Audi S3 Sportback vs BMW i3s I01: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the S3 Sportback hits 100 km/h in 4.64 s versus 6.81 s for the i3s. Despite lacking instant torque, 333 hp of power compensates. At this point, the S3 Sportback leads by 2.17 s and sits roughly 20 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the S3 Sportback is doing 139 km/h against 124 km/h for the i3s. The gap is 1.33 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the S3 Sportback crosses the line in 13.08 s versus 15.05 s. The 1.96 s gap represents roughly 80 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the S3 Sportback continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 197 km/h versus 160 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the S3 Sportback finishes in 23.72 s versus 28.59 s, with a 4.87 s lead.

The S3 Sportback features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the i3s’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the S3 Sportback is capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h, the i3s at 160 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 10.76 seconds. The 2.17 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.