Yesterday we took a trip down “engine swap” lane and watched a heavily modified BMW E30 M3 drag race a stock Lamborghini Huracan. While the V10-powered Bimmer proved to be slower than the Lambo, we were still impressed with its performance. But how would this Frankenstein monster BMW fare against an even more power rival from Zuffenhausen?
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is one of the best race track machines on the market. The rear-engine sports car has a 3.6-liter turbocharged mill under its belt, making 620 HP and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. Those figures are enough to terrify anyone, let alone a car that’s about 20 years older. Even with a manual transmission, the 911 GT2 RS can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds.
The E30 M3, on the other hand, even though it uses a 5-liter V10 under its hood, can’t really match that. Instead, it may have a chance if the race is done from a rolling start, which is probably why the two racers decided to go down this route.
While the GT2 RS tips the scale at 1,450 kg (3,200 lbs), the M3 should be about 100 kilos lighter. Chip in the 535 HP and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque hiding under the hood and, in theory, this should be an interesting match up. The thing is, real-life usually doesn’t care about what theory says and you’re about to see why a Porsche GT2 RS costs a small fortune while the V10-powered M3 would only set you back $52,000.
