2023 BMW M4 Convertible

RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Welcome back to another UDrags. Today, we have the 2022 BMW M4 competition going up against our very own, long term, 2020 Shelby GT 500, which just got done trouncing a Cadillac CT 5 Blackwing. So we're going to find out which one is better, big American muscle or big German muscle. What is UDrags? Well, if you're new here, that's where we take two cars and send them down this airfield. When they get to the end, they've got to brake hard, flip around, and come back to the finish line. That means you get a standing start, hard braking, handling, and a rolling start, all in one. We'll race them once. Then bring them back and switch drivers. And race them again, so we can get a good perspective on who stands out and who gets left behind. SPEAKER 1: Today, we have the 2020 Shelby GT 500, with 760 horsepower, and 625 pound feet of torque. It's going up against the 2022 BMW M4 competition with 503 horsepower, but all wheel drive and a whole lot of M performance parts. This Shelby got here by taking down the CT 5 Blackwing in our previous run. But keep in mind, we've already seen the M4 beat the Shelby in a straight up drag race. Should we expect the same outcome on the UDrags course? To find out, our drivers today are from the Edmunds test team, Kurt and Reese RYAN ZUMMALLEN: If you love UDrags as much as I do, then click like and hit Subscribe, so we can keep making them. Also if you want to get a cash offer on your car right now, go to edmunds.com/sellmycar. Yes, it's that easy. I don't know about you guys, but my brain says the M4 has sport differential, all wheel drive, lighter. It's goin to be able to put the power down faster, get out to a quick jump, and get around the turn faster. However, UDrags has proven that my brain is very stupid. And that doesn't matter. What matters is that the Shelby has a metric ton of power. And it's going to make me look like an idiot. And it's going to win. Let's find out KURT NIEBUHR: I'm going to use launch control in this. And I know that I'm just going to get smoked off the line, smoked. If you guys have never seen an all wheel drive M4 launch, it's a thing of beauty. Anyway not from where I'm sitting, so I'm going to hope that the power of this car comes in at the top end. And I can get him maybe by the end of the straight, but definitely by the finish line. Yeah launch RPM 1,200, know I'm going to get wheelspin so fingers crossed. REESE COUNTS: I'm in the BMW M4 competition. And this one has all wheel drive, which is great because I'm quite a bit down on power compared to the Shelby. I've also got launch control. The thing is BMW has got a whole rigamarole to put it in its right position. You've got to put it in its most advanced setting, for the Sport mode, sport transmission, sport stability. Then you get everything lined up right, and then two pedal it and go. KURT NIEBUHR: I'm nervous. I'm not going to lie. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Drivers, thumbs up if you're ready. OK, here we go. Countdown. Countdown now. In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go. Oh man, just obliterated. Come on, buddy. Damn, that car is fast. It's going to need a big gap on the way back. M4 into the turn, first. But they're pretty close. Give it to me. Give it to me. Come on. Come on. Come on, buddy. KURT NIEBUHR: 760 horsepower. REESE COUNTS: Damn. KURT NIEBUHR: That's what I'm talking about. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: And this might be over. KURT NIEBUHR: Holy crap, dude. This thing's got some top end. REESE COUNTS: No kidding. I thought this thing pulled hard but, wow that Shelby. KURT NIEBUHR: I'm thinking the Pilot Sport Cup 2's kind of earned their money on this one. REESE COUNTS: I really think those tires are really getting into their groove right now. But I've got a hell of a lodge in this M4. KURT NIEBUHR: To just watch that car leave is demoralizing, really demoralizing. REESE COUNTS: Man, that M4 is just not good enough at the top end to block that Shelby. KURT NIEBUHR: I knew as soon as I came around this turn. And I could see you I was very, very, very happy. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Reese, I thought that jump was enough. KURT NIEBUHR: I thought so too, but Kurt caught me right here. And well you guys saw it. There was no pulling back. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: And Kurt, you even got to the turn almost at about the same time. So it wasn't like it was all straight away. KURT NIEBUHR: Yeah I basically put all of my weight into the brake pedal. And it's kind of a wild ride, when it's slowing down, when you're braking that hard. But this thing's got some brakes, man. I love this car. I love it. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: We're going to swap drivers and do it again. But that power man. KURT NIEBUHR: God this thing is monster. It's so hard to watch that thing leave. And you're just like. REESE COUNTS: That was the cause I got a jump on you in that one. And then the SHelby just comes like that. KURT NIEBUHR: I mean like, I'm like looking at the back of you. And I was just like this is not good. I was like, I am not catching up. I was just like 500 horsepower, my ass. REESE COUNTS: I thought I had it. I really thought I might have it. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Round two. That M4 is going to have to pull a rabbit out of its hat, [MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER 2: You think hat? RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Out of its hat? SPEAKER 2: Yeah. I mean, I was thinking other places. