Audi RS4 vs. Jaguar F-Pace SVR Drag Race Is Anything But Predictable

Jaguar has made many fantastic and relevant sports models, but many of them are a mystery to the hordes of F-Pace buyers. No, seriously, just ask an owner of the crossover if he's ever heard of the XKR.

The F-Pace SVR is, much like other sporty Jaguars, powered by a monster of an engine. We're talking about the supercharged 5-liter V8, bigger than pretty much anything in the luxury marketplace right now. With 550 horsepower, a top speed of 283 km/h and CO2 emissions of 280 grams, this is a very unreasonable car.

But it also weighs 2 tons and costs twice as much as a regular F-Pace, making it the perfect rival for one of Audi's RS models. In the absence of an RS Q5, the South African drag race lines up an RS4 on the starting line.

It's a wagon and only packs a 2.9-liter V6. But the organizers had to cheat a little to make the race interesting. More specifically, the RS4 Avant is burdened by two extra passengers but still manages to pull ahead at the start line. With 100 HP and 80 Nm more, the F-Pace SVR begins to catch up and just barely finishes the quarter-mile pass ahead of the Audi.

We don't think it's just about the power, but about traction as well. Remember, the wet conditions make life hard for the Audi that's carrying extra weight. Also, the power band for the supercharged engine could be a little wider.

This just happens to be one of the few drag races we've seen featuring the mighty F-Pace. The RS4, on the other hand, has seen it all - Porsches, BMWs, AMGs. It's even gone up against the big Teslas and a Porsche Cayenne Coupe, which is another 550 horsepower SUV.