M850i Comes Out on Top Against AMG G63 in Special Shootout
Drag race between new 850i versus an AMG G63 places host’s 71-year-old mother in the driver’s seat for added fun.
The new BMW 8 Series is not for the faint of heart. The M850i xDrive, in particular, packs a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 pushing 523 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque to the corners through an eight-speed automatic, capable of motivating the behemoth from zero to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Thus, it can hang with just about any high-performance luxury ride, if not leave them in the dust.
That includes the Mercedes-AMG G63, even though the brick makes more power and torque (585 and 627 in UK-spec, respectively) than the Bavarian beast. Carwow host Mat Watson recently pitted the two monsters in a series of drag races down the runway, but with an added twist of his own: his mother, Sally Watson, piloting each one.
“Do you know what we’re gonna do here, Mum,” asks Mat of his mom. “We’re going to have a drag race between a Mercedes-AMG G63 against a BMW M850i… We’ve had a bet at work: a thousand pounds that you’re gonna win.”
Sally may not be ready for this much excitement, though, especially since she’s the one behind the wheel of the AMG against the M850i, which has 535 horses in UK-spec. As soon as both Teutonic titans are given the go, though, she gives it all she’s got down the quarter-mile.
“Your reaction was really good,” Mat says at the end of the first race, which saw the AMG lose by several car lengths. “I’m surprised that did so well. You launched that perfectly.”
Sally, though, isn’t happy with her performance behind the brick, astounded that the M850i left her in the dust. In fact, she wants a re-do, but behind the wheel of the Bavarian behemoth, if only to prove to herself that it wasn’t her who’s not a winner at drag racing.
“We’re in the BMW now,” said Mat. “No excuses. You should win, yeah? I’m gonna set the car up for you. Left foot on the brake, and I’ll put the car in gear for you into Sports mode. Everything else is in Sports.”
Sally nails the launch again on the second race, piloting the M850i to victory despite the other driver also nailing their launch in the AMG. The final score has the BMW cross the line in 11.7 seconds, the AMG in 12.3 seconds. But now, it’s on to the 50-mph roll down the same lanes.
“Now, we have a rolling race from 50 miles an hour,” said Mat. “Both cars [are] in Comfort mode, automatic mode… when I say go, you just roll.”
Both Mat and Sally are back in the AMG, with Sally giving it all she’s got behind the wheel upon the launch. The look on her face as she pilots the brick is tremendous: she looks petrified pushing the SUV up into the triple digits, so much so that she has no idea she’s still doing 100 mph while slowing down. However, one final test awaits her.
“Now, we’re gonna do an emergency stop from 70 miles an hour,” Mat said. “I have set the cruise control to 70 miles an hour. When we hit the line, the center of the track, [we’re going to do] a full emergency stop… you hit it hard.”
Sally’s not used to cruise control, and looks nervous about the final challenge. Mat reassures her all will be well once she starts stopping, telling her to keep the brake down as if she’s saving her own life, and his.
The end result: the AMG took longer to stop than the M850i, and Mat is out a fair bit of cash. But watching your mom pilot a pair of Teutonic legends is priceless.
Join the 5Series.net forums now!
