It was only yesterday when Carwow lined up the M240i against the Golf R and Civic Type R and now it’s back with another drag race involving a BMW. This one too is an M Performance model, but a considerably different proposition since it’s an SUV with a diesel engine. The German luxury marque is among the last in the business to still sell a performance oil-burner, and the X3 M40d is on that shortlist.
This facelifted version was put up against a Porsche Macan representing gasoline vehicles while EVs were portraited by the Tesla Model Y. While all three weigh about the same at 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds), you’ll perhaps be surprised to hear the electric vehicle is not the heaviest of the lot. That’s because the BMW is the porkiest of the trio, with the model from Zuffenhausen being the lightest. That said, at 1,960 kg (4,321 lbs), the GTS version of the Macan is still quite a heavy crossover.
Being a diesel, the X3 M40d is the weakest of the trio in terms of horsepower. It must make do with only 340 hp or a full 100 hp less than the Macan. The Model Y is nearly as punchy as the Porsche, being down by just seven ponies. On the flip side, the BMW has by far the most torque, packing a substantial 700 Nm or 150 Nm more than the Macan and a little over 200 Nm than the Tesla. That being said, the latter delivers its torque virtually instantly.
How do all these numbers stack up in real-life performance? As expected, diesels don’t necessarily excel in a drag race. To our surprise, the Porsche launched significantly better than the Tesla in the first drag race, so much so the electric crossover couldn’t catch up. The subsequent showdown was much closer as the Model Y had a better start and it didn’t allow the Macan GTS to recuperate the lost ground.
Fighting for the best two out of three, the final drag race was a roller coaster of emotions as the advantage the Macan gained at the beginning was eventually lost, allowing the Tesla to claim another win. Once again, the X3 M40d was dead last, despite perfectly launching off the line every single time. The two rolling races from 30 mph (48 km/h) that followed were effortlessly won by the Model Y, showing the benefits of an electric motor’s instant punch and no delays caused by a transmission.
The last comparison was a brake test from 100 mph (161 km/h) in which the Macan needed the least amount of runway to come to a full stop. The EV needed a bit more tarmac whereas the X3 M40d was once again third.
Source: carwow / YouTube
