Fortunately, the result of this race bears no resemblance to what we were taught during history classes. What? You didn't really think we were going to attempt even to maintain a sense of suspense here, did you?
This lineup is ridiculous. On the one hand, you have the RS Q8, which is the most powerful version of Audi's sleek CUV. It is, by all accounts, a Lamborghini Urus in slightly less fancy clothes, and that alone should be enough to keep any unworthy contenders away that would do nothing else than waste the RS Q8's time in a drag race.
If it's the numbers game you like playing, here it is: the Ingolstadt machine gets a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine good for 600 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of maximum torque. It shuffles all that power toward all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic and, according to official figures, can hit 62 mph (100 kph) in just 3.8 seconds.
Now, let's talk about the other contender, the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. First off, there's no getting around the fact that sat next to the Audi, it makes the German vehicle look like a tiny hatchback. The two feel like worlds apart even before you go into any technical specifications.
When you do, things don't change that much. Since the clip doesn't mention it, we don't know what engine the Chevy has. It can opt between two V8s with a 5.3-liter or a 6.2-liter displacement There's also a V6 diesel version that would have made this race even more laughable.
The power gap between the two options is significant: 355 hp for the smaller unit and 420 hp for the larger one. However, considering it's going up against 600 hp in a much smaller, much lower, much lighter, and much more aerodynamic vehicle, it doesn't really make much of a difference.
To their credit, the guys at Hennessey Performance did try to adjust for a closer finish but fell short with every attempt. They tried giving the Chevy the jump, but it didn't work. They gave it a roughly 40 mph (66 kph) head start, essentially making it a rolling vs. standing race, but it still didn't even come close. That didn't keep the driver in the American SUV from talking trash before the race, even though we imagine (and hope) he wasn't actually serious about it.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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