While the auto industry may be going through the biggest transition in its history, we all have to admit that the average car enthusiast is living in the best of times. Yes, yes – I know, older vehicles are definitely more excited and emotional, but you can’t deny the fact that we have some pretty capable engines on sale today. Even if we’re not talking about the blazing fast world of hypercars, there’s a lot to be excited about today.
This new video by Sam CarLegion came to prove that just in time. It shows us a drag race of three very different performance vehicles, each following a different philosophy. Each of these cars is also very, very fast and relatively affordable when compared to products from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche, let alone Bugatti, Koenigsegg, and others from the hypercar segment. Without further ado, let’s take a look at today’s competitors.
Representing the United States is the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. There’s a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 under the hood of the black horse, producing 760 horsepower (559 kilowatts) and 625 pound-feet (847 Newton-meters) of torque. Power only reaches the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The car weighs 4,171 pounds (1,892 kilograms).
Against him are two pretty capable engines from Germany. The first is the Mercedes-AMG GTS with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. This is good for 515 hp (379 kW) and 494 lb-ft (670 Nm) of torque and that power is channeled to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car tipped the scales at 3,627 lbs (1,645 kg).
Last but not least, also from Germany, there is the Audi RS5 which also participated in this drag race. It may feel like the most hardcore coupe of the three, but it still has the 444 hp (326 kW) and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) that comes from the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine. Power, however, is sent to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
As you can see, the philosophy is different but the goal is the same – speed. Which of these vehicles is faster off the track and in a rolling-start race? The answer is in the video at the top of this page.
