BMW 118d F40 vs Citroen C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 118d hits 100 km/h in 8.41 s versus 8.57 s for the C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6. Despite lacking instant torque, 150 hp of power compensates. At this point, the 118d leads by 0.16 s and sits roughly 7 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the 118d is doing 115 km/h against 116 km/h for the C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6. The gap is 0.22 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the 118d crosses the line in 16.25 s versus 16.38 s. The 0.14 s gap represents roughly 6 m of track - barely a car length.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6 maxes out at 205 km/h while the 118d keeps accelerating towards 218 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.09 s.

At 1,000 metres, the 118d finishes in 29.46 s versus 29.52 s, with just 0.05 s to spare. The C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6 fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 118d is capped at 218 km/h, the C3 Hybrid 136 e-DCS6 at 205 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 13.51 seconds. The 0.16 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.