When somebody outside the drag racing realm thinks of a car that can bring jaws to the sticky surface of the track, the Audi RS3 probably isn't the first model that comes to mind. However, those who know their quarter-mile sprints are well aware of the platform's potential, with the drag race we have here only coming to confirm that.
We're talking about the now-old RS3 (while the A3 has already received a new generation last year, we'll have to wait for this fall to get the new RS model). Long story short, following a trip to the gym, the RS3 can become a 9-second car.
And the example we have here is a 2018 RS3 Sedan, which duked it out with a 991.2-generation Porsche 911 Turbo S.
While battling a stock Porsche 911 Turbo S would make for an apples-to-oranges comparo, this isn't the case. You see, this 2018 Turbo S may still have its factory 3.8-liter boxer engine and PDK dual-clutch tranny, but it features upgraded turbos and sips on MS109 race fuel, so it delivers 850 wheel horsepower.
As for the 2.5-liter inline-five of the Ingolstadt machine, this sports a hybrid TTE777 turbocharger (based on the original hardware), an Unitronic carbon fiber air intake, a billet Iroz intercooler, and others, with its output sitting at 700 wheel horsepower.
And while the dual-clutch transmission has new software, the vehicle still features the stock clutches and flywheel. Nevertheless, a Wavetrac limited-slip diff was added to the front axle; together with the Hoosier racing slicks fitted to all four corners of the AWD toy, the hardware delivers stunning launches.
Note that the Haldex AWD of the Audi features a custom switch that allows the driver to only send power to the front axle for the pre-race burnouts - that's right, this RS3 has been turned into a race car project, with another important part of the transformation being the stripped interior.
Now, despite using a pair of drag radials for this race and the driver doing his best to heat up the rubber (the factory AWD obviously doesn't allow burnouts), the Neunelfer experienced quite a bit of wheelspin during the takeoff, as you'll notice in the clip below (lens tip to Wheels for the footage of the race).
For the record, the battle took place over in Canada, at the Mission Raceway Park, and you can see the complete quarter-mile numbers of the two German velocity tools in the final part of the video.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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