Comparison photo of 335i vs 340i
While the LCI BMW 340i and the outgoing 335i superficially might seem almost identical – sure they look almost the same on the outside and true both cars are powered by a turbocharged six….
Comparison photo of 335i vs 340i
However the N55 and the B58 are totally different animals – and because of the differences in their nature and how they’re built, their balance – and subsequently the car’s performance, are totally different.
The B58 engine is much torquier than the outgoing N55, and the general consensus among aftermarket suppliers is that this motor has the kind of potential for raw power that the N54 used to have. The caveat to that is that for as kickass as it is to drive as a motor, it’s heavier than its predecessor and feels like it carries its weight much further forward than the outgoing N55, giving the F30 chassis an entirely different feel. What was previously just fine and dandy, responsive and sharp, is suddenly heavy and prone to feeling like it wants to understeer. And this is a rear drive car. While some have said they feel the 340i is better, having spent a good bit of time ON THE TRACK testing the new 340i both at a BMW event and Michelin Tires’ launch of the new Pilot Super Sport replacement tire line, we beg to differ from others’ opinions that the 340i’s handling is improved.
The wheels, tires and suspension are the place to start with this car, long before we even bother getting into pulling more power out of this already mighty motor. As we mentioned, the 340i feels much heavier than the 335i, despite the superficial similarities.
BETTER SUSPENSION
The problem with the 340i is the heavier feel and tendency to understeer rather than oversteer, as you’d expect of a RWD BMW. The extra weight and different balance of the B58 versus the N55 has resulted in chassis dynamics that tend to understeer rather than oversteer, making the car’s front end feel heavy and lacking in feel – about as far from “Ultimate Driving Machine” as you can get. Yes, of all things, the F30 LCI BMW 340i Suspension needs love.
To deal with aesthetics and mechanical grip, we recommend replacing the factory springs with either a set of performance Lowering Springs or fitting a set of Coilovers to address the problem. Wheels and tires are often where you’d start when enhancing handling performance, but the car comes factory with Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, which are pretty damn good and considered to be the best street tire on the market by many enthusiasts – so the suspension is where it needs attention first.
*Pre-LCI 335i Shown for Illustration Purposes, because the 335i and 340i are virtually identical
Installing a set of Eibach Pro-Kit Springs for BMW 340i is a great option, dropping the car 1.0in up front and .6 in out back, sharpening up the car’s handling without taking away from anything.
HRE FF01 Tarmac 19×8.5 et30 / 19×10 et40 Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2 235/35/19 / 265/30/19
For a firmer ride, H&R Sport Springs for BMW 340i are another alternative with a bit firmer feel and drop the car 1.6in up front and 1.5in at the rear to drop the car a bit more and offers a bit more road-feel than Eibach, which not all drivers may enjoy.
F30 BMW 340i on H&R Springs
*background is artist’s conception
“I feel more grounded , corners feel “safer”. On the Freeway , bumpers don’t feel bouncy- everything feels firm and good. I also like how the car sits (on the H&R’s).”
Here’s an example of how a set of lowering springs looks when installed on the F30 stock suspension. As you can see, a spring alone leaves the OEM shocks in place, and really, shocks only have a lifespan of 50,000 mi – so it just makes sense to replace the shocks when you install the springs, since it all has to come out anyways to install the springs.
F30 BMW 328i on KW Coilovers + Avant Garde 19in M510 on Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 Tires
Pre-LCI F30 used for Illustration Purposes
If you’d prefer to have more control over your ride height and your handling, a set of KW Coilovers for BMW F30 340i are another option.
Coilovers replace your factory springs and shocks completely with a high performance shock with an adjustable spring perch, which allows you to adjust the car’s ride height by moving the spring’s perch up and down on the shock body. Furthermore, if you opt for KW V2 or V3s, you gain adjustments like bound/rebound damping and possibly camber/caster plates.
Besides lowering the car’s springs, the sway bars can really be enhances as well. In particular, the rear sway bar is an issue. A set of Dinan Tubular Lightweight Adjustable Sway Bars for BMW 340i F30 LCI models is a great way to do that, and also includes endlinks and new bushings to correct some of the sloppy feel of the 340i and are adjustable from 45% to 76% stiffer than stock up front and between 84% to 474% stiffer than stock to dial in the car’s handling behaviors to your preferences.
These are just a few suggestions to get you started and make the car behave like it’s supposed to in a corner, however there are a few other supplemental upgrades that can help as well, however we’ll leave it to a Mod Expert to explain those in greater detail if you’re interested.
