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Audi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It After

Why would you buy a performance SUV to go drag racing when a supercar is lighter and usually more powerful? Well, this Audi RS Q8 provides a possible response as it tows the supercar to the drag strip.
Audi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It After 5 photos
Photo: Gumbal/YouTube screenshot
Audi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It AfterAudi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It AfterAudi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It AfterAudi RS Q8 Tows McLaren 720S to the Track, Drag Races It After
The towing capacity of a sporty German 4x4 is not often examined. We just leave it to the Detroit trucks to do all the heavy pulling of boats, horseboxes, and such. But apparently, the Audi RS Q8 can do this stuff too, having an official rating of 7,700lbs.

Supercar spotter Gumbal filmed this blue RS Q8 arriving at the drag strip while pulling a McLaren 720S right behind it. After the British supercar dismounts, the pair of Smurfs line up for a quick set of races.

Both vehicles pack twin-turbo V8 engines, but we can't see how the Audi SUV can ever win this. It's down 120 horsepower on paper, and while AWD traction could be considered an advantage, there's no way it can compensate for the extra body mass. Even though it leaves the blocks late in every match, the 720S can be seen with a commanding lead towards the end of the runway.

The Manhart Performance BMW X5 M is perhaps a better adversary. It's an older model but boasts 100 horsepower more than the Audi and a top speed of 315 km/h (196 mph). A 600+ hp BMW M140i hot hatch also thinks it can take on the bulky Audi adversary.

One of the last things that come to mind here is that race Motor Trend did many years ago where the Tesla Model X was still pulling an Alfa Romeo 4C while it raced another 4C. Maybe that would have been a cool stunt for the RS Q8. It would not only test the power of the engine, but also the robustness of the chassis.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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