---
title: 'Audi RS5 vs BMW M3 Competition: Drag Race'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=8hEkmtpiTpA'
video_id: '8hEkmtpiTpA'
date: 2026-08-11
duration_sec: 817
---

# Audi RS5 vs BMW M3 Competition: Drag Race

> Source: [Audi RS5 