Which German sports car is the fastest?
German carmakers are known for setting the standards in sports sedans. For years, Audi, Mercedes and BMW have been fighting for supremacy in sports sedans. A new video by Throttle House features the 2020 BMW M340i and Audi S4 competing against each other in drag races.
Although all three have turbocharged six-cylinder engines with all-wheel drive and six-cylinder turbocharged engines, they each have different outputs. The C43 produces 385 horsepower (287 Kilowatts) as well as 384 pound-feet (302 Newton-meters) of torque. The BMW, which produces 382 horsepower (284) as well as 369 lb/ft (500Nm) of torque, is the middle child. The Audi, however, is less powerful, producing 354 horsepower (263 kW), and 369 lbft (500 Nm), respectively. Both the BMW, Audi and Mercedes have launch control.
The crew ran three races to compensate for the AMG’s inability to launch control. Two standing starts, one with launch control and one without, and one rolling. The BMW wins all three races, despite being more powerful than the Mercedes. The Audi comes in second place in the launch control race, just beating the Mercedes Benz. The Audi finishes third in the two other races, but not by much. The Mercedes takes a slight lead over Audi.
These results serve as a reminder that specs only part of the performance equation. The Audi’s slow throttle inputs are not helping it get off the line while Mercedes’ lackluster launch control is hindering its starts. The power delivery of BMW is superior to both and it has won three wins. As they develop fully-electric performance vehicles and electrified cars, the competition between these three automakers will only intensify over the next few years.