Even though the auto industry may be going through the biggest transition in its history, we all have to admit that the average car enthusiast lives in the best of times. Yes, yes – I know, older vehicles were surely more spirited and emotive, but you can’t deny the fact that we have quite capable machines on sale today. Even if we’re not talking about the world of outrageously fast hypercars, there’s plenty to cheer about today.
This new video from Sam Car Legion comes to prove it just in time. It shows us a drag race of three vehicles with very different performance, 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, not to mention Bugatti, Koenigsegg and others in the hypercar segment. Without further ado, let’s see the competitors today.
Representing the United States is a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. There’s a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 under the black pony’s hood, generating 760 horsepower (559 kilowatts) and 625 pound-feet (847 Newton-meters) of torque. Power only reaches the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic. The car weighs 4,171 pounds (1,892 kilograms).
Against him are two fairly capable German machines. The first is a Mercedes-AMG GTS with its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. It’s good for 515 hp (379 kW) and 494 lb-ft (670 Nm) of torque and that power is routed to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car tips the scales at 3,627 pounds (1,645 kg).
Last but not least, also from Germany, an Audi RS5 also takes part in this drag race. It probably looks like the least hardcore coupe of the three, but still has 444 hp (326 kW) and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) coming from a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6. 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 objective is the same: speed. Which of these vehicles is fastest off the line and in a rolling start race? The answers are in the video at the top of this page.
