In a new video from the Track Day YouTube channel, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth are pitted against each other to discover who is the better drag racer.
The Fiat in this duel isn't standard, with a slew of modifications pushing it to approximately 220 horsepower. That's a little less than what the BMW's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine produces. The BMW 228i xDrive has 228 horsepower and 249 Newton-meters of torque. The Spider is 453 kg lighter, but its roadster form hinders its aerodynamics.
BMW also has the benefit of being able to power all four wheels, whilst the Abarth can only power the rear. The first two races began with rolling starts, the first at 64 kph and the second at 48 kph. The Abarth takes the lead off the line in both races, but the BMW holds on for a pair of triumphs. The BMW won the first race by several car lengths, but only by one in the second. The third race, which began from a standing start, was the most thrilling. The Abarth gained such a large jump at the start that the BMW couldn't catch up to it at the finish line.
If the BMW had gotten a better start in the last race, it would have won it and completed the hat-trick. The BMW was reeling in the Abarth near the end with enough zeal to pass if it had gotten off to a better start.