Which engine will win? Turbocharged, naturally aspirated or supercharged?
Although automakers might offer products in the same market segment, each company delivers a product in its own way. These high-performance German wagons – BMW, Audi RS6 and Mercedes-AMG E55 – were assembled by Carwow for a drag race. The one with naturally aspirated engines is the one with forced induction, the other two have turbocharged or supercharged engines. Which combination of hardware is the best to win in drag racing?
They deliver power in very different ways. Audi RS6 boasts a twin-turbocharged 5.0 liter V10 that produces 579 horsepower (431 kilowatts), and 479 pound feet (650 Newton-meters), of torque. The power is routed through a six speed automatic to all four wheels. The BMW M5 is powered by a 5.0-liter V10 and produces 507 horsepower (378 kW) as well as 383 lbft (520 Nm). Power goes to the rear via a seven speed gearbox. Although the Mercedes is powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V8, it’s still a V8. It produces 476 horsepower (354 kW), and 516 lbft (706 Nm) of torque. The rear wheels are powered by a five-speed auto.
Although there are many powertrain options, only one winner can be chosen. The Mercedes hits its speed limiter just before the finish, and the first race is overflowing. However, the second race shows the differences between the three powertrains. In the first three standing-start races the Audi was unbeatable, finishing the quarter-mile in 12.5 second. With a time of 13.1 seconds, the Mercedes was second and the BMW last with 13.9 seconds.
The BMW took second place in the rolling race at 50 mph with the cars set to their sportiest settings. However, both Audi and Merc were behind. The Mercedes won the brake test at the finish, as it was the lightest of all three cars.