Is the Audi RS3 Faster Than a Mercedes-AMG C63?

Well, the engine produces that much, but putting down the power is an entirely different issue. Rear-wheel drive technology has its limits, especially in a heavier car (McLaren gets away with RWD), and we think the C63 has gone a bit past those.

You know Mercedes will have to add AWD into the next C63 when its current contended is humiliated by a hot hatch. It's not just any hot hatch, mind you, but the Audi RS3 is a lot cheaper and fires on fewer cylinders.

Both the cars in this drag race are tuned. The RS3 has gone up to 450 hp from its usual 367 hp (it's the pre-facelift model). Meanwhile the C63's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 delivers around 580 hp instead of 510 hp in stock format. In theory, it should be way faster, despite the traction disadvantage.

However, the drag strip is slightly wet at the time of filming, as is often the case in Britain. So the RS3 just blasts ahead like a rocket in a totally unexpected way leaving the C63 no chance to catch up. The AMG is theoretically able to reach 100 km/h 0.4 of a second faster when stock.

You can complain about the wet road, but the truth is the RS3 makes better use of its available power. In the real world, you would be able to get on the gas much more often. It would be justified if the next C63 ditches the big V8 and adopts an inline-6 instead.

While the Audi hot hatch is not a featherweight, it does have a slight weight advantage too, about 200 kilograms. That might not sound like much, but it's like having three passengers always in the car, and we all know what that feels like when accelerating.