BMW 420d Convertible G22 vs BMW 220i Convertible F22: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 220i Convertible hits 100 km/h in 7.69 s versus 7.75 s for the 420d Convertible. The 0.06 s gap is negligible: both vehicles are neck and neck.

At 200 metres, the 220i Convertible is doing 115 km/h against 116 km/h for the 420d Convertible. The gap is 0.06 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the 220i Convertible crosses the line in 15.61 s versus 15.64 s. The 0.03 s gap represents roughly 1 m of track

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The 220i Convertible maxes out at 220 km/h while the 420d Convertible keeps accelerating towards 236 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.02 s.

Around 523 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the 420d Convertible overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 16 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the 420d Convertible finishes in 28.69 s versus 28.82 s. The 0.13 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 420d Convertible is capped at 236 km/h, the 220i Convertible at 226 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 (9.34 kg/hp vs 8.37 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 12.89 seconds. The 0.06 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.