The BMW M240i has some traditional rivals like the Audi TT S, for example, and some rather unconventional ones. The people over at Cars.co.za have taken the BMW M Performance vehicle out on the road and pit it against some unexpected rivals, both of them hailing from the UK. As the BMW M240i was lining up in the video below I couldn’t help but think it will be dead last, despite being fitted with M Performance bits to enhance its performance. Let me explain.

It’s not that I think the M240i isn’t a fast machine but the layout of the road it was going up on and the specs/prices of the other two cars make the little BMW the underdog here. To be more precise, both the Jaguar and Aston Martin have considerably more power. The BMW M240i comes with a 340 HP engine that also puts out 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque and, in this case, all power is sent to the rear wheels. And while the BMW is the lightest of the three, it still lags behind in terms of outright power.

The Jaguar F-Type 400 Sport comes with a 3-liter V6 that was supercharged to make 394 HP and 460 Nm (339 lb-ft) of torque. It is also rear-wheel drive and, even though it has only two seats, it tips the scale at 1,610 kg (3,549 lbs). On the other hand, the Aston Martin Vantage V8 comes with a naturally aspirated mill making 430 HP and 490 Nm (361 lb-ft) of torque. It’s also just as heavy as the Jaguar.

Therefore, the Aston is the most powerful car here and the track the guys have ahead of themselves is basically just a long, straight stretch of road that has some minor bends in it. Who do you think it’s going to win? It’s pretty much obvious but we were surprised of how good the BMW performed, as you’re about to see.

[fvplayer src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnnJmbxFiGE” width=”640″ height=”360″]

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