It’s a battle between raw power and launch control.
The new BMW M3 Competition features a twin-turbocharged, inline-six engine that produces 503 horsepower (375kilowatts). It can reach 60 mph in under four seconds when connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. The Bimmer’s remarkable launch control system ensures that it can sprint to 60 mph in just under four seconds every time.
This is significant because the Carwow drag race video features the big-nose M3 and its mustached father, an F80 M3 from the previous generation with a surprise underneath the hood. The car has a twin-turbocharged I6 which sends power backward, but it is not stock. It produces 700 horsepower (522 kW) and has a better gearbox, with a seven speed DCT. It is also lighter than the G80 at 3,800 pounds.
The F80 has a clear advantage in power, but the G80 still holds its own. The G80 is a stock car that has a fully functional and effective launch control system. However, the M3’s engine modifications render it useless. The driver is responsible for directing all the power. Modern launch systems, however, are better than any human driver. This is motoring life 2021.
What do you think the outcome of this contest will be? Many races are conducted both from a roll or a dig, as per tradition. It’s not worth being secretive about the roll races, as the F80 has a huge power advantage that the G80 is beaten by light-years. However, traction can be a problem at a stop. Contests are held for the quarter-mile as well as the half-mile. At the end of each day it is actually very close.
It’s a great thing to have power, but is it possible to use it effectively? That’s a different challenge.