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Home›Duel›BMW 525d vs BMW 218i

Performance comparison

BMW 525d G30 vs BMW 218i Convertible F44: 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

525d G30

231 hp · 500 Nm · 1,690 kg · 2018

VS
BMWPetrol

218i Convertible F44

136 hp · 220 Nm · 1,560 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.

525d G30218i Convertible F44
0–100 km/h6,74 s−2,60 s9,34 s
400 m standing start14,92 s−1,87 s16,79 s
1,000 m standing start27,19 s−3,28 s30,47 s
Top speed (electronically limited)243 km/h+36 km/h207 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio7,32 kg/hpbetter ratio11,47 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWDiesel525d G30
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrol218i Convertible F44
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.

Palier525d G30218i Convertible F44
0–30 km/h1,64 s2,04 s
0–50 km/h2,66 s3,42 s
0–80 km/h4,76 s6,56 s
0–100 km/h6,74 s9,34 s
0–120 km/h9,26 s12,87 s
0–160 km/h16,53 s24,00 s
0–200 km/h29,57 s49,95 s
400 m standing start14,92 s16,79 s
1,000 m standing start27,19 s30,47 s
Top speed243 km/h207 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

525d G30

7,32kg/hpratio better by 4,15 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power231 hp4 cyl
Torque500 Nm
Weight1 690 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainPropulsion
Gearbox8-speed Steptronic
BMW

218i Convertible F44

11,47kg/hpcompensated by −130 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power136 hp4 cyl
Torque220 Nm
Weight1 560 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain-
Gearbox6-speed manual (8-speed Steptronic transmission)

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the 525d hits 100 km/h in 6.74 s versus 9.34 s for the 218i Convertible. At this point, the 525d leads by 2.60 s and sits roughly 20 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the 525d is doing 123 km/h against 110 km/h for the 218i Convertible. The gap is 1.25 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the 525d crosses the line in 14.92 s versus 16.78 s. The 1.87 s gap represents roughly 69 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the 525d continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 171 km/h versus 154 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the 525d finishes in 27.19 s versus 30.47 s, with a 3.28 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 525d is capped at 245 km/h, the 218i Convertible at 207 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 (7.32 kg/hp vs 11.47 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 15.16 seconds. The 2.60 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.

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Frequently asked questions

Over 0–100 km/h, 525d G30 wins (6,74 s vs 9,34 s).

525d G30 goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 6,74 seconds (calibrated simulation).

525d G30: 231 hp, ratio 7,32 kg/hp. 218i Convertible F44: 136 hp, ratio 11,47 kg/hp.

525d G30: 243 km/h. 218i Convertible F44: 207 km/h.