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Home›Duel›BMW 120d vs BMW 116i

Performance comparison

BMW 120d F20LCI vs BMW 116i 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.

BMWDieselFaster

120d F20LCI

190 hp · 400 Nm · 1,415 kg · 2018

VS
BMWPetrol

116i F40

109 hp · 180 Nm · 1,340 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.

120d F20LCI116i F40
0–100 km/h7,15 s−3,61 s10,76 s
400 m standing start15,30 s−2,35 s17,65 s
1,000 m standing start27,54 s−4,85 s32,39 s
Top speed (electronically limited)228 km/h+33 km/h195 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio7,45 kg/hpbetter ratio12,29 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWDiesel120d F20LCI
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrol116i 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.

Palier120d F20LCI116i F40
0–30 km/h2,05 s2,05 stight gap
0–50 km/h3,27 s3,56 s
0–80 km/h5,29 s7,30 s
0–100 km/h7,15 s10,76 s
0–120 km/h9,55 s15,50 s
0–160 km/h16,63 s31,49 s
0–200 km/h30,38 s—
400 m standing start15,30 s17,65 s
1,000 m standing start27,54 s32,39 s
Top speed228 km/h195 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

120d F20LCI

7,45kg/hpratio better by 4,85 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power190 hp4 cyl
Torque400 Nm
Weight1 415 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain120d
Gearbox6-speed manual (8-speed Steptronic)
BMW

116i F40

12,29kg/hpcompensated by −75 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power109 hp3 cyl
Torque180 Nm
Weight1 340 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain116i
Gearbox6-speed manual

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw 120d hits 100 km/h in 7.15 s versus 10.76 s for the Bmw 116i. At this point, the Bmw 120d leads by 3.61 s and sits roughly 15 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw 120d is doing 124 km/h against 103 km/h for the Bmw 116i. The gap is 1.27 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw 120d crosses the line in 15.30 s versus 17.65 s. The 2.34 s gap represents roughly 80 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw 120d continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 172 km/h versus 143 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw 120d finishes in 27.53 s versus 32.38 s, with a 4.85 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Bmw 120d is capped at 228 km/h, the Bmw 116i at 195 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.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (7.45 kg/hp vs 12.29 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Manual).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 18.41 seconds. The 3.61 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 120d F20LCI
Audi A3 Sportback TFSI quattro S tronic 150 kWAudi A3 allstreetAudi A1 Sportback 35 TFSI S tronic 110 kW
Instead of 116i F40
Audi A1 Sportback 30 TFSI S tronic 85 kWAudi A1 Sportback 30 TFSI 85 kWAudi A3 Sportback TFSI 85 kW

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AudiVSBmw

A3 allstreet vs 120d

BmwVSMercedes

116i vs A 200

Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, 120d F20LCI gagne (7,15 s vs 10,76 s).

120d F20LCI passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 7,15 secondes (simulation calibrée).

120d F20LCI : 190 hp, ratio 7,45 kg/hp. 116i F40 : 109 hp, ratio 12,29 kg/hp.

120d F20LCI : 228 km/h. 116i F40 : 195 km/h.