G80 BMW M3 Drag Races Everything, Old Integra Sure Gave It a Run for the Money

First, you are never going to know when the Bavarians give their models a design switcheroo and come up with something trendy or kitschy – and it all depends on your POV, as beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. Alas, many of us will at least agree (to disagree) that BMW has fractured its family on more than one occasion.

For example, they (still) have a string of normal-looking nameplates like the regular 3 Series sedan and Touring, but also the crazy ‘double-coffin’ vertical-grilled 4 Series, plus the G80/81 M3 and M3 Touring, or the G82/83 M4 Coupe and Convertible. Then there is also the new M2, that does not look like any of them, but rather like an edgy Minecraft design transfixed into the real world.

And that is only when talking about some of its sports cars – so do not even get me started on the new 2024 X5 and X7 LCI, or the ‘fugly’ iX electric flagship crossover, the 7 Series and i7, plus the upcoming BMW XM! Anyway, I will defuse my anger because the second thing you can count on is that BMW severely underestimates the real hp count of its inline-six mills. This may or may not have happened with the S58 twin-turbo I6 as well (wink, wink), but it sure goes for the win every time it can.

There is no need to take our word for granted, though, as we have a cool example of the G80 BMW M3 variety – possibly with at least a stage one or two tuning kit on top of the stock twin-turbo mill. So, the videographer behind the Drag Racing and Car Stuff channel on YouTube recently moved from his favorite venue (Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida) for a nice G80-generation BMW M3 catch from the Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, which is where the annual NHRA-sanctioned AMALIE Motor Oil Gatornationals will be held March 9-12.

Alas, until then, we need to focus on the M3 versus the world string of races that debuted with a dark blue example fighting off with a German peer – the Audi RS3 Sedan – to put things into the proper low-ten-second perspective (flying 10.34s versus 10.95s victory). Then it was time for the surprise of the video feature embedded below (and uploaded on February 11) because when it rolled off the line to battle an old Acura/Honda Integra Coupe, it was clear that many aftermarket shenanigans were at play here.

And the result of the race is a photo finish for the ages – to the tune of a crazy 10.048s versus 10.047-second result where the BMW M3 took the win by way of the track’s electronic light, rather than the ET and trap speed results that actually favored the bonkers old two-door. By the way, do stay on for the rest of the short three-minute video because various M3s (including nine-second ones) will duke it out with other feisty rides – like a Honda Civic, Chevy Camaro ZL1, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, or even the mighty Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk SUV.

Now, aren’t you glad that BMW allowed its designers to create the sixth-gen M3 with such massive nostrils, so the inline-six 3.0-liter S58 twin-turbo mill can take in all the air and perform like a four-door sedan hurricane?!