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Home›Duel›BMW 420d vs Audi A3

Performance comparison

BMW 420d Convertible G22 vs Audi A3 Sedan: 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.

BMWDieselFaster

420d Convertible G22

190 hp · 400 Nm · 1,775 kg · 2021

VS
AudiDiesel

A3 Sedan

116 hp · 300 Nm · 1,355 kg · 2026

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.

420d Convertible G22A3 Sedan
0–100 km/h7,75 s−2,12 s9,87 s
400 m standing start15,64 s−1,57 s17,21 s
1,000 m standing start28,69 s−2,55 s31,24 s
Top speed (electronically limited)236 km/h+21 km/h215 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio9,34 kg/hpbetter ratio11,68 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWDiesel420d Convertible G22
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
AudiDieselA3 Sedan
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.

Palier420d Convertible G22A3 Sedan
0–30 km/h1,52 s2,22 s
0–50 km/h2,64 s3,75 s
0–80 km/h5,29 s6,86 s
0–100 km/h7,75 s9,87 s
0–120 km/h10,87 s13,82 s
0–160 km/h20,11 s26,28 s
0–200 km/h37,54 s58,04 s
400 m standing start15,64 s17,21 s
1,000 m standing start28,69 s31,24 s
Top speed236 km/h215 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

420d Convertible G22

9,34kg/hpratio better by 2,34 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power190 hp4 cyl
Torque400 Nm
Weight1 775 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain420d Convertible
GearboxEight-speed Steptronic transmission
Audi

A3 Sedan

11,68kg/hpcompensated by −420 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power116 hpPending
Torque300 Nm
Weight1 355 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainTraction
Gearbox6-speed manual gearbox

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw 420d Convertible hits 100 km/h in 7.75 s versus 9.87 s for the A3 Sedan. At this point, the Bmw 420d Convertible leads by 2.12 s and sits roughly 25 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw 420d Convertible is doing 116 km/h against 108 km/h for the A3 Sedan. The gap is 1.18 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw 420d Convertible crosses the line in 15.64 s versus 17.21 s. The 1.57 s gap represents roughly 57 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw 420d Convertible continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 161 km/h versus 150 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw 420d Convertible finishes in 28.69 s versus 31.24 s, with a 2.55 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Electronically capped at 236 km/h, the Bmw 420d Convertible 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 (9.34 kg/hp vs 11.68 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Manual).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 16.25 seconds. The 2.12 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 420d Convertible G22
Bmw 420i ConvertibleBmw 218i ConvertibleBmw 220d Convertible
Instead of A3 Sedan
Bmw 218dBmw 318d SteptronicBmw 218d xDrive

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, 420d Convertible G22 gagne (7,75 s vs 9,87 s).

420d Convertible G22 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 7,75 secondes (simulation calibrée).

420d Convertible G22 : 190 hp, ratio 9,34 kg/hp. A3 Sedan : 116 hp, ratio 11,68 kg/hp.

420d Convertible G22 : 236 km/h. A3 Sedan : 215 km/h.