The idea of a BMW being able to go up against a Bugatti might seem preposterous given the colossal performance gap but these are no ordinary Bimmers. The good folks over at Carwow orchestrated a drag race with heavily modified versions of the M4 (G82) and M5 CS (F90) fighting the all-mighty Chiron in its hotter Super Sport specification.
The inline-six model from the M division has had its twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine dialed to a ludicrous 1,000 horsepower and 1,000 Newton-meters (738 pound-feet) of torque. The S58’s muscle is delivered to both axles as we’re dealing with the xDrive model, which is what you’d want on a high-powered tuned version. Traction issues can occur when four-digit horsepower is delivered only to the rear wheels.
As for the other BMW, it’s the M5 CS. It too has 1,000 hp from a larger V8 engine but this twin-turbo 4.4-liter S63 unit produces a higher 1,200 Nm (886 lb-ft). As with all M5s from the previous generation, it has AWD as standard, with a selectable RWD mode that it’s best to avoid when you’re battling a Bugatti in a drag race.
Speaking of which, the Chiron SS has a gargantuan W16, a quad-turbo 8.0-liter mill pumping out 1,600 hp and 1,600 Nm (1,180 lb-ft). You’d be tempted to say that given the Bugatti’s oomph, the two BMWs don’t stand a chance. However, these acceleration tests show the M4 and M5 are much quicker off the line with their torque-converter automatic transmissions while the hypercar’s dual-clutch auto takes its sweet time.
The Molsheim-built dream machine did manage to recuperate the lost ground and won the standing quarter-mile race by a hair as the M5 CS was nearly as fast. In the subsequent rolling race from 50 mph to the half-mile mark, the M4 crossed the finish line first, followed closely by the Chiron SS. The ultimate car from the VW Group had its revenge in the following rolling races and won them all but the gap wasn’t that big.
In the final showdown, the three cars battled in a brake test from 100 mph (161 km/h) to see which would come to a halt sooner. The BMWs needed less road to reach a full stop, and it was the M4 that stopped in the shortest distance.
Source: Carwow / YouTube
