Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are longtime rivals, and the three German luxury automakers have no qualms about beating the others on the race track. The BMW M5 Competition, Mercedes-Benz E63 S, and Audi RS6 Performance are potent family cars that pack an enormous punch that the three put on full display in a new video.
The Audi RS6 Avant Performance has the most power on tap in the group. It has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the hood making 630 horsepower and 626 pound-feet (850 Newton-meters) of torque, which Audi routes through an eight-speed gearbox to all four wheels.
The BMW M5 Competition has the biggest engine at 4.4 liters. The twin-turbocharged V8 makes 625 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, which the automaker sends to the all-wheel-drive xDrive system through an eight-speed transmission.
The Mercedes-Benz E63 S makes the lowest output, using a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine to produce 612 hp and 626 lb-ft (850 Nm) of twist. It has an extra cog in the transmission for nine forward speeds and comes equipped with all-wheel drive.
While the Audi has the most power, it also has one disadvantage – it’s the heaviest competitor in the race. The RS6 tips the scales at 4,607 pounds. The BMW is the lightest at 4,111 lbs, with the Mercedes splitting the difference at 4,299 lbs.
The Audi’s weight didn’t become an issue until the two rolling races, which it lost. The lighter BMW won both runs, beating out the Mercedes that took second both times.
However, the Audi shined during the drag races, winning the first two bouts, with the Mercedes taking third. However, the BMW took first place in the last race, winning by just a bumper even though the M5 and the RS6 completed the race in the same 11.1-second time. The Mercedes needed 11.3 seconds to complete the quarter mile.
The Audi’s extra weight didn’t ding its performance during the brake test. The RS6 stopped that at shortest distance, beating the BMW that bested the Mercedes. The three performance cars are direct competitors, and the trio offers similar performance results, but the driver behind the wheel matters, too.
