1100HP Audi R8 V10 Plus Drag Races Stock McLaren 765LT and It's Brutal

Owners had put their 765LTs on the dyno and were kind of surprised - well, at least the first one who did it - when they were treated to an almost exact 765 hp value. The thing is, McLaren claims its model makes that at the crank, but the measured value applies for the power output at the wheel, which is not how manufacturers calculate these figures. A bit of math will tell you the actual value is well over 800 hp, which would explain why the British supercar is such a drag racing beast.

However, that's only half of the story. The other half is the 765LT's excellent launch control system. The rear-wheel-drive model grips almost like it has all four wheels digging into the asphalt, and if you need any proof of McLaren's reputation, you only need to the predictions one of the hosts makes.

Before we talk about that, though, we need to say a few words about the 765LT's opponent. It's a 1,100 hp twin-turbo Audi R8 V10 Plus, a four-wheel-drive car with an extra 500 hp over the not too shabby 602 it normally makes. Despite that, though, here is what the man had to say when asked about the outcome of the race: "The McLarens is going to have it off the line, but [...] I just can't see how the Audi's not going to win." 

Yes, you heard that right, somebody is actually crediting the McLaren with a better launch than the Audi, despite the two- Vs four-wheel-drive disadvantage. Either that man is clueless, or the McLaren really is that good.

Well, the first race kind of proves him right, but there's a catch to it. The McLaren does spring ahead early on, yet its lead is short-lived as the 1,100 hp of the Audi kick in and help the German catch the orange supercar before the finish line. However, the Audi driver claims he failed to launch the car properly, so they agree on a second race.

After the first start, you can't imagine the McLaren doing any better against this kind of opposition, and indeed, we don't get to witness any miracles. The 765LT still managed to get in front early on - helped by the Audi driver's poor reactions - but the response from the R8 was a lot quicker and a lot more brutal this time, gapping the McLaren like very few cars can. Even after this result (a 9.59 seconds run), the Audi driver still isn't happy with the way his car launched. Well, we wouldn't want to hear his excuses when he loses.