Skip advert
Advertisement

eCoty BMW M135i vs Porsche 911 Carrera video

The BMW M135i is no ordinary hot hatch, but how does it stack up against the new Porsche 911 on track?

A heated-up 1-series against a thoroughbred sports car? Have we gone mad? Not really. The M135i is one of the very best fast BMWs of recent years, despite being an ‘M Performance’ model rather than a fully-blown M Division product. And the Porsche 911 is still picking its wounds a little, the new 991-generation car beaten in its debut group test at the start of 2012.

Advertisement - Article continues below

A spec table comparison fares the BMW well, too. It weighs 45kg more than the Porsche and possesses nearly 30bhp less, but with its in-line six-cylinder engine turbocharged (and the 911’s flat-six naturally aspirated, as tradition dictates), it boasts 332lb ft – 44lb ft more than the Carrera and enough for it to lag just 0.1sec behind in the 0-62mph dash (at 4.9sec).

Performance should be very close on track, then, and while price is far from a key factor at evo Car of the Year, the Porsche starts at £71,449, well over double the BMW’s £29,995. Could a giant killing be on the cards?

eCoty Track Battle videos

- Morgan 3 Wheeler vs Toyota GT 86 video- BMW M135i vs Porsche 911 Carrera video- Porsche Boxster S vs Lotus Exige S video- Mercedes C63 AMG Black vs Alpina B3 GT3 video- Pagani Huayra vs McLaren MP4-12C video

eCoty Image Galleries

- Morgan 3 Wheeler and Toyota GT 86 - BMW M135i and Porsche 911 Carrera - Porsche Boxster S and Lotus Exige S - Mercedes C63 AMG Black and Alpina B3 GT3 - Pagani Huayra and McLaren MP4-12C

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera (1984 - 1989) review – flawed but furiously charming
Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera
Reviews

Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera (1984 - 1989) review – flawed but furiously charming

The Porsche 911 had not become the perfected sports car we know and love today by the 1980s. But it was enormously charming and potent for its era
11 Aug 2025
New Porsche 911 Carrera T for £9k off – one of 2025's best sports cars discounted by 7 per cent
911 Carrera T deal
News

New Porsche 911 Carrera T for £9k off – one of 2025's best sports cars discounted by 7 per cent

If you’re in the market for a sports car and your budget reaches into six figures, you can’t get much better than the Carrera T. It’s the most involvi…
7 Aug 2025
Porsche 911 Carrera (996, 1997-2005) review – an evo Car of the Year champion for under £20k
Porsche 911 Carrera (996) – front
In-depth reviews

Porsche 911 Carrera (996, 1997-2005) review – an evo Car of the Year champion for under £20k

Performance cars have come a long way since the 996 Carrera became our first eCoty winner, but are the qualities that made it stand out in 1998 still …
25 Jul 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Toyota GR Corolla review - why the GR Yaris’s big brother will be worth the wait
Toyota GR Corolla
Reviews

Toyota GR Corolla review - why the GR Yaris’s big brother will be worth the wait

It's been on sale for three years and until now only in select markets, but now it's built in Britain it's coming to the UK. We're just waiting for To…
1 May 2026
Best BMW M cars – the ultimate driving machines
Best BMW M cars
Best cars

Best BMW M cars – the ultimate driving machines

M is one of the fastest letters in the motoring alphabet. We pick our favourites from over 50 years of BMW M icons
1 May 2026
Volvo XC90 review – still the king of the school run or past its best?
Volvo XC90 front
Reviews

Volvo XC90 review – still the king of the school run or past its best?

Volvo’s star flagship family car has been renewed with more hybrid power, sharper tech and looks and competitive pricing
30 Apr 2026