At 4580 millimeters (180.3 inches), the second-generation BMW M2 is no longer the baby M car it used to be. It’s especially true when you look at its hefty curb weight of 1,725 kilograms (3,802 pounds). However, the new G87 is a Mazda MX-5 Miata when you put it next to the XM, a massive SUV stretching at 5110 mm (201.1 in) and weighing in at 2,710 kg (5,974 lbs).

If you need more proof that weight is the enemy of performance, look no further than this drag race orchestrated by Carwow’s Mat Watson. The M2 and XM fought in a series of drag and rolling races on a closed section of the road in Scottsdale, Arizona. To even the odds a bit, the coupe had the optional eight-speed automatic transmission rather than the six-speed manual. As a refresher, the plug-in hybrid mastodont comes exclusively with the Steptronic featuring the same number of gears as the auto-equipped M2.

The duel is a good reminder power isn’t everything as even though the XM has an advantage of nearly 200 hp and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft), it failed to keep up with the M2. Even in the second drag race when the coupe had a terrible start, it still managed to catch the brawny SUV and take the win. The instant response of the electric motor fitted to the XM helped it get a better launch in both drag races, but it failed to hold on to that initial advantage.

The M2 also won the first rolling race from 50 mph (80 km/h) without breaking a sweat but things were different when the procedure was repeated with the cars in their sportiest settings. However, even though the XM was initially much quicker, it was ultimately a photo finish as the M2 recuperated the lost ground. In the third and final rolling race, it was yet another win for the G87 painted in its exclusive Zandvoort Blue.

The comparison ended with somewhat of a shocker as the pricey XM somehow managed to win the brake test, despite being the much heavier car. Nevertheless, winning the brake test from 100 mph (161 km/h) was merely a consolation prize for the first dedicated M model since the mid-engined M1 supercar of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Maybe the XM Label Red will have a better chance of beating the M2 in a straight line, but the latter is also getting an amped-up version since prototypes of a potential CS have already been spied testing.

Source: Carwow / YouTube