The Lincoln MKZ isn’t the first car one would consider a hot rod, but the saloon’s final years saw the brand put a potent powertrain under its bonnet. Lincoln’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 delivered up to 400 bhp (298 kilowatts) and 400 pound-feet (542 Newton-metres) of torque in all-wheel-drive-equipped models, making for a punchy luxury saloon. However, a new YouTube video shows it’s not punchy enough to outperform the BMW M3 in a race.

The Lincoln gets an early lead in the quarter-mile battle, but the MKZ’s V6 and all-wheel drive isn’t enough to keep the BMW at bay. The M3, which looks like the Competition spec, has BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six, with the powertrain likely producing 503 bhp (375 kW) and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque. The extra power allows the BMW to cross the finish line first in 11.95 seconds at 123.20 miles per hour (198.27 kilometres per hour). The Lincoln completed the quarter-mile in 13.61 seconds at 102.34 mph (164.70 kph).

Gallery: 2021 BMW M3 Competition: Review

The second race in the video shows the BMW lining up alongside a Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. The Dodge explodes off the line with its 6.4-litre V8 that makes 485 bhp (361 kW) and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm) of torque. It maintains a lead over the BMW for most of the race, but the M3 edges ahead at the end, crossing the finish line first in 11.62 seconds at 125.52 mph (202.00 kph). The Challenger almost beat it, completing the race in 12.01 seconds at 114.22 mph (183.81 kph).

Sadly, Lincoln no longer offers the MKZ in the US, as the brand has opted to focus on selling crossovers and SUVs. The Lincoln didn’t stand a chance against the M3 or the Challenger, but it wasn’t far behind either of the two cars. The Challenger performed well, too, even if it didn’t eke out a win over the BMW.