BMW 220i Gran Tourer F22 vs BMW 120d xDrive F40: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 120d xDrive hits 100 km/h in 7.13 s versus 7.57 s for the 220i Gran Tourer. At this point, the 120d xDrive leads by 0.44 s and sits roughly 13 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the 120d xDrive is doing 119 km/h against 121 km/h for the 220i Gran Tourer. The gap is 0.43 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the 120d xDrive crosses the line in 15.21 s versus 15.55 s. The 0.34 s gap represents roughly 14 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The 220i Gran Tourer maxes out at 222 km/h while the 120d xDrive keeps accelerating towards 228 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap is down to 0.25 s from 0.34 s at 400 metres.

At 1,000 metres, the 120d xDrive finishes in 27.99 s versus 28.08 s, with just 0.09 s to spare. The 220i Gran Tourer fails to fully close the launch gap.

The 120d xDrive features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the 220i Gran Tourer’s FWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 220i Gran Tourer is capped at 222 km/h, the 120d xDrive at 230 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 (7.73 kg/hp vs 7.97 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.69 seconds. The 0.44 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.