Compare the2024 Ford MustangVS 2024 BMW 8 Series

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Mustang have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 8 Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mustang are reminded to check the back seat. The 8 Series doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mustang has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the 8 Series’ blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Mustang has standard Cross Traffic Alert and Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. BMW charges extra for Cross Traffic Warning on the 8 Series and the 8 Series’ Cross Traffic Warning does not include automatic braking.

Both the Mustang and the 8 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Mustang 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 8 Series. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 8 Series ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang’s warranty.

The Mustang has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The 8 Series doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mustang Dark Horse 5.0 DOHC V8 is faster than the M850i 4.4 turbo V8 (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Mustang Fastback gets better mileage than the 8 Series Coupe:

On the EPA test cycle the Mustang Convertible gets better mileage than the 8 Series Convertible:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Mustang uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 8 Series requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Mustang has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 8 Series doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Mustang higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the BMW 8 Series (3). This means the Mustang produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 8 Series every 15,000 miles.

The Mustang offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The 8 Series doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Mustang, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the 8 Series.

The Mustang stops much shorter than the 8 Series:

For better traction, the Mustang Dark Horse’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 8 Series (F:305/30R19 & R:315/30R19 vs. F:245/35R20 & R:275/30R20).

The Mustang Dark Horse’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 8 Series’ optional 35 series front tires.

The Mustang offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 8 Series; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the 8 Series don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Mustang Dark Horse handles at 1.07 G’s, while the M850i xDrive Coupe pulls only .98 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Mustang Dark Horse executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the M850i xDrive Coupe (23.7 seconds @ .86 average G’s vs. 24.2 seconds @ .85 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Mustang’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the 8 Series’ (36.5 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The Mustang GT/Dark Horse’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the 8 Series xDrive’s (37.8 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Ford Mustang may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 650 pounds less than the BMW 8 Series.

The Mustang Convertible uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 8 Series doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Mustang Fastback has 2.4 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and 5.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 8 Series Coupe.

The Mustang Convertible has 2.4 inches more front legroom and 1 inch more rear headroom than the 8 Series Convertible.

The Mustang’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 8 Series does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Mustang has standard extendable sun visors. The 8 Series doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Ford Mustang outsold the BMW 8 Series by over 8 to one during 2023.