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Home›Duel›BMW 120d vs Audi A3

Performance comparison

BMW 120d F40 vs Audi A3 Sportback: 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 F40

190 hp · 400 Nm · 1,450 kg · 2020

VS
AudiDiesel

A3 Sportback

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.

120d F40A3 Sportback
0–100 km/h7,38 s−2,52 s9,90 s
400 m standing start15,41 s−1,82 s17,23 s
1,000 m standing start27,90 s−3,44 s31,34 s
Top speed (electronically limited)231 km/h+22 km/h209 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio7,63 kg/hpbetter ratio11,68 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWDiesel120d F40
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
AudiDieselA3 Sportback
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 F40A3 Sportback
0–30 km/h1,87 s2,22 s
0–50 km/h3,04 s3,75 s
0–80 km/h5,29 s6,86 s
0–100 km/h7,38 s9,90 s
0–120 km/h9,97 s13,90 s
0–160 km/h17,66 s26,77 s
0–200 km/h32,84 s64,77 s
400 m standing start15,41 s17,23 s
1,000 m standing start27,90 s31,34 s
Top speed231 km/h209 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

120d F40

7,63kg/hpratio better by 4,05 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power190 hpPending
Torque400 Nm
Weight1 450 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain120d
Gearbox8-speed Steptronic transmission
Audi

A3 Sportback

11,68kg/hpcompensated by −95 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 120d hits 100 km/h in 7.38 s versus 9.90 s for the A3 Sportback. At this point, the Bmw 120d leads by 2.52 s and sits roughly 19 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw 120d is doing 121 km/h against 108 km/h for the A3 Sportback. The gap is 1.14 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw 120d crosses the line in 15.41 s versus 17.23 s. The 1.82 s gap represents roughly 66 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 168 km/h versus 149 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw 120d finishes in 27.90 s versus 31.33 s, with a 3.44 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Electronically capped at 231 km/h, the Bmw 120d 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 (7.63 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 16.37 seconds. The 2.52 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 F40
Audi A3 Sportback TFSI quattro S tronic 150 kWAudi A3 allstreetAudi A1 Sportback 35 TFSI S tronic 110 kW
Instead of A3 Sportback
Bmw 118d xDriveBmw 118dBmw 118d

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, 120d F40 gagne (7,38 s vs 9,90 s).

120d F40 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 7,38 secondes (simulation calibrée).

120d F40 : 190 hp, ratio 7,63 kg/hp. A3 Sportback : 116 hp, ratio 11,68 kg/hp.

120d F40 : 231 km/h. A3 Sportback : 209 km/h.