BMW iX3 G08 vs BMW 430i xDrive Gran Coupé G22: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the iX3 hits 100 km/h in 6.86 s versus 7.79 s for the 430i xDrive Gran Coupé. The instant torque of 400 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the iX3 leads by 0.93 s and sits roughly 15 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the iX3 is doing 126 km/h against 124 km/h for the 430i xDrive Gran Coupé. The gap is 0.65 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the iX3 crosses the line in 15.07 s versus 15.75 s. The 0.68 s gap represents roughly 29 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The iX3 maxes out at 180 km/h while the 430i xDrive Gran Coupé keeps accelerating towards 235 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.63 s.

At 1,000 metres, the iX3 finishes in 27.54 s versus 27.85 s, with just 0.31 s to spare. The 430i xDrive Gran Coupé fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the iX3 is capped at 180 km/h, the 430i xDrive Gran Coupé at 235 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 11.48 seconds. The 0.93 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.