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Home›Duel›BMW M3 vs Audi S5

Performance comparison

BMW M3 F80 vs Audi S5 Sedan: 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.

BMWPetrolFaster

M3 F80

480 hp · 550 Nm · 1,705 kg · 2020

VS
AudiPetrol

S5 Sedan

367 hp · 550 Nm · 1,950 kg · 2026

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.

M3 F80S5 Sedan
0–100 km/h4,18 s−0,32 s4,50 s
400 m standing start12,26 s−0,54 s12,80 s
1,000 m standing start21,95 s−1,44 s23,39 s
Top speed (electronically limited)250 km/h250 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio3,55 kg/hpbetter ratio5,31 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWPetrolM3 F80
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
AudiPetrolS5 Sedan
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.

PalierM3 F80S5 Sedan
0–30 km/h1,20 s1,11 stight gap
0–50 km/h2,01 s1,85 s
0–80 km/h3,29 s3,22 stight gap
0–100 km/h4,18 s4,50 s
0–120 km/h5,53 s6,11 s
0–160 km/h8,71 s10,43 s
0–200 km/h13,11 s16,98 s
400 m standing start12,26 s12,80 s
1,000 m standing start21,95 s23,39 s
Top speed limited250 km/h250 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

BMW

M3 F80

3,55kg/hpratio better by 1,76 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power480 hpPending
Torque550 Nm
Weight1 705 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainM3
GearboxSix-speed manual
Audi

S5 Sedan

5,31kg/hpcompensated by −245 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power367 hpPending
Torque550 Nm
Weight1 950 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainIntegrale (AWD)
Gearbox7-speed S tronic

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw M3 hits 100 km/h in 4.18 s versus 4.50 s for the S5 Sedan. Despite the faster sprint time, the S5 Sedan is 2 m further along the track at this moment: stronger low-speed acceleration offsets a slower run beyond 100 km/h.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw M3 is doing 154 km/h against 142 km/h for the S5 Sedan. The gap is 0.20 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw M3 crosses the line in 12.25 s versus 12.80 s. The 0.55 s gap represents roughly 26 m of track — two to three car lengths.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw M3 continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 216 km/h versus 198 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw M3 finishes in 21.95 s versus 23.38 s, with a 1.44 s lead. Both vehicles have similar top speeds (250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) vs 250 (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 Bmw M3 and the S5 Sedan 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 (3.55 kg/hp vs 5.31 kg/hp) and transmission (Manual vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 7.04 seconds. The 0.32 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 M3 F80
Mercedes Maybach S 680Audi S8Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Instead of S5 Sedan
Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin AWDBmw 750Ld xDriveAlfa Romeo Giulia Veloce

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, M3 F80 gagne (4,18 s vs 4,50 s).

M3 F80 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 4,18 secondes (simulation calibrée).

M3 F80 : 480 hp, ratio 3,55 kg/hp. S5 Sedan : 367 hp, ratio 5,31 kg/hp.

M3 F80 : 250 km/h. S5 Sedan : 250 km/h.