Forget about expensive EVs and their insane power figures for a second. Imagine there’s an Audi R8 lined up next to Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and they’re about to start a drag race. On which one do you bet? The R8 might have two extra cylinders, but the Cayenne comes with all-wheel drive. If you can’t decide on a winning horse, here’s how they fare against each other. Carwow’s Mat Watson put them to the test!
Is it time for super-SUVs to replace two-door supercars? We’ll let you answer that one down in the comments because now we want you to know what happens when an Audi R8 drag races a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. It’s a spicy outcome!
The R8 brings to the table 3,505 lb (1,590 kg) of weight and a 5.2-liter V10 power unit that puts out 570 hp (578 ps) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. It’s basically the same naturally aspirated engine you’ll find in a Lamborghini Huracan. It sends all that power to the rear wheels only with the help of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This particular car costs $155,742 (£132,805).
The Cayenne Turbo GT, on the other hand, has a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that’s capable of 640 hp (649 ps) and 626 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to all its wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission that must work with a vehicle weighing 4,894 lb (2,220 kg). This much weight must be properly hauled along the track if the big vehicle wants to impress. The super-SUV used in the drag race has a price of $176,352 (£150,500).
Now, when Carwow’s Mat Watson puts both vehicles in a head-to-head drag race, most people might be inclined to side with the Audi being the winner. After all, it’s lighter, has two more cylinders, and everybody knows there’s no replacement for displacement. Right? Wrong!
The competition between the two high-performance vehicles is repeated three times before the Porsche is crowned the winner of the drag race. In every single attempt, the chonky SUV launches almost impeccably thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and Porsche DNA. The Cayenne Turbo GT is Stuttgart’s proper answer to the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX 707, Maserati Levante Trofeo, and Bentley Bentayga GT.
Some would also add the BMW X6 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S, but we’ll let you decide if they fit in or not.
Now you should watch how the Audi and the Porsche fare against each other in the rolling race and the 100-mph (161 kph) brake test.
At the end of the drag race, there can be only one winner – and that’s Volkswagen, the parent company of both Porsche and Audi.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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