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Home›Duel›BMW M3 vs Audi S5

Performance comparison

BMW M3 Competition 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 Competition F80

510 hp · 650 Nm · 1,730 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 Competition F80S5 Sedan
0–100 km/h3,88 s−0,62 s4,50 s
400 m standing start11,65 s−1,15 s12,80 s
1,000 m standing start20,92 s−2,47 s23,39 s
Top speed (electronically limited)250 km/h250 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio3,39 kg/hpbetter ratio5,31 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

BMWPetrolM3 Competition 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 Competition F80S5 Sedan
0–30 km/h1,14 s1,11 stight gap
0–50 km/h1,90 s1,85 stight gap
0–80 km/h3,01 s3,22 s
0–100 km/h3,88 s4,50 s
0–120 km/h4,84 s6,11 s
0–160 km/h7,51 s10,43 s
0–200 km/h11,33 s16,98 s
400 m standing start11,65 s12,80 s
1,000 m standing start20,92 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 Competition F80

3,39kg/hpratio better by 1,92 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power510 hpPending
Torque650 Nm
Weight1 730 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainM3 Competition
GearboxEight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic
Audi

S5 Sedan

5,31kg/hpcompensated by −220 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 Competition hits 100 km/h in 3.88 s versus 4.50 s for the S5 Sedan. At this point, the Bmw M3 Competition leads by 0.62 s and sits roughly 1 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw M3 Competition is doing 163 km/h against 142 km/h for the S5 Sedan. The gap is 0.57 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw M3 Competition crosses the line in 11.64 s versus 12.80 s. The 1.15 s gap represents roughly 55 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw M3 Competition continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 228 km/h versus 198 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw M3 Competition finishes in 20.91 s versus 23.38 s, with a 2.47 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 Competition 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 (3.39 kg/hp vs 5.31 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 7.04 seconds. The 0.62 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 Competition 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 Competition F80 gagne (3,88 s vs 4,50 s).

M3 Competition F80 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 3,88 secondes (simulation calibrée).

M3 Competition F80 : 510 hp, ratio 3,39 kg/hp. S5 Sedan : 367 hp, ratio 5,31 kg/hp.

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