The BMW M3 might be the crown jewel of the 3 Series lineup, but the automaker offers various other powertrain types equally deserving of praise. A new video brings three—gas, diesel, and a plug-in hybrid—to the track to see which of the tuned sedans is the quickest in a drag race, pitting the M340i, M340d, and 330e plug-in hybrid against each other.
Each car came equipped with a tune costing £1,000 ($1,263 at today’s exchange rate), boosting output from each engine. The M340i’s 3.0-liter inline-six B58 makes 470 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, up from 382 hp. It has all-wheel drive, an eight-speed gearbox, and a 3,875-pound curb weight.
The M340d, with its 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine, makes the most torque at 626 lb-ft, with 430 hp on tap, up from the factory 335. It has BMW’s eight-speed auto and xDrive, but it’s also the heaviest with its longer roof, tipping the scales at 4,287 pounds.
The 330e is the runt of the pack. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder plug-in hybrid engine only makes 400 hp, up from 292. However, it makes a decent amount of twist—516 lb-ft. It weighs 3,836 pounds and powers the rear wheels through its eight-speed gearbox.
In this three-way drag race held by the Carwow YouTube channel, the M340i beat its competitors with a 12.0-second quarter-mile time. But the other two cars weren't far behind. The diesel completed the race in 12.3 seconds, while the 330e did it in 12.7 seconds. All impressive numbers considering these aren't full-on M cars.
