIPLOG;

Duration: 3 Days

Distance Covered: 1800 kms

Fuel Economy;

2021 M340i xDrive: 9 km/l
2023 M340i xDrive LCI: 10.2 km/l

Fuel Used: XP95 & Regular 91 Octane based on the availability.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!