2016 Cadillac ATS-V vs. F80 BMW M3 Quarter-Mile Drag Race Is a Sedan Cockfight

The piece of footage at the bottom of the page shows the pair of twin-turbo V6-animated machines crossing the continent gap between them and going for a good old drag race at the Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida.

We won't go as far as spoiling the fun of the clip by mentioning which of the two saloons is quicker, but we can warm those of you who are not familiar with 1,320 feet events that the reaction time can sometimes be just as important as the performance of the vehicle.

In theory, the Cadillac ATS-V one-ups the BMW M3: for instance, the GM machine comes with a power-to-weight ratio of 3.9 kilograms per hp, while the F80 M3 burdens each horse with 4 kilos. Then there's the torque battle, where the Caddy tops the Bimmer's 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) by 39 lb-ft (53 Nm). However, while the American four-door comes with an automatic tranny, the German engineers gifted the M Division sedan with a double-clutch gearbox.

As for what happens when these two are thrown at each other on the circuit, we'll mention the Willow Springs times of the speed demons. While the M3 cover the track in 1:32.51, the ATS-V is slightly quicker, delivering a lap time of 1:31.43.

Over in Europe, though, the situation is the other way around and we'll use Germany's Sachsenring as an example. That's where the M3 delivers a lap time of 1:37.09, while the range-topping ATS requires 1:38.58 to cover the same task.

The Cadillac ATS-V and the BMW M3 might share plenty of assets, but these two super-sedans are miles apart when it comes to the way in which they deliver their performance, so don't expect them to share that many customers.