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Home›Duel›Audi A3 vs BMW 116d

Performance comparison

Audi A3 Sedan vs BMW 116d F40: which is truly faster?

Simulated drag race 0 → 1,000 m in real time. Synchronised speed counters and stopwatch. Physics calibration on 7 manufacturer measurements.

AudiDieselFaster

A3 Sedan

116 hp · 300 Nm · 1,355 kg · 2026

VS
BMWDiesel

116d F40

116 hp · 270 Nm · 1,375 kg · 2019

MotorwayRange & chargingPerformance0-100, top speedConsumptionAnnual TCO

Parameters and assumptions

Simulation

Start
Standing, straight line
Surface
Dry asphalt, 23°C
Wind
None
Driver
1 person, 75 kg

Calibration

Splits
0–100, 0–200 manufacturer
Power curve
Real measurement (Caralogy)
VMax
Manufacturer limited
Transmission
Losses integrated in model

Physics model calibrated on manufacturer splits. The limited top speed is not the real aerodynamic top speed of the vehicles.

A3 Sedan116d F40
0–100 km/h9,87 s−0,51 s10,38 s
400 m standing start17,21 s−0,42 s17,63 s
1,000 m standing start31,24 s−0,56 s31,80 s
Top speed (electronically limited)215 km/h+15 km/h200 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio11,68 kg/hpbetter ratio11,85 kg/hp

Watch the race

Standing-start drag race, calibrated on manufacturer splits. The gap shows at each stage.

AudiDieselA3 Sedan
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWDiesel116d F40
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
100 m
200 m
300 m
400 m
500 m
600 m
700 m
800 m
900 m
1000 m
0m → 1000m
Gap0m

Stage-by-stage comparison

Simulated performance at each stage. Winner in green.

PalierA3 Sedan116d F40
0–30 km/h2,22 s2,54 s
0–50 km/h3,75 s4,17 s
0–80 km/h6,86 s7,33 s
0–100 km/h9,87 s10,38 s
0–120 km/h13,82 s14,41 s
0–160 km/h26,28 s27,61 s
0–200 km/h58,04 s74,22 s
400 m standing start17,21 s17,63 s
1,000 m standing start31,24 s31,80 s
Top speed215 km/h200 km/h

Under the bonnet

Manufacturer technical specifications. The power-to-weight ratio is the key physical factor in a drag race.

Audi

A3 Sedan

11,68kg/hpratio better by 0,17 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power116 hpPending
Torque300 Nm
Weight1 355 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainTraction
Gearbox6-speed manual gearbox
BMW

116d F40

11,85kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power116 hpPending
Torque270 Nm
Weight1 375 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain116d
GearboxSix-speed manual (seven-speed Steptronic dual-clutch transmission)

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the A3 Sedan hits 100 km/h in 9.87 s versus 10.38 s for the Bmw 116d. At this point, the A3 Sedan leads by 0.51 s and sits roughly 10 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the A3 Sedan is doing 108 km/h against 107 km/h for the Bmw 116d. The gap is 0.37 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the A3 Sedan crosses the line in 17.21 s versus 17.62 s. The 0.42 s gap represents roughly 15 m of track — two to three car lengths.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the A3 Sedan continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 150 km/h versus 148 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the A3 Sedan finishes in 31.24 s versus 31.80 s, with a 0.56 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Electronically capped at 200 km/h, the Bmw 116d never reaches its natural aerodynamic ceiling in this duel. That’s not a physical limit of the motor — it’s a deliberate manufacturer decision, typically tied to standard-fit tyre ratings or model-range positioning.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (11.68 kg/hp vs 11.85 kg/hp) and transmission (Manual vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 16.91 seconds. The 0.51 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.

Compare with other alternatives

Swap one of the two models to explore an equivalent duel in the same segment.

Instead of A3 Sedan
Bmw 218dBmw 318d SteptronicBmw 218d xDrive
Instead of 116d F40
Audi A1 Sportback 35 TFSI S tronic 110 kWAudi A3 Sportback TFSI 110 kWAudi A3 Sportback

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, A3 Sedan gagne (9,87 s vs 10,38 s).

A3 Sedan passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 9,87 secondes (simulation calibrée).

A3 Sedan : 116 hp, ratio 11,68 kg/hp. 116d F40 : 116 hp, ratio 11,85 kg/hp.

A3 Sedan : 215 km/h. 116d F40 : 200 km/h.