After pitting the M5 Touring against the RS6 Avant a couple of weeks ago, Edmunds is at it again. This time, instead of racing wagons, they lined up a pair of coupes for a head-to-head showdown. In one corner sits a standard BMW M4 Competition with rear-wheel drive. In the other, a Ford Mustang Dark Horse fitted with a supercharger kit for extra oomph.
The stock M4 relies on the tried-and-tested S58 engine, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six producing 503 hp and 479 lb-ft. The Mustang Dark Horse’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 is naturally aspirated from the factory, but this particular example was supercharged. The outcome? A hefty 810 hp and 615 lb-ft.
Yes, there’s a massive gap in output between the two cars. The pony car enjoys a staggering 307 hp and 136 lb-ft advantage. However, the BMW offsets some of that deficit by weighing roughly 354 pounds less than the Ford. Another discrepancy between the two performance coupes had a significant impact on the drag race results. Yes, the tires.
The M4 Competition rode on Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubber, so nothing out of the ordinary. As for the Mustang Dark Horse, it came equipped with much stickier Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slicks. With far more power and superior tires, it’s no surprise the Blue Oval’s coupe triumphed in both drag races. Even so, the battles were close, leaving us to wonder what might have happened had both cars been running the same tires.
We’d also be curious to see how an M4 with xDrive would have fared in the U-drag race, or better yet, an M4 CS. That said, the rear-wheel-drive M4 Competition tested by Edmunds already carried a premium of about $19,000 over the supercharged Mustang Dark Horse. The all-wheel-drive G82 variants are even pricier, which would have widened the gap further.
Despite the glaring differences between the two cars, it’s fascinating to see how Germany and the US stack up in back-to-back drag races. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and regardless of which side you’re on, it’s worth being thankful that cars like the M4 and Mustang are still around in 2026.