Awhile back, DriveTribe released a series of videos which featured the BMW M2, Audi TT RS and Porsche 718 Cayman S. Those three cars compete against each other in a variety of different ways. There was a weigh-in of sorts, where their specs were compared, there was a drag race and some track driving. Now, the BMW M3 must run through a similar gauntlet, except it’s up against much stiffer competition — the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Mercedes-AMG C63 S.
The first test in the gauntlet is a good ole fashioned drag race. Each car is similarly armed, as each car packs twin-turbocharged engines, automatic gearboxes and rear-wheel drive. They differ in the details, though. The BMW M3 packs a 3.0 liter twin-turbo I6 which, in Competition Package-guise, makes 444 hp. While the Alfa packs a 2.9 liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 505 hp. The AMG packs the same hp as the Alfa but uses a 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 to do it.
With a long stretch of runway, the Alfa went first. Without launch control, the Alfa just needs to be put in Race mode and get some left foot braking. It launches hard, getting from 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds flat, 100 mph in 8.3 seconds and 150 mph in 20.3 seconds.
Next up is the BMW M3, with the least amount of power but it’s the only car in the test with a fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission. While the M3 has a proper launch control system, they didn’t use it as they got better results without it. Doing so got the M3 from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds, 100 mph in 8.9 seconds and 150 mph in 21.6 seconds. So it’s a good bit slower than the Alfa but not by as much as its power deficit would suggest. What’s interesting is that the BMW was actually faster to 30 mph by a tenth of a second.
Lastly, it’s the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. The AMG is the most powerful, the heaviest and by far the torquiest. Its results are odd, actually. It’s the slowest car to 30 mph, but ties the BMW M3 to 60 mph at 4.1 seconds, faster than the Bimmer to 100 mph at 8.6 seconds and was the fastest of the bunch to 150 mph, doing it in 19.9 seconds.
So the Mercedes-AMG wins the test, as it’s tied with the second fastest to 60 mph, is the second fastest to 100 mph but is the fastest in the end, to 150 mph. Next up is a track battle to see which car is fastest around a circuit.