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Tuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long Way

Have you ever considered a car's $ per horsepower ratio? Do you ever think of vehicles that way? For instance, a BMW M5 Competition has a starting MSRP of $111,200 ($995 destination fee included). Seeing that its twin-turbo V8 engine churns out 617-hp, you're paying approximately $180/hp. Optin g for an M440i xDrive Coupe will cost you at least $59,195 ($995 destination fee included). That means you're paying $154/hp.
Tuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long Way 10 photos
Photo: OFFICIALLY GASSED - OG
Tuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long WayTuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long Way
Sure, you can't buy a car based on that cost alone. But it's one way of looking at things, at least if performance is a crucial characteristic for you. If you're planning on tuning your car, you can even take things a little further.

Knowing what parts you can upgrade and how much they're going to cost will also reveal the final cost per horsepower ratio. Today's battle has a tuned BMW M240i xDrive Coupe going up against an M3 Competition. The question is, does it make sense to buy an M240i just so that you'll end up paying less for more power?

A bone-stock BMW M3 Competition xDrive Sedan has a starting MSRP of $77,100 ($995 destination fee included). Its 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine is capable of producing 503-hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Even though this weighs in at 3,890 lbs (1,764 kg), in ideal conditions, it should be able to go from a standstill to 60 mph (96 kph) in just 3.4 seconds.

Meanwhile, the M240i xDrive Coupe starts at $49,545 ($995 destination fee included). It's slightly lighter than the M3, at 3,871 lbs (1,755 kg). But with just 382-hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque at hand, it's also about 0.7 seconds slower to 60 mph.

Tuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long Way
Photo: OFFICIALLY GASSED - OG
Looking at the $ to hp ratio for both cars in bone-stock form this is what you'll get: $153/hp versus $129/hp. But those numbers can and will vary, as they are affected by other factors as well. The owner of the M3 Competition went all out with his purchase, bringing the price up to £107,000 ($130,271).

Looking at the 2-Series, it has been upgraded with a JB4 Tuning Box, an Eventuri intake, and a Miltek Exhaust. With that in mind, this M240i is now up to 450-hp. So, overall, it does seem like a rather attractive package when compared to the M3 Competition.

That alone won't guarantee a victory in the upcoming drag race. Shockingly enough, the big sedan is off to a rather poor start in the first run. It does manage to gain on its opponent, but the M240i is the first one across the quarter-mile (402 meters) finish line.

A seemingly faulty launch control further adds to the drama, and the M3 Competition is off to another difficult start. The gap is even bigger than it was on the first run.

Tuned M240i Drags Bone Stock M3 Competition, a Few Upgrades Go a Long Way
Photo: OFFICIALLY GASSED - OG
The winner was clocked in at 11.607 seconds, with a trap speed of 117.72 mph (189.45 kph). Meanwhile, the stock BMW needed 11.843 seconds to cross the line, but it did have a trap speed of 121.89 mph (196.16 kph). Given these results, the rolling race might go the other way around.

And it's all over after just two runs. At first, the cars are neck-and-neck, but it doesn't take long for the M3 Competition to start pulling ahead. By the end of it all, they're tied for points with two wins each. So the lesson for today is: if you're going to challenge an M3 Competition in your M240i, you'll need more than a Stage 1 tune to secure an irrefutable victory!

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

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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