Bmw i4 M50 xDrive G26 vs Ford Mustang GT S550 450 : which one is faster?

The launch: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive hits 100 km/h in 3.92 s versus 4.53 s for the Mustang GT S550 450. The instant torque of 795 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive leads by 0.61 s and sits roughly 8 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive is doing 155 km/h against 154 km/h for the Mustang GT S550 450. The gap is 0.44 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive crosses the line in 12.01 s versus 12.46 s. The 0.45 s gap represents roughly 24 m of track — two to three car lengths.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The Bmw i4 M50 xDrive maxes out at 225 km/h while the Mustang GT S550 450 keeps accelerating towards 250 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.48 s.

At 1,000 metres, the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive finishes in 21.97 s versus 22.31 s, with just 0.34 s to spare. The Mustang GT S550 450 fails to fully close the launch gap.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Bmw i4 M50 xDrive is capped at 225 km/h, the Mustang GT S550 450 at 250 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.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 6.37 seconds. The 0.61 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.