What do the BMW M8 Competition and BMW S 1000 RR have in common? They’re both at a drag strip, and we want to see how much quicker the bike is, of course!
The new BMW M8 Competition (you can read our full review of the BMW M8 Competition and watch our detailed video review here) signals a return for BMW to its grand touring roots. It’s the most powerful series production car the brand has ever built, making use of an all-wheel drive system to contain the huge amount of torque it has at the ready.
Over on two wheels, the S 1000 RR is the go-fast BMW of the bike world. It’s also the first bike to integrate BMW M insignia and branding on two wheels instead of four.
Moons aligned and we had the chance to have both run down a drag strip at the same time. We assumed the BMW S 1000 RR would absolutely annihilate the M8 Competition, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of around 2.6 seconds and 1/4 mile time of just over 10 seconds.
The M8 Competition offers a commendable 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds and a quarter mile time of just over 11 seconds. But, the drag strip is cold, unprepared, and was damp just a few hours earlier. That means this should be a close battle.
The only way to figure out how big of a difference there is between these two is by doing a CarExpert Dragparison!
BMW M8 Competition v BMW S1000 RR tests
- Sound check – how do they both sound when revved at idle?
- 0-100km/h runs in the M8 Competition in each drive mode
- 1/4 mile run in the M8 competition in the fastest mode
- A drag race between the BMW M8 Competition and BMW S 1000 RR
- And finally, a brake test from 100km/h to 0 between the M8 Competition and S 1000 RR
For clarity, in all our tests both cars were warmed up so the engines and components were at operating temperature.
The drag strip we used was unprepared and slightly damp, which means there’s extra wheel slip off the line that could effect performance figures. Finally, we don’t deduct the one-foot rollout – the numbers are recorded from the moment the car starts moving.
BMW M8 Competition engine specifications
The engine is a work of art. The engine is topped by a (real) carbon fibre cover, but once you remove it you’ll expose the twin-turbocharged V8 engine that lurks beneath.
The 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine produces 460kW of power and 750Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s a torque converter, with BMW opting to avoid dual-clutch gearbox technology.
With an asking price of $352,900 plus on-road costs, it’s over $300,000 more expensive than the motorbike.
BMW S 1000 RR engine specifications
BMW’s S 1000 RR is powered by a 999cc four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine making 152kW of power and 113Nm of torque. It produces 785kW of power per tonne (weighing in at 193.3kg with the optional M carbon package), has a top speed of 303km/h, and redlines at 14,600rpm, sending torque through one wheel.
M8 Competition v S 1000 RR performance figures
| Test | BMW M8 Competition | BMW S 1000 RR |
|---|---|---|
| 0-100km/h (62mph) | 3.3 seconds | 3.9 seconds |
| 1/4 mile | 11.2 seconds at 202.5km/h | 11.2 seconds at 224.5km/h |
| 100km/h (62mph) – 0 | 3.0 seconds at 37.2 metres | 3.7 seconds at 43.5 metres |
MORE: Watch more CarExpert Dragparisons
MORE: BMW M8 Competition detailed review
