Audi RS5 vs. BMW M4 vs. AMG C63S in 360-Degrees of German Ancestral Rivalry

In case you somehow missed it, the RS5 switched from the trusted 4.2-liter V8 engine of the last generation to a brand-new 2.9-liter bi-turbo V6 unit. Why would they do that, you ask? For one thing, the two engines have exactly the same power output: 450 hp.

Not only that, but it has more torque, and by quite a margin: 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) compared to the 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) of the V8. And as we all know, shaving off two cylinders and over 1,000 cubic-centimeters worth of displacement means making the car lighter, which is always a good thing if quick acceleration is what you're after.

All these modifications help the 2018 Audi RS5 reach the benchmark speed of 62 mph (or 100 km/h) in just 3.9 seconds, which is a tremendous improvement of 0.6 seconds over the previous generation's time. Still, looking at the competition it's got lined up next to it on the track, you have to wonder: will that prove to be enough?

The Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe has that superb 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine spamming 510 hp, while the BMW M4 may have just 431 hp from its 3.0-liter bi-turbo inline six, but it's one of the finest examples from the Bavarian M Division stable. However, they both have one major drawback compared to the Audi: rear-wheel-drive.

As expected, the RS5 keeps the quattro all-wheel-drive system that turned powerful Audis into such drag racing monsters in the past, so it should have an advantage off the line. And considering this is a 1/4-mile race, a good start might be all it needs to clinch the victory.

The race is filmed in 360-degrees form on top of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe, which might have been a strategic choice from the organizers but mentioning that might give out some spoilers. So, instead of trying to guess what we meant you'd better click "play" and enjoy the show.