Once again, the car versus bike conundrum takes to the track, this time at the behest of the blokes fromAuto Express in the UK. BMW is an obvious choice when it comes time to single out a manufacturer, as it offers machines at the pinnacle of performance on both two wheels and four.
And so we have the S 1000 RR up against the 2012 M5, lapping the famous Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, England. With 560 horsepower from its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and a curb weight of about 4,300 pounds, the M5 is a formidable competitor. But it's the bike, with 193 horsepower and a dry weight of just 400 pounds, that takes the power-to-weight crown.
The bike's advantage can be illustrated this way: 3.0 seconds versus 4.4 seconds. Those are the times it takes the S 1000 RR and M5 to hit 60 miles per hour. But that's not the whole story. With twice the number of contact patches, the M5 ought to be able to regain plenty of time in the corners and under braking.
Throw in an extremely slippery track surface – wet with a smattering of dead leaves – and we'd expect an awfully tight race. And, despite the conditions making it a bit unfair for the two-wheeler, that's exactly what we got. Hit the jump to watch it all play out on video. Spoiler alert: The BMW wins.