BMW M4 CSL vs. Porsche 911 GT3: 1,060 horsepower in this racing duel
What would happen if the BMW M4 CSL and the Porsche 911 GT3 were to meet at the same time on a circuit? Which would be the fastest on a lap? The German magazine Sport Auto wanted to be clear, and organized a duel between these two monsters.
Before revealing the big winner of this duel, it is worth recalling the technical sheets of these two cars. We no longer present the 911 GT3, the track version (but not the most radical) of the 911 designed for circuit performance. It is powered by the atmospheric Flat-6 of 4.0 liters of 510 horsepower and 470 Nm of torque, placed in rear overhang. The version used during this duel is equipped with the PDK gearbox, and weighs 1,435 kg. For its part, the M4 CSL features a 3.0 bi-turbo inline six-cylinder with 550 horsepower and 640 Nm of torque. It also has an automatic transmission and weighs 1,625 kg.
The scene is set, all that remains is to decide between them on the track. To do this, the two cars passed through the hands of the same driver, so as not to skew the result. It was therefore Christian Gebhardt who took charge of chasing the clock, on the famous Hockenheimring, which not so long ago hosted the German Formula 1 Grand Prix.
As you might expect, and despite its 40 horsepower lower output, it was the Porsche that set the fastest lap time, with a time of 1 minute 47.8 seconds, against 1 minute 50.1 seconds for the Bavarian. That said, the BMW retains the advantage of top speed, since it managed to reach just over 260 km/h on the longest straight of the circuit, where the Porsche tops out at 257 km/h. A slight difference which is explained by the extra power of the M4 CSL. But its higher weight, as well as its less sharp aerodynamics, cost it precious seconds against the Porsche, which connects turns more easily. The GT3 is intractable on its favorite playground.
