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BMW F80 M3 Drag Races Audi RS4 Avant from a Standstill

There’s been a heated discussion going around on the internet saying that BMW’s new M3 and M4 models aren’t really as quick as the company claims them to be. Even though there are plenty of videos online showing regular people reaching the claimed numbers for acceleration, some still deny that to be true.
BMW F80 M3 vs Audi RS4 Avant 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from Youtube
The main reason why those claims came to be so often met in the virtual space seems to have something to do with the torque numbers and the fact that the car is rear-wheel drive instead of AWD.

Looking over the specs you might believe the rumors for a second. A 3-liter biturbo engine making 431 HP and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque that is then applied only to the rear axle is not a combination that makes sure you stick the launch sequence. However, people overlook the fact that the M engineers worked hard at building a new differential for the rear axle.

Their wizardry is what makes the car tick and the video below will show you exactly how a RWD car can be faster than an AWD one.

From the get go we should point out that there’s no denying the fact that the all-wheel drive system definitely has more grip but the extent of the difference is what may win or lose drag races.

Low weight and turbos will get you places

Over here we have an Audi RS4 Avant battling a BMW F80 M3 from a standstill. The wagon has all-wheel drive thanks to the quattro system but it falls short by comparison when it comes to the powerplants.

That’s because it uses a 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 that makes 450 HP and just 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque. On top of that it’s also a lot heavier at 1,870 kg (4,122 lbs) compared to the M3’s 1,585 kg (3,494 lbs).

Therefore, what happened here was in tune with how the laws of physics work: the Audi starts off better thanks to AWD but only for a few meters and then the torque in the M3 takes over and wins the race. It’s still interesting to see how little the difference is between the two systems.

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