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Home›Duel›Porsche Boxster vs BMW 420i

Performance comparison

Porsche Boxster S 981 vs BMW 420i Convertible G22: 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.

PorschePetrolFaster

Boxster S 981

319 hp · 361 Nm · 1,320 kg · 2013

VS
BMWPetrol

420i Convertible G22

184 hp · 300 Nm · 1,690 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 S 981420i Convertible G22
0–100 km/h4,94 s−3,20 s8,14 s
400 m standing start13,01 s−2,96 s15,97 s
1,000 m standing start23,47 s−5,50 s28,97 s
Top speed (electronically limited)273 km/h+37 km/h236 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio4,14 kg/hpbetter ratio9,18 kg/hp

Watch the race

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

PorschePetrolBoxster S 981
Speed
0km/h
Timer
0,00s
Distance
0m
BMWPetrol420i Convertible G22
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 S 981420i Convertible G22
0–30 km/h1,36 s1,81 s
0–50 km/h2,26 s3,07 s
0–80 km/h3,72 s5,69 s
0–100 km/h4,94 s8,14 s
0–120 km/h6,32 s11,24 s
0–160 km/h10,22 s20,26 s
0–200 km/h16,38 s36,93 s
400 m standing start13,01 s15,97 s
1,000 m standing start23,47 s28,97 s
Top speed273 km/h236 km/h

Under the bonnet

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

Porsche

Boxster S 981

4,14kg/hpratio better by 5,05 kg/hp
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power319 hpAluminum block and heads
Torque361 Nm
Weight1 320 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain—
Gearbox6-speed
BMW

420i Convertible G22

9,18kg/hpcompensated by −370 kg
CharacteristicValueDetail
Power184 hp4 cyl
Torque300 Nm
Weight1 690 kgmanufacturer kerb weight
Drivetrain420i Convertible
GearboxEight-speed Steptronic transmission

The start: 0 to 100 km/h

Off the line, the Boxster S hits 100 km/h in 4.94 s versus 8.14 s for the Bmw 420i Convertible. At this point, the Boxster S leads by 3.20 s and sits roughly 19 m ahead.

From 100 km/h to 400 metres

At 200 metres, the Boxster S is doing 145 km/h against 115 km/h for the Bmw 420i Convertible. The gap is 1.81 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Boxster S crosses the line in 13.01 s versus 15.96 s. The 2.95 s gap represents roughly 112 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.

Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play

Past 400 metres, the Boxster S continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 202 km/h versus 161 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Boxster S finishes in 23.47 s versus 28.97 s, with a 5.50 s lead.

What the numbers don’t tell you

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Boxster S is capped at 279 km/h, the Bmw 420i Convertible at 236 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 (4.14 kg/hp vs 9.18 kg/hp) and transmission (Unknown vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 13.10 seconds. The 3.20 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 420i Convertible G22
Bmw 420d ConvertibleBmw 218i ConvertibleBmw 220d Convertible

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Frequently asked questions

Sur 0–100 km/h, Boxster S 981 gagne (4,94 s vs 8,14 s).

Boxster S 981 passe de 0 à 100 km/h en 4,94 secondes (simulation calibrée).

Boxster S 981 : 319 hp, ratio 4,14 kg/hp. 420i Convertible G22 : 184 hp, ratio 9,18 kg/hp.

Boxster S 981 : 273 km/h. 420i Convertible G22 : 236 km/h.