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M3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a Lesson

Drag racing has been around for decades, but the popularity of the sport seems to have diminished as of late. The most passionate racers are still involved in the sport, but some have moved to drifting, time attack, or other types of motorsports. But in recent years, we've seen an explosion of quarter-mile (402 meters) challenges between regular, road-going cars. It may be that people can better relate to these than they can to funny cars.
M3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a Lesson 11 photos
Photo: CarWow
M3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a LessonM3 Competition xDrive Races 911 Turbo S, Gets Taught a Lesson
It may also have to do with the fact that we're constantly on the run these days. There's never enough time to just sit down and enjoy a long race anymore. Instead, if you're commuting to work via public transportation, watching a short drag race video seems a lot more feasible.

With drag racing, if the cars are fast enough, the whole thing can be over in a matter of seconds. "You owe me a 10-second car" doesn't carry as much weight as it did back in the day, does it?

Nostalgia aside, the Porsche 911 Turbo S is once again being challenged to a head-to-head battle down the quarter-mile. Chances are that you're already familiar with the specs of this car, but we'll look at them one more time for safe measure.

The AWD sports car from Stuttgart packs a twin-turbo, 3.8-liter flat-six engine. With no GT2 RS version available as of yet, the Turbo S is the fastest brand-new Porsche 911 money can buy right now. With a starting price of $207,000 before tax ($1,350 Handling Fee), you do get access to 640-hp (650 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque.

Meanwhile, the BMW M3 Competition xDrive starts at just $77,100 before tax ($995 Handling Fee). In stock form, the twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six engine can churn out 503-hp (510 PS) and 480 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Naturally, this wouldn't stand a chance going up against the 911 Turbo S.

But this car does have an ace up his sleeve. A simple Stage 1 tune will set you back between $1,000 to $2,000 and can provide a considerable boost in performance. This particular vehicle is now up to 600-hp (609 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque.

That still doesn't sound like enough, though. With less power and less torque than the Porsche, the BMW also has to deal with its size. It weighs in at 3,924 lbs (1,780 kg), which is 308 lbs (140 kg) heavier than its opponent. The dual-clutch gearbox in the 911 Turbo S is also going to play a role in this challenge.

All in all, it feels like the battle has been lost already. Strangely enough, the first run provides a different outcome than expected. Mat Wattson's reaction time is better than that of his opponent, and he manages to drive the M3 Competition xDrive to victory.

But that's as far as things are going to go for the sporty sedan. For the next two runs, it seems powerless against the 911 Turbo S. The gap isn't that big, though, at just 0.3 seconds. With that in mind, the M3 Competition xDrive would probably need more or less than $5,000 in further upgrades to outrun its opponent.

While that makes sense financially speaking, it won't guarantee the same level of driving excitement or better results around the racetrack. BMW fans would best look away for the rolling race and the braking test as the 911 Turbo S continues to hammer down on its Munich rival.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
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The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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