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Home›Duel›Audi S3 vs BMW 230i

Performance comparison

Audi S3 Sedan vs BMW 230i 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.

AudiPetrolFaster

S3 Sedan

333 hp · 420 Nm · 1,535 kg · 2026

VS
BMWPetrol

230i Convertible F44

252 hp · 350 Nm · 1,610 kg · 2021

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.

S3 Sedan230i Convertible F44
0–100 km/h4,63 s−1,21 s5,84 s
400 m standing start13,08 s−1,00 s14,08 s
1,000 m standing start23,69 s−2,12 s25,81 s
Top speed (electronically limited)250 km/h+1 km/h249 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio4,61 kg/hpbetter ratio6,39 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

AudiPetrolS3 Sedan
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrol230i 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.

PalierS3 Sedan230i Convertible F44
0–30 km/h1,20 s1,30 stight gap
0–50 km/h2,00 s2,18 s
0–80 km/h3,37 s4,07 s
0–100 km/h4,63 s5,84 s
0–120 km/h6,64 s7,98 s
0–160 km/h10,96 s14,06 s
0–200 km/h17,37 s24,59 s
400 m standing start13,08 s14,08 s
1,000 m standing start23,69 s25,81 s
Top speed limited250 km/h249 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

Audi

S3 Sedan

4,61kg/hpratio better by 1,78 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power333 hpPending
Torque420 Nm
Weight1 535 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainIntegrale (AWD)
Gearbox7-speed S tronic
BMW

230i Convertible F44

6,39kg/hpcompensated by −75 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power252 hp4 cyl
Torque350 Nm
Weight1 610 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain230i Convertible
Gearbox8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the S3 Sedan hits 100 km/h in 4.63 s versus 5.84 s for the Bmw 230i Convertible. At this point, the S3 Sedan leads by 1.21 s and sits roughly 8 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the S3 Sedan is doing 138 km/h against 129 km/h for the Bmw 230i Convertible. The gap is 0.61 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the S3 Sedan crosses the line in 13.08 s versus 14.08 s. The 1.00 s gap represents roughly 44 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the S3 Sedan continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 198 km/h versus 179 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the S3 Sedan finishes in 23.69 s versus 25.81 s, with a 2.12 s lead. Both vehicles have similar top speeds (250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) vs 249 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) km/h), preventing any comeback.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals share the same electronic speed cap: the S3 Sedan and the Bmw 230i Convertible are governed to 250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) km/h. At that speed, standard-fit tyres approach their safety threshold — an industrial ceiling common to most electric vehicles in this segment. Neither car shows its true aerodynamic potential in this duel.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (4.61 kg/hp vs 6.39 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 9.24 seconds. The 1.21 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 S3 Sedan
Bmw M140i xDriveBmw M140iBmw M135i xDrive
Instead of 230i Convertible F44
Bmw 420i ConvertibleBmw 420d ConvertibleBmw 230i Convertible

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, S3 Sedan gagne (4,63 s vs 5,84 s).

S3 Sedan passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 4,63 secondes (simulation calibrée).

S3 Sedan : 333 hp, ratio 4,61 kg/hp. 230i Convertible F44 : 252 hp, ratio 6,39 kg/hp.

S3 Sedan : 250 km/h. 230i Convertible F44 : 249 km/h.