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: If Kurt can really nail the M4 jump, get a big enough gap, maybe that does it. And he gets a little lucky. Other than that, he's going to have to pull a rabbit out of somewhere. [MUSIC PLAYING] KURT NIEBUHR: Now, I'm in the M4. I think, this car's biggest deficit against the GT500 are probably the tires. This has Pilot Sport 4Ss on it. That has Cup 2s. They're worn Cup 2s, but they're still Cup 2s. So I'm just going to hope, I can get away fast enough that he can't catch up to me. But as we saw already, he'll probably catch up to me. Let's see. REESE COUNTS: So now, I'm in the Shelby which is way up on power but it's going to have a hell of a time putting it down. It really depends on who can get through that corner first. But even if I get there a little behind, I think the Shelby has got enough. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Drivers thumbs up. Thank you. OK. Countdown. In five, four, three, two, one, go. [ENGINES REVVING] SPEAKER 2: Woah. Yeah. It's still there. REESE COUNTS: Come on. SPEAKER 2: It's closing in too. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: It's out there in front. But they're pretty even going into the turn. That's bad news for the M4. It needs a big leap. REESE COUNTS: Come on. KURT NIEBUHR: Yeah. Oh. Look at that. REESE COUNTS: Come on. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: That sounds amazing. Shelby all day. Shelby all day, man. We're setting up car after a car to go after it. And it's just knocking them down, one after the other, over and over again. Until we find something that's a good enough match for that Shelby, it's King of the Hill right now. REESE COUNTS: Well, this is something else. KURT NIEBUHR: That sounds so bad ass. Losing never sounded so good. REESE COUNTS: It's louder, probably, from the outside than it is in here. KURT NIEBUHR: It just sounds like it's ripping the air in half when it goes past you. What a machine. I love that thing. REESE COUNTS: And it's squirrelly down the straight. I mean, it does not want to put power down until about third gear. KURT NIEBUHR: Yeah I'm less impressed with the way this thing turns in. I think, maybe it's just the front end, just doesn't have the bite that I was hoping it had. But we've got the hell out of this hairpin turn though. REESE COUNTS: I did not catch up to the M4 until right down here. KURT NIEBUHR: And oh, yeah. That thing is just a total monster. And I'm happy to actually see it in its element. REESE COUNTS: How did the M4 feel off the line? KURT NIEBUHR: Heroic. Absolutely heroic. But that thing seemed to get a better launch than when I was in it, I guess, maybe the launch control sorted itself out a little bit better. It's a bit warmer. Oh. I like this job. REESE COUNTS: Well, then. KURT NIEBUHR: That's that. Nice job. It's just wild, man. REESE COUNTS: God damn, dude. Good job. SPEAKER 1: Now, to break down the data. The M4 jumps out to a quick lead in race one, while the Shelby struggles to launch. But man, by the return trip, the Shelby is smoking hot. It crosses the line at a staggering 143 miles per hour to take the win. In race two, the M4 again wins to 60 by a full second. But the Shelby has closed the gap completely by the quarter mile. Both of them put down big numbers across the board, but once again, it's the back-end speed that puts the Shelby on top. The M4's second run resulted in a blazing 31 seconds flat. The best time we've seen so far. Problem is, the Shelby was even quicker, clocking a 30.9 to beat its own top time and set a U-Drags' record. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Well, we thought the M4 was tailor-made for U-Drags. Kurt, what did we get wrong about it? KURT NIEBUHR: It's not that we didn't get anything wrong about it, it's that we just underestimated the sheer pulling power of a Shelby GT500. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: With a blower on it? KURT NIEBUHR: With a carry-on bag-sized blower on top of it. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Fair enough. Reese, impressions from today. REESE COUNTS: I really thought, like you said, I really thought the M4 was going to have it. The all-wheel drive, I thought, was going to be enough off the line but obviously given-- and not even a terribly long stretch of road. There's really nothing that can keep up with the Shelby. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Yeah. Even with being able to jump out to a gap and being quicker on the turn. REESE COUNTS: I mean, you can see the M4 gets off the line so much quicker than the Shelby, but squirrely, but once it comes down, it just pulls at the top. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: So we know which one wins out here. Which one do you take home, Kurt? KURT NIEBUHR: I take home the Shelby if it's in gunmetal gray without any stripes. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Reese? REESE COUNTS: I take this one like it is. SPEAKER 2: You would? REESE COUNTS: Yeah. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Well, let's make it an even 3:0. I couldn't be more impressed by this thing, especially costing less than the M4. That's the one I'd take too. Dang, I didn't think we'd be standing here saying that today. REESE COUNTS: Right? KURT NIEBUHR: Yeah. Us either. But I'm really happy to say it. RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Yeah. All right. Thanks for watching, guys. Don't forget to like and click Subscribe. And let us know in the comments below which car we should put up against the GT500 next. KURT NIEBUHR: Who brought the champagne? RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Shhh. Shhh. SPEAKER 5: Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa, guys. Watch this, guys. [MUSIC PLAYING]