autoevolution
 

BMW i8 Drag Races Audi R8 and It Does Not End Well for the Supercar – Video

The BMW i8 can be called a lot of things but a supercar it is not. It’s a plug-in hybrid sports car alright, but it still has a lot of work to do until it can actually enter the exclusive segment the Audi R8 is part of.
BMW i8 vs Audi R8 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from Youtube
The R8 is the crown jewel of the Audi brand if you will and the latest V10 Plus model has the tools needed to compete toe to toe with cars like the Lamborghini Huracan for example. That’s no little feat and nothing to scoff at.

Under its bonnet lies a V10 that’s good for 610 HP, exactly the same as on the Lambo even though neither of the two manufacturers would want you to know it. What we’re dealing with here though is not the new model and it isn’t even a V10.

You see, in the beginning, the R8 was fitted with a 4.2-liter V8 and that was perceived as the ‘cheap’ version since the full-on racer was given a V10. What we’re looking at here is the old V8 version (the facelifted model built between 2012 and 2015) that’s still a potent car nonetheless.

Under its proverbial ‘bonnet’ (even though the engine is in the back in this case) lies a 4.2-liter V8 that’s naturally aspirated and good for 430 HP and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque. Gotta love the symmetry of German engines!

Thanks to a 7-speed automatic gearbox and the quattro all-wheel drive system, the V8 R8 can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.3 seconds, faster than the i8 which is rated at 4.4 seconds.

However, the BMW can make up for it due to its better aerodynamics and lighter body combined with higher torque. I know it’s hard to believe since the i8 uses a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine but since it is a hybrid, the electric motor provides plenty of torque to make up for the lack of displacement.

Therefore, while the horsepower rating stands at just 362 HP, the torque figure goes up to 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) when the two units work together. With the Audi being also around 100 kg (221 lbs) heavier, the BMW can turn this race around which is exactly what happened here. 1-0 for the hybrid!

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories