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Home›Duel›BMW 230i vs Audi A4 40

Performance comparison

BMW 230i F22 vs Audi A4 40 TFSI: 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.

BMWPetrolFaster

230i F22

252 hp · 350 Nm · 1,430 kg · 2018

VS
AudiPetrol

A4 40 TFSI

190 hp · 320 Nm · 1,515 kg · 2020

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.

230i F22A4 40 TFSI
0–100 km/h5,51 s−1,77 s7,28 s
400 m standing start13,88 s−1,48 s15,36 s
1,000 m standing start25,28 s−2,80 s28,08 s
Top speed (electronically limited)250 km/h+18 km/h232 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio5,67 kg/hpbetter ratio7,97 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWPetrol230i F22
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
AudiPetrolA4 40 TFSI
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.

Palier230i F22A4 40 TFSI
0–30 km/h1,42 s1,67 s
0–50 km/h2,29 s2,79 s
0–80 km/h3,99 s5,10 s
0–100 km/h5,51 s7,28 s
0–120 km/h7,53 s10,10 s
0–160 km/h13,14 s18,44 s
0–200 km/h22,07 s34,86 s
400 m standing start13,88 s15,36 s
1,000 m standing start25,28 s28,08 s
Top speed limited250 km/h232 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

230i F22

5,67kg/hpratio better by 2,30 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power252 hp4 cyl
Torque350 Nm
Weight1 430 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain-
Gearbox8-speed Steptronic
Audi

A4 40 TFSI

7,97kg/hpcompensated by −85 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power190 hpPending
Torque320 Nm
Weight1 515 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainTraction
Gearbox7-speed S tronic

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw 230i hits 100 km/h in 5.51 s versus 7.28 s for the A4 40 TFSI. At this point, the Bmw 230i leads by 1.77 s and sits roughly 14 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw 230i is doing 133 km/h against 119 km/h for the A4 40 TFSI. The gap is 0.96 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw 230i crosses the line in 13.87 s versus 15.36 s. The 1.48 s gap represents roughly 60 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw 230i continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 184 km/h versus 165 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw 230i finishes in 25.28 s versus 28.08 s, with a 2.80 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Electronically capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h, the Bmw 230i 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 (5.67 kg/hp vs 7.97 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.78 seconds. The 1.77 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 A4 40 TFSI
Audi A3 Sedan

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Frequently asked questions

Over 0–100 km/h, 230i F22 wins (5,51 s vs 7,28 s).

230i F22 goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 5,51 seconds (calibrated simulation).

230i F22: 252 hp, ratio 5,67 kg/hp. A4 40 TFSI: 190 hp, ratio 7,97 kg/hp.

230i F22: 250 km/h. A4 40 TFSI: 232 km/h.