Welcome B58 enthusiasts (and those who are still on the fence), this build is following Jay’s journey on building his 2017 BMW 340i xDrive M Performance Edition (MPE).
To start off, the M Performance Edition (MPE), is already a rare find. With only 150 examples for 2017 in Canada exclusively (50 of which came in Alpine White), the car in stock form gets all the options and exclusive parts.
As an MPE, the car comes upgraded with the MPPSK (M Performance Power & Sound Kit) which bumps it up to 355 hp, compared to the 320 hp base model. Being BMW enthusiasts, we all know that 355 hp is an understatement, as some have dynoed anywhere from 340 whp to 368 whp depending on xDrive or RWD (we’re talking about those with MPPSK - M Performance Power & Sound Kit).
Not only does the MPE get a bump in power, it also gets the full M Sport Aero; M Performance Painted Front Lip, M Performance Side Skirt Decals w/ Side Splitters, Carbon Fiber M Performance Trunk Lip, Painted M Performance Rear Diffuser, Carbon Fiber M Exhaust Tips and 20” M Performance Forged 405M wheels . The interior is also on another level! The MPE includes the very distinguishable full “Individual” interior; Gloss Carbon Fiber Trims, Extended Leather package, Heads up Display, Merino leather seats and door cards. Such a great upgrade from factory, which adds a lot to the “Sport Luxury” feel.
Now talking about the one of the core reasons of purchasing a 340; the elusive B58 engine. Over the recent years, the B58 has proven itself to being an extremely capable platform that responds very well to aftermarket upgrades. Unlike the N54 or N55, the B58 has been proven to be a very reliable engine, minimal maintenance and doesn’t have any known catastrophic failures.
So what is the direction of this build? Instead of buying an F80 M3, Jay wanted an xDrive platform to drive all year round. We’re aiming for the balance of a high performance daily that can also hold its ground on the occasional track day. The B58 is a very strong platform and achieving close to 500 hp literally takes a catless downpipe and a Stage 2 tune! But that’s not the route Jay will be taking. We’re going to take the opportunity to use this 340i as a platform to really explore and go further in depth with modifications that is not just the standard “Downpipe & Tune”.
Get ready, as this build will be quite in depth!
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F30 340i - Pt.2 - Wheels, Tires & Suspension