You know how some Audi fanatics claim their RS 6 performance wagon is capable of smoking the badder R8 supercar in a straight-line sprint? We're here to find out if that's the case in a number of different drag races involving the two hot models from the four-ring brand.
Put together by CarWow and just released in the online realm, the video embedded below is a little over 14 minutes long and shows several drag races between the Audi RS 6 Avant Performance and the R8 Performance Spyder. As usual, everything concludes with a brake test that reveals which of the two comes to a complete stop quicker.
Don't go scrolling down yet, as first, we have to talk about the performance of these two dream rides. We'll start with the family-friendly vehicle, aka the Audi RS 6 Avant, which is in the Performance configuration here, as we already told you. This means that its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 is a bit punchier than the one powering the regular variant. It kicks out 630 ps (621 hp/463 kW) and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque, channeling everything to the quattro all-wheel drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
As for its ad-hoc rival on that day, the Audi R8, it is a Performance Spyder. Shared with its more exotic cousin, the Lamborghini Huracan, the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine produces 620 ps (611 hp/456 kW) and 580 Nm (428 lb-ft) of torque. It also features the brand's quattro all-wheel drive system, and directing the thrust to both axles here is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
It's obvious that the balance tilts in favor of the RS 6 when it comes to power, but there is a big weight difference between the two. The super wagon tips the scales at nearly 2.1 tons (~4,630 lbs), and the R8 is some 400 kg (~880 lbs) lighter. This gap allows the supercar to go from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds, or two-tenths quicker than the longer and much more practical model that starts at £114,890 ($148,221) in the UK, where this series of tests occurred. The R8 Spyder is a £160,520 ($207,088) affair with quattro AWD.
But what does that difference look like in the real world, in a direct head-to-head battle where you have to account for the driver factor as well? We won't spoil the outcome of the footage you're about to watch, but we will tell you that the loser struggled in each race, either to win or to keep the advantage that resulted from the occasional perfect takeoff. And on that final note, this is the part where we invite you to hit the play button after scrolling down to the video.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News