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Home›Duel›Porsche Boxster vs BMW Z4

Performance comparison

Porsche Boxster 987 vs BMW Z4 sDrive30i G29: 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.

PorschePetrol

Boxster 987

259 hp · 290 Nm · 1,335 kg · 2011

VS
BMWPetrolFaster

Z4 sDrive30i G29

258 hp · 400 Nm · 1,430 kg · 2021

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.

Boxster 987Z4 sDrive30i G29
0–100 km/h5,71 s5,45 s+0,26 s
400 m standing start14,00 s13,71 s+0,29 s
1,000 m standing start25,25 s24,82 s+0,43 s
Top speed (electronically limited)244 km/h250 km/h−6 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio5,15 kg/hpbetter ratio5,54 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

PorschePetrolBoxster 987
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrolZ4 sDrive30i G29
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.

PalierBoxster 987Z4 sDrive30i G29
0–30 km/h1,41 s1,46 stight gap
0–50 km/h2,33 s2,42 stight gap
0–80 km/h4,29 s4,03 s
0–100 km/h5,71 s5,45 s
0–120 km/h7,87 s7,26 s
0–160 km/h13,10 s12,26 s
0–200 km/h21,41 s20,34 s
400 m standing start14,00 s13,71 s
1,000 m standing start25,25 s24,82 s
Top speed limited244 km/h250 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

Porsche

Boxster 987

5,15kg/hpratio better by 0,39 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power259 hpB6
Torque290 Nm
Weight1 335 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainPropulsion
GearboxUnknown
BMW

Z4 sDrive30i G29

5,54kg/hpcompensated by −95 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power258 hp4 cyl
Torque400 Nm
Weight1 430 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
DrivetrainZ4 sDrive30i
GearboxEight-speed Steptronic transmission

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i hits 100 km/h in 5.45 s versus 5.72 s for the Boxster. At this point, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i leads by 0.26 s and sits roughly 2 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i is doing 136 km/h against 132 km/h for the Boxster. The gap is 0.18 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i crosses the line in 13.70 s versus 13.99 s. The 0.29 s gap represents roughly 13 m of track — two to three car lengths.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 189 km/h versus 187 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i finishes in 24.81 s versus 25.24 s, with a 0.43 s lead. Both vehicles have similar top speeds (244 vs 250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) km/h), preventing any comeback.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Boxster is capped at 262 km/h, the Bmw Z4 sDrive30i at 250 (i.e. 155 mph — industry threshold) 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 combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (5.15 kg/hp vs 5.54 kg/hp) and transmission (Unknown vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 9.00 seconds. The 0.26 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 Z4 sDrive30i G29
Bmw 840i xDrive ConvertibleBmw 420i ConvertibleBmw 420d Convertible

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, Z4 sDrive30i G29 gagne (5,45 s vs 5,71 s).

Boxster 987 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 5,71 secondes (simulation calibrée).

Boxster 987 : 259 hp, ratio 5,15 kg/hp. Z4 sDrive30i G29 : 258 hp, ratio 5,54 kg/hp.

Boxster 987 : 244 km/h. Z4 sDrive30i G29 : 250 km/h.