The BMW M2 is still months away from debuting, but the automaker’s M240i is no slouch. A new Carwow YouTube video demonstrates its performance prowess by pitting the coupe against the hotter Audi RS5 Sportback which makes more power than the BMW for a much higher price. Is the extra cost worth the performance? Check out the video above to find out.
The BMW M240i xDrive is at a disadvantage in this contest. Under the hood sits a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine that makes 374 horsepower (278 kilowatts) and 368 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque. The Audi RS5 Sportback has a smaller, more powerful engine. Its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 delivers 450 hp (335 kW) and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque.
Gallery: 2023 Audi RS5 Competition (European Model)
Both engines have eight-speed automatic transmissions that deliver power to their all-wheel-drive systems. The one advantage the BMW has over the Audi is its weight. The BMW is lighter at 3,725 pounds (1,690 kilograms) compared to the heavier 3,825-lbs (1,735-kg) Audi.
The first race has the two launching off the starting line side by side, but as the pair pick up speed, the Audi begins to pull away. However, the quarter-mile race doesn’t let it get too far ahead of the BMW. The Audi completes the race in 12.1 seconds, but the BMW is right behind it with a 12.2-second quarter-mile time.
The pair of rolling races the two compete in next aren’t any different. The more powerful Audi is able to keep the BMW in its rearview mirror in both instances, though the second race with both cars in their sportiest settings was closer than the first with the vehicles in their comfiest parameters.
The BMW M240i xDrive might not have had enough power to beat the Audi RS5 in a drag race, but it’s startlingly close. BMW is working on a hotter M2 variant that will debut this October. The coupe will sport a twin-turbo inline-six engine that’ll deliver around 450 hp, which should put it on par with the RS5 and maybe ahead of it in a drag race. We’ll have to see a new matchup when the M2 arrives.
