Both the G80 M3 and 992-generation 911 are designed to handle, but as is often the case with performance vehicles, both are pretty fast in a straight line as well. How fast? For the blue M3 and silver 911 in the clip below, think low 10s fast.
Over the course of three standing quarter-mile showdowns, the stock 911 Turbo S came out victorious once. Given that it's more powerful, torquier, and lighter, how is that possible?
For starters, the M3 Competition isn't exactly stock. It features nearly $10,000 worth of upgrades, albeit no changes whatsoever to the inline-six engine's internals. Had it been stock, the G80 would've pushed out in the ballpark of 503 horsepower (510 ps) and 479 pound-feet (650 Nm). In this configuration, it belts out a ridiculous 740 horsepower (750 ps) and 664 pound-feet (900 Nm) of torque at the flywheel.
In other words, it makes exactly the same kind of power as the newly introduced McLaren 750S. Its peak torque, on the other hand, is comparable to that of the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Truly bonkers output numbers for a car like this, especially if you remember that the M3 Competition can seat five peeps.
We also have to remember that BMW has a thing for underrating its inline-six mills, including the B58, on which the M3-specific S58 is based. Time and again, dyno testing revealed higher numbers than advertised by the German automaker, including for the Toyota GR Supra's B58 lump.
BMW also knows how to calibrate the ZF 8HP torque-converter automatic like nobody else, and the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system is a peach in and of itself. Add a set of sticky rubber boots, and it's easy to understand how the M3 shamed the far more expensive Neunelfer in a straight line.
Two rolling start races from 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) – one in automatic and one in manual shifting mode – also concluded in the Bimmer's favor. But alas, the braking test from 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour) saw the Porker brake harder due to superior brakes and wider tires.
Priced at 180,600 pounds sterling in the United Kingdom, which is about 224,025 dollars at current exchange rates, the most powerful 911 currently in production is rocking a 3.8-liter boxer in combination with a dual-clutch transmission. The six-cylinder mill produces a very impressive 641 horsepower (650 ps) and 590 pound-feet (800 Nm) of twist.
Tipping the scales at 1,640 kilograms (3,616 pounds) as opposed to 1,780 kilograms (3,924 pounds) for the M3 Competition xDrive, the 911 Turbo S is equipped with all-wheel drive as well. Undeniably faster on a racetrack, the Neunelfer is nearly 100 big ones costlier than the G80 M3.
The question is, which would you pick between the more practical Bimmer and the more exotic 911?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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