BMW M has something for everyone by offering a diverse portfolio of high-performance cars. The M3 Touring may very well be the perfect all-rounder while the M8 Convertible is a V8 four-seater with unlimited headroom. The two target different segments of the market but it’s always fun to see M cars dueling in a straight-line acceleration test. To spice things up, the fight took place on a wet tarmac, so the xDrive system played an important role.
The M3 wagon might seem the underdog with its smaller inline-six 3.0-liter engine making 510 hp and 650 Nm (478 lb-ft) of torque. The M8 droptop has an eight-cylinder 4.4-liter mill – also with a pair of turbos strapped on – with 625 hp and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft). However, the speedy estate from Bavaria is substantially lighter, tipping the scales at 1,865 kg (4,111 lbs) whereas the cabrio weighs 2,025 kg (4,464 lbs). That’s an extra 160 kg (353 lbs) the convertible must carry around.
Carwow lined them up for several drag races, most of which were won by the M3 Touring. The M8 Convertible did manage to cross the line first when the two cars switched sides, but the wagon had its revenge right after. In the subsequent rolling races from 50 mph (80 km/h) to the quarter-mile mark, the M8 won courtesy of its brawny V8. That’s not such a big surprise since putting the power down was less of an issue. However, the gap between the two during the rolling races was quite significant we might add.
In the final head-to-head comparison, the brake test from 100 mph (161 km/h) ended with a surprise. The M8 Convertible came to a halt much sooner than the M3 Touring, despite being the heavier car. However, it might have had something to do with that part of the road that was a bit more slippery. As always, the driver’s reaction as well as the tires were important factors.
BMW has significantly different plants for the two M cars. The M3 Touring will get a Life Cycle Impulse and a hot CS variant before production ends in late 2027. As for the M8 Convertible, the F91 will reportedly be retired near the end of 2025.
Source: Carwow / YouTube
