Stage 2 BMW M340i xDrive Drag Races Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Silent Victory Ensues

An esteemed member of the G20 series, the M340i xDrive slots between the 330e plug-in hybrid and the M3. As far as pricing is concerned, that is. Fully stock, the M Performance model belts out a very respectable 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm). As for the 387 ponies that show up in the video after the presentation of the cars, those ponies would be metric because Thailand uses the metric system since 1923.

The white-painted Bimmer isn't your usual M340i xDrive, though, for it's a Stage 2 thriller. CSL AutoTime host Tang says that it belts out 560 ps and 900 Nm, as in 552 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of tire-shredding torque. Seriously impressive numbers for a 3.0-liter turbo I6 especially when compared to the 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet (633 Nm) of the 2024 Nissan GT-R's larger and twin-turbocharged V6 mill.

Tippin the scales at 1,670 kilograms or 3,682 pounds, the modified BMW uses a torque-converter automatic of ZF origin. The significantly heavier Porsche Taycan Turbo S also features a gearbox with two gears. The zero-emission sedan's rear-axle tranny is a two-speed affair for improved acceleration in first, better range in second, and a higher top speed to boot.

When equipped with summer tires, the Porker tops 162 miles per hour (261 kilometers per hour). Of course, there's a faster Taycan out there in the form of the 2025 model year Turbo GT: 180 mph (290 kph) from the outset or 190 (305) when equipped with the optional Weissach Package.

The same applies to the 3er. Because of a gentlemen's agreement, German automakers electronically limit their production vehicles to 250 clicks or 155 miles per hour. There's no M Driver's Package available for the M340i xDrive, but only for the M3 and company. Speaking of gentlemen's agreements, the Japanese automakers limit JDM vehicles to 180 clicks or 112 miles per hour. The R35's built-in satellite navigation system knows when you're on a track in Japan, automatically disabling the electronic nanny.

Back to the Porsche, the pre-facelift Taycan Turbo S has a clear advantage in power and torque, as well as how quickly that power and torque is delivered. Be that as it may, 2,370 kilograms or 5,225 pounds for curb weight is way, way more than the BMW's declared weight.

Over the course of three drag races on a dusty runway, Tang managed to extract a 10.94-second quarter from the Taycan Turbo S, with the quarter-mile trap speed being 204 kilometers per hour (127 miles per hour). His buddy did great in the combustion-engined challenger, posting a best of 11.24 seconds at 199 kilometers per hour (124 miles per hour). Had they been presented with a longer runway and the BMW's limiter were to be disabled, the modified M340i xDrive would've schooled the Taycan Turbo S in top speed.

But had it been the Taycan Turbo GT, not so much because the 2025 model year M3 can't do better than 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour) with the M Driver's Package. The big question is, would you take a go-faster 3 Series over a more luxurious electric sedan from Porsche?