Audi RS6 Drag Races Tesla Model X Performance, It's a Real Cliffhanger

There are still some people that keep hoping we won't have to switch to electric vehicles entirely. And we might have a chance if we manage to come up with a synthetic fuel that meets the ongoing environment-protection protocols. But until that moment, the "conflict" between electric power and fossil-fuel power will continue to escalate. With the introduction of electric hypercars such as the Rimac Nevera, the balance of power might be tipped forever, though.

But let's focus on our race for today. The twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 is good enough for 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. It comes with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and AWD, making it one of the fastest cars on the market today, at least when talking about a relatively small budget. And by small budget I mean it starts at $109,000 before taxes ($1,045 destination charge). Given the size of the RS6, it's no lightweight champion, as it weighs in at 4,574 lbs (2,075 kg).

In the other corner of the ring, the Tesla Model X Performance comes with dual electric motors, one for each axle, which means it should be evenly matched with the RS6 in terms of traction levels. With 259 horsepower on the front axle and 503 driving the rear one, the combined output goes up to 762 horsepower and a massive 840 lb-ft (1,140 Nm) of torque. So there's no surprise as to why the Model X Performance is one of the fastest SUVs money can buy nowadays.

But, as with any EV, the Model X Performance is quite heavy, at 5,478 lbs (2,485 kg), and the model being raced here had a price tag of £101,000 ($139,607), so it's also more expensive than the Audi. If sometimes you can predict what will happen in a race between two cars just by looking at their spec sheets, that feels rather difficult now, as they're somewhat evenly matched. But as always, the initial impression is that the Tesla is going to jump ahead for the first part of the race, and then the Audi will be looking to get back in 1st place.

The two cars line up for their first run, and they've got to cover the quarter-mile (402 meters) before anyone will emerge victoriously. The Audi is off to a better start, but it doesn't take long for the Tesla to take the lead, and eventually win the first run as well. For the second run, the Audi lunges forward like there's no tomorrow, and there's nothing the Tesla can do anymore. So after two runs, they're tied up with one win each.

The third run is the most intense one so far, and they're neck and neck from start to finish. We get to see a photo finish, and the RS6 is just slightly ahead of the Model X, even though they both completed the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds. For the fourth run, they go for a rolling start format from 30 mph (48 kph). While the Tesla seems to teleport itself away at the start, as soon as they reach speeds of 138 mph (222 kph), the RS6 retakes control and scores another victory to its name.

They decide to engage in another rolling race, this time from 50 mph (80 kph). The result is fairly similar, but the Tesla doesn't get that big of an advantage at the start, and it is also overtaken earlier on. In the interest of science, they repeat the run, starting from 70 mph (112 kph) this time.

They've moved into fossil-fuel territory this time, and the Tesla doesn't look so fast anymore. A brake test is also in order, and they decide to do an emergency stop from 70 mph. Due to its increased weight, the Tesla loses this one, and the RS6 is victorious once more.