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Ai4vsBA6BEV
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  • Specsi4 · A6

BMW i4 M50 xDrive G26 vs Audi A6 Avant e-tron: 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.

saloon · 2024 vs 2026 · Methodology
BMWBEVFaster

i4 M50 xDrive G26

544 hp · 795 Nm · 2,215 kg · 2024

VS
AudiBEV

A6 Avant e-tron

286 hp · 435 Nm · 2,110 kg · 2026

Result · 0–100 km/h

ABMW i4 M50 xDrive G26

3.92 s

Gap3.20 sin favour of i4 M50 xDrive
BAudi A6 Avant e-tron

7.12 s

Summary · Caralogy simulation
Measurei4 M50 xDrive G26A6 Avant e-tronGap
0–100 km/h3.92 s7.12 s3.20 s · i4 M50 xDrive G26
400 m standing start12.01 s15.22 s3.21 s · i4 M50 xDrive G26
1,000 m standing start21.97 s27.38 s5.41 s · i4 M50 xDrive G26
Top speed (electronically limited)225 km/h210 km/h15 km/h · i4 M50 xDrive G26
Power-to-weight ratio4.07 kg/hp7.38 kg/hpbetter ratio · i4 M50 xDrive G26

Watch the race

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

BMWBEVi4 M50 xDrive G26
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
AudiBEVA6 Avant e-tron
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. Best value in bold.
Stagei4 M50 xDrive G26A6 Avant e-tron
0–30 km/h1.13 s1.81 s
0–50 km/h1.89 s3.02 s
0–80 km/h3.04 s5.13 s
0–100 km/h3.92 s7.12 s
0–120 km/h5.04 s9.64 s
0–160 km/h8.35 s16.69 s
0–200 km/h13.16 s28.24 s
400 m standing start12.01 s15.22 s
1,000 m standing start21.97 s27.38 s
Top speed225 km/h210 km/h

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.

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

i4 M50 xDrive G26

4,07kg/hpratio better by 3,31 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power544 hpPending
Torque795 Nm
Weight2 215 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainIntegrale (AWD)
GearboxAutomatic transmission, single-speed with fixed ratio
Audi

A6 Avant e-tron

7,38kg/hpcompensated by −105 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power286 hpPending
Torque435 Nm
Weight2 110 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainPropulsion
GearboxUnknown

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the i4 M50 xDrive hits 100 km/h in 3.92 s versus 7.12 s for the A6 Avant e-tron. At this point, the i4 M50 xDrive leads by 3.20 s and sits roughly 21 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the i4 M50 xDrive is doing 155 km/h against 123 km/h for the A6 Avant e-tron. The gap is 2.14 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the i4 M50 xDrive crosses the line in 12.01 s versus 15.21 s. The 3.21 s gap represents roughly 129 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the i4 M50 xDrive continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 216 km/h versus 172 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the i4 M50 xDrive finishes in 21.97 s versus 27.38 s, with a 5.41 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

The i4 M50 xDrive features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the A6 Avant e-tron’s RWD. 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 i4 M50 xDrive is capped at 225 km/h, the A6 Avant e-tron at 210 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 electric powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (4.07 kg/hp vs 7.38 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Unknown).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.13 seconds. The 3.20 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 i4 M50 xDrive G26
BMW i5 xDrive40

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Frequently asked questions

Over 0–100 km/h, i4 M50 xDrive G26 wins (3,92 s vs 7,12 s).

i4 M50 xDrive G26 goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 3,92 seconds (calibrated simulation).

i4 M50 xDrive G26: 544 hp, ratio 4,07 kg/hp. A6 Avant e-tron: 286 hp, ratio 7,38 kg/hp.

i4 M50 xDrive G26: 225 km/h. A6 Avant e-tron: 210 km/h.