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A 1,200-HP Lexus RC F Drift Car vs. an 800-HP McLaren Senna: What More Could You Want?

Why get two "normal" same-category cars to race each other on a 1/4-mile drag strip when you can innovate and get two vehicles with absolutely no connection to do it in the Abu Dhabi desert? If you're the kind of car enthusiast that enjoys non sequitur events like this, this is your lucky day. Because we have one of the fastest cars on the planet, drag racing a 1,200-hp drift car, because at the end of the day, why not...
1,200-HP Lexus Drift Car vs. an 800-HP McLaren Senna 14 photos
Photo: carwow
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The McLaren Senna is up first with a roaring 4.0-liter V8 that can deliver 789 hp (800 ps) with 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque, which can propel this RWD rocket on wheels up to a maximum speed of 211 mph (340 kph).

The cherry on top is that it goes from 0-62 mph (100 kph) in just 2.8 seconds. To say this is a fast car would be the understatement of the day. It's also not that heavy, weighing 2,886 lbs (1,309 kg).

McLaren only made 500 of these babies, and one of the best things about it is the nameplate itself, which comes as a tribute to the legendary Ayrton Senna da Silva. Under McLaren, the Brazillian driver won three World Drivers' Championships in '88, '90, and '91. Behind the wheel is Mat Watson from the "carwow" YouTube channel.

Its rival is the Lexus RC F, which, sadly, doesn't stand for "remote-controlled." However, this isn't your average RC F, but a highly modified drifting machine driven by five-time Middle Eastern drift champion Ahmad Daham.

Under its carbon fiber hood lies another legend, the 2JZ engine that can produce up to 1,183 hp (1,200 ps) with 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. It weighs just a bit more than the Senna, rated at 2,976 lbs. (1,350 kg), but that's not the real issue. The modified RC F wasn't designed to go in a straight line, whereas the Senna was born to race on a track.

Now that we're done with the introductions, let's get to the main event and see how they performed.

The Lexus reacted slower to the start signal during the first attempt, but the McLaren took off like a rocket ship. According to Ahmad, there was some miscommunication at hand, which would explain his lack of reaction in the first place.

After they got their bearings, they went at it again. This time, they both started simultaneously, but the RC F had wheelspin from the 1st through 4th gear, so he lost again by quite a margin.

Then, they went for it twice more, but nothing changed, proving that the McLaren Senna was untouchable for that day, finishing the sandy 1/4-mile in 10.7 seconds. The Lexus RC F managed to cross the finish line in 11.2 seconds.

The customary 1/2-mile roll races ensued, where surprise, surprise, the Senna won every event without a hitch.

While the entire day was one-sided, the overall entertainment value of the event was a sight to behold.

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About the author: Codrin Spiridon
Codrin Spiridon profile photo

Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive).
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