What happens when you line up a massive hybrid SUV against a finely tuned sports coupe in a quarter-mile drag race? Carwow set out to answer exactly that by pitting the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid GT Package against the BMW M4 Competition xDrive.
At first glance, it seems like an easy win for the lighter, sportier BMW. But the Porsche, despite its bulk, brings some serious performance to the table—and the race turned out to be far closer than expected.
The Porsche Cayenne has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with an electric motor, producing a staggering 739 horsepower and 950 Nm of torque. It has all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox with launch control. However, it weighs a hefty 2,495 kilograms.
In contrast, the BMW M4 Competition is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six that delivers 530 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque. It also features all-wheel drive, the same eight-speed auto with launch control, and is significantly lighter at 1,800 kilograms.
So, how did it turn out? Both cars crossed the finish line in 11.3 seconds in two back-to-back quarter-mile drag races. The M4 narrowly beat the Cayenne each time, but only just—showing that Porsche’s hybrid technology is doing serious work to offset the SUV’s size and weight. The results in the rolling races were the same. The Cayenne initially took the advantage, but it was steadily overtaken by the BMW.
