Europe Finally Receives the BMW Straight-Six Performance That Americans Already Experience | Carscoops

      Numerous updates have been made to the BMW lineup in Europe, including the introduction of new headlights and taillights.

      The new 3.0-liter inline-six engine produces 387 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. This engine will be available in the M240i, M340i, and M440i models. Compared to the previous engine, the output has been increased by 18 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque.

      Very few manufacturers have mastered the art of the six-cylinder engine as well as BMW. Despite the tightening of emissions regulations across Europe, the brand has managed to extract more power and efficiency from its 3.0-liter engines. While electric vehicles are viewed as the future, BMW demonstrates that internal combustion engines still have significant potential.

      Increased Power, Lower Emissions

      The enhanced 3.0-liter engine will be rolled out in the M340i xDrive Sedan and M340i xDrive Touring in Europe starting this autumn. When paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, the engine now delivers 387 hp and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm). These upgrades represent an increase of 18 hp and 30 lb-ft (40 Nm) over the existing variant of the engine in European markets.

      This new powertrain will also feature in the M440i xDrive Coupe, M440i xDrive Convertible, and M440i xDrive Gran Coupe. Moreover, the M240i xDrive Coupe will now come equipped with the updated six-cylinder engine as standard.

      Thanks to the additional power, BMW has managed to reduce the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time by 0.1 seconds for each model. Even more noteworthy are the enhancements in fuel efficiency. For instance, the M240i xDrive Coupe's fuel consumption has dropped to 8.0 l/100 km (29.4 US mpg) compared to the previous engine's 8.7-8.8 liters/100 km (26 US mpg) on the combined WLTP cycle. Additionally, CO2 emissions have been reduced from 199-200g/km to 183g/km.

      The BMW 3-Series and 4-Series models equipped with the same engine demonstrate even greater efficiency. The M340i xDrive Sedan consumes just 7.5 l/100 km (31.3 US mpg), while the Touring version is rated at 7.9 l/100 km (29.7 US mpg). The M440i xDrive Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe have consumption ratings of 7.7 l/100 km, 7.7 l/100 km, and 7.8 l/100 km (30.5 – 30.1 US mpg), respectively.

      It's important to mention that the North American version of the M340i has already been achieving these figures since last year. The M240i and Z4 M40i, on the other hand, are slightly behind at 382 hp.

      In addition to the engine enhancements, BMW has revealed that the updated 4-Series Gran Coupe and i4 models will now come standard with laser rear lights and optional Adaptive LED headlights. A new color option, Cape York Green, has also been introduced for the 2-Series Gran Coupe when ordered with the M Sport design or M Sport package.