Top Gear races BMW i8 vs M4

Top Gear races the BMW i8 against the BMW M4 and in the beginning, it doesn’t necessarily seem like a fair match. The M4 has 425 hp while the BMW i8 has a combined 357 hp. The M4 also has a six-cylidner engine while the i8 only has three. The M4 has two turbochargers while the i8 has one. So it seems like the M4 has the clear advantage. However, the i8 evens up by being 200 lbs lighter and having an all-wheel drive, and electric motors, which provide 100 percent of their torque at zero rpm.

But the launch is only a small part of a drag race. Over the course of a quarter mile, total horsepower comes into play. The M4’s extra grunt could help it take the lead as long as the i8 doesn’t get too good of a head start. Plus, over the course of the race, the M4’s dual-clutch gearbox will help keep the power down while the i8 uses a standard torque converter automatic.

After figuring out the M4’s complicated launch control (why do so many people have such a hard time with that?), the race gets going and it starts as we expected. The i8 gets off to a blazing start, as its all-wheel drive traction and instant torque allow it to blitz off of the line while the M4 struggles for grip. However, the M4’s extra power and rifle-shot upshifts help it start to catch up to the i8. By the end of the race, the i8 just squeaks by the M4 across the finish line. So in the end, the little three-banger hybrid takes the win over the 425 hp, purebred sports car.