If you’d like to know more about getting the most out of your 340i’s Suspension, consult our team of experienced Mod Experts who can recommend a solution that suits your taste, driving style and budget- call 714-582-3330 or chat live with the team at ModBargains.com
Wheels & Tires
Now that we’ve addressed the suspension, we can take a look at the wheels and tires. While yes, if you ticked the right option boxes your BMW 340i came equipped with a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, but those won’t last forever, and that doesn’t change the fact that most of the factory wheel options for the F30 are, shall we say, less than visually pleasing?
F30 Pre-LCI shown for illustration purposes
A set of wheels and tires not only enhances your car’s handling performance, but it’s also one of the easiest and fastest ways to dramatically change your car’s appearance – look no further than the before/after of the F30 above to see what we mean. Sure, it’s a Pre-LCI car, but it makes the point all the same – the F30 looks worlds better with a set of tasteful aftermarket wheels.
Sportline 8S on BMW F30 *Pre-LCI shown
A set of lighter weight wheels also reduces your car’s unsprung weight, enhancing handling response and acceleration. In the hierarchy of quality of aftermarket wheels, from bottom to top, it goes from Gravity Cast to Pressure Cast to Flow Form/Rotary Forged to Forged, each type lighter (and consequently more expensive) than the preceeding one. Your factory wheels are Gravity Cast, meaning they’re a lot heavier than they have to be.
A lightweight set of wheels doesn’t have to break the bank, either. One of our favorite wheel options right now offers tremendous bang for the buck, starting at just 1160 as of press time for an 18in set of flow form wheels, Sportline 7S Wheels for BMW are available in Gunmetal, Black and Silver to suit your style and the mesh design really compliments the look of your F30.
HRE FF01 Silver 19×8.5 ET35 / 19×10 ET40 on BMW F30
By no means is that all there is – there’s a massive variety in styles and fitments out there to suit your F30 340i – another handsome option is the HRE FF01, seen here in Silver finish.
VMR V721 19×8.5 ET35 / 19×8.5 ET35 Pirelli Cinturato P7 225/40-19 Tires
let me just tell you chig chig chig
BMW F30 335xi on VMR V810 19×8.5 ET35 / 19×9.5 ET40 Hyper Silver on H&R Springs
Whatever your style, there’s a wheel and tire combination that’s just right for you – a set of aftermarket wheels offers a drastic visual change for your car, altering a large chunk of its visual real estate – and the lighter weight wheels and wider, stickier tires offer dramatically improved mechanical road-holding grip. If you’re not sure what’s right for you or maybe some suggested options that might work for you, talk to our team of Mod Experts. Give us a call at 714-582-3330 or chat live with the team at ModBargains.com
Exhaust System
Whatever way you slice it, the factory exhaust system, as it rolls off the dealer floor, is not a lot of fun and inhibits the car’s power while also preventing you from hearing the true song of the B58.
One of the biggest problems with the S55 engine currently found in the BMW M4 and M3 is that it sounds like garbage. I mean, no exaggeration, it is an unpleasant sounding engine – the B58 remedies that and has that burly, classically straight six exhaust note. Gruff, but has that roaring trumpet under throttle. It’s an issue that needs to be fixed for the car to be as good as it CAN be.
One of the best exhausts on the market for the 340i is offered by AWE Tuning. Known for their precision and incredible attention to detail when fine-tuning the sound of their exhaust systems, the AWE Tuning Exhaust for BMW 340i [F30] is a fantastic option. With a power gain of 9 horsepower and 11lb/ft of torque, your 340i will be a bit faster off the line, too.
Another great replacement option for the factory exhaust is offered by Remus. The Remus Exhaust for BMW F30 340i offers a different sound and a totally different selection of tip options to tailor your exhaust note to your tastes.
If you like your factory exhaust or even want to control the valve setup of your aftermarket exhaust system, a great way to do that is with a CG Precision Exhaust Valve controller.
These are just a few of the exhaust upgrade options available to your F30 340i and the selection will only expand as time goes on.
Visual Upgrades
The F30 340i LCI is visually identical to the outgoing pre-LCI cars, which means, conveniently, that the entirety of the aesthetic upgrades for the pre-LCI F30 fit just the same on LCI F30s.
One of the easiest ways to set your 340i apart from the crowd is by fitting an M-Sport or M3 style front bumper to give your car the aggressive appearance you’re after, or dress up your existing M-Sport front end with a front splitter.
One of the quickest ways to give the car a new look is a M-Sport Front Bumper, but if you already have one, there are some options to set yourself apart a bit more – like a V2 Style Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30 3-Series like the 335i below.
If the M look is more your thing, the F80 M3 Style Bumper for Non-M BMW F30 3-series is just what the doctor ordered for you – offering the style of the M3 but in a bumper that fits the narrower front end of the standard F30, giving your 3-series a much more aggressive look.
And the Cabrio, also fitted with a Performance Style Carbon Fiber Front Lip Spoiler for BMW F30 M-Sport. However this car still has one thing most cars we get here don’t – its original Chrome Kidney Grilles.
Small details like the Kidney Grilles go a long way in cleaning up the appearance of your BMW 3-Series Exterior.
Here’s an F30 on Forgestar CF5V‘s fitted with a Carbon Fiber M-Sport Style Front Lip for BMW 3-Series.
The F30 usually comes standard with ugly chrome kidney grilles, and so these Gloss Black Kidney Grilles for BMW F30 3-Series are a great way to clean up the front end in the space of about 10 minutes.
Speaking of details, Carbon Fiber Mirror Covers for BMW F30 3-Series are an easy way to tie together any other Carbon Fiber Accents you may have and gives the mirrors a bit more flair.
Another simple way to clean up the car is by getting rid of those ugly amber front reflectors. A set of Painted Front Reflectors for BMW F30 3-Series solves the problem by replacing the reflector with one that’s been painted to match the body color precisely, creating a clean, uniform look.
Hate your front plate but legally have to display it? Don’t want to drill holes in the bumper? The No-Holes Front License Plate Holder for BMWs fits the F30 as well, using the front Tow Hook hole as the mount for your front license plate for a clean way to display the front plate.
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There are a few ways to spice up the rear end of the car as well – a Performance Style Rear Diffuser for F30 BMW 3-Series (available for single, dual exit or quad tips!) adds some extra aerodynamic enhancements to the rear bumper of any M-Sport BMW 3-Series.
As long as you’re doing a diffuser, a trunk spoiler is something you shouldn’t skip either – a Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler for BMW F30 3-Series Sedan adds a nice bit of flair to match other carbon accents or just add some sporting character to your average 3.
If all Carbon-Fiber is your thing, this Carbon Fiber Performance Style Rear Diffuser for BMW F30 3-Series w/M-Sport dials up the aggression level a couple notches over the plastic BMW version – and a matching Performance Style Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler compliments the look brilliantly.
Check out this F30 fitted with a few BMW Performance Exterior Mods for BMW F30, this Melbourne Red F30 looks amazing, sporting a set of BMW Performance Carbon Fiber Mirror Covers for F30 3-Series on its mirrors…
BMW 335i on HRE FF01 Tarmac 19×8.5 ET30 / 19×10 ET40 225/40-19 / 255/35-19 Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 Tires
Further exterior mods include a painted BMW Performance Front Splitter for BMW F30 M-Sport up front…
BMW 335i on HRE FF01 Tarmac 19×8.5 ET30 / 19×10 ET40 225/40-19 / 255/35-19 Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 Tires
Rounding out the package in the rear is a painted BMW Performance Trunk Spoiler for BMW F30 3-Series, paired with a BMW Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser for F30 3-Series M-Sport, which is left in carbon fiber to tie in neatly with the carbon fiber mirror covers. The blend of painted and carbon fiber exterior mods works a lot better than you’d think.
BMW 335i on HRE FF01 Tarmac 19×8.5 ET30 / 19×10 ET40 225/40-19 / 255/35-19 Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 Tires
Putting together a more finished package creates a more complete look.
Adding some Aero even makes ActiveHybrid3’s more interesting.
V2 Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30’s w/M-Sport Bumper
Check out the painted reflectors, gloss black kidney grilles and carbon fiber splitter – however the car wasn’t yet lowered and put on a set of great wheels, which is why Aero is one of the things to look at after wheels/tires.
V2 Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30’s w/M-Sport Bumper
V2 Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30’s w/M-Sport Bumper
V2 Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30’s w/M-Sport Bumper
This 328d got a lot more aggro with a Carbon Fiber Front Splitter to match the M-Sport front bumper.
V2 Carbon Fiber Front Lip for BMW F30’s w/M-Sport Bumper
As you can see, every option available to F30 328i and 335i carries over to your 340i, meaning you have plenty of choices to put together your own unique combination.
With a few tweaks here and there like we’ve mentioned above, your F30 3-Series exterior can really stand out from the crowd.
These are just a few of the upgrades available to make your F30 BMW 340i distinctly your own, ask a Mod Expert for a few options that might suit your style.
Got some ideas or have questions about modding your BMW F30 340i? We invite you to talk to our team of Mod Experts, give us a call at 714-582-3330 to chat with our team of experts or stop by the ModAuto showroom in La Habra CA during business hours (8-5 M-Sat) and talk to our experts in person.
Story & Photos Nick Gregson