Many would probably consider an uneven drag race as being uneventful and boring. Luckily, that's completely not the case in today's race. A sibling rivalry ensues between one of the fastest Audi RS3s from the UK, and a more "simple" S variant. However, these are not your regular stock versions because both have been tuned to the brim.
First off, we have the RS3, which is rated as being the fastest of its kind from the United Kingdom. It has a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo engine capable of delivering 503 horsepower (510 ps). Unfortunately, we don't get a torque count. Modifications include a Garret core intercooler, an Eventuri intake, a methanol injection system, and it also boasts a Dimsport tuning box.
As a comparison, the showroom RS3 "only" has 401 horsepower (406 ps), with 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. If my math skills aren't completely lacking, that would mean this RS3 has a power boost of exactly 102 hp (103 ps) over the stock variant.
This blue beast is AWD, has a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission, and weighs 3,461 lbs. (1,570 kg). The MSRP was $66,539 (55,000 GBP), but the aftermarket modifications added an extra $5,081 (4,200 GBP) to the final price tag.
Its opponent is the S3 version which packs a 2.0-liter inline-four turbocharged engine that can output 468 hp (475 ps). The torque count is missing as well, sadly. It, too, went under the hammer, and it came out rocking a 3" Scorpion downpipe, custom exhaust system, NGK spark plugs, APR coil packs, an Eventuri intake, AIRTEC intercooler, and a custom ECU and TCU tune.
If you were to get a brand new one today, it would have 306 hp (310 ps), with 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. Suffice it to say that the extra 162 horsepower (164 ps) "surgery" it went through made it a much scarier opponent for its class than when it rolled out the factory gates.
It has an AWD system as well, with an automatic seven-speed DSG transmission, and it weighs 3,307 lbs. (1,500 kg). This one was $48,392 initially, but the modifications were another $7,258 (6,000 GBP).
During the first attempt, the S3 was a split second quicker off the starting line, which brought it an advantage during the first part of the race. However, the extra horsepower from the RS3 was put to good use, and right before the finish line, it won by about a car length.
The second time around, there was no visible difference between the launches. In a surprising twist of events, the S3 won by about half a car length. The RS3 simply couldn't pass, no matter how hard it tried.
The third time, they were even at launch, but a couple of seconds in, the RS3 managed to outperform the S3, leaving it in the proverbial dust. The blue machine proved to be the champion of the day when it crossed the finish line first by about two car lengths.
This entire UK-based event was one of the most neck-and-neck races from the OFFICIALLY GASSED - OG YouTube channel. Jamie, the host of the show, made sure to get the right cars for the job on the very first day of 2023.
If this was just a small taste of the things to come on the channel, then 2023 will indeed be a good year. At least from a "quarter mile at a time" point of view.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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