[Video] 2021 BMW M4 Competition vs Shelby GT500 – A Battle of Speed

There’s no denying that the 2021 BMW M4 Competition is undeniably a fast car. According to official figures, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, which is much faster than BMW claims. Moreover, the M4 Competition has the ability to punch above its weight class. But can it outperform the 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, which has much more power than the M4? Find out in the video below from Edmunds.

Edmunds tested both cars in a quarter-mile drag race to see which was faster. The Shelby is a limited edition, extremely powerful car built almost exclusively to beat other cars in drag races. Therefore, you wouldn’t see these cars racing against each other in a normal environment. The M4 Competition, on the other hand, is your average mid-size car that you can easily buy and use in everyday life. 

On paper, the 2021 BMW M4 Competiton does not seem to stand a chance. With 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, it only has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six engine. On the other side of the track is the Shelby GT500 with a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine. It makes a staggering 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque. At this test, both cars had automatic transmissions and rear-wheel drive only, but an all-wheel-drive M4 is already in the works. With its Bavarian horses, however, the M4’s defense seems stronger. 

Courtesy of the improved launch control and lower power, the 2021 BMW M4 Competition shoots into the lead from a standing start and never relinquishes it. Despite its 260 more horsepower, the Shelby didn’t stand a chance in three races. Its problem was that it couldn’t get out of third gear without spinning the tires. That just means that power is useless at a stoplight in the real world.

Things shifted a bit in the rolling drag races. Despite the big difference in performance, the numbers were somewhat surprising. This video is worth watching to see how similar the two cars are in terms of performance.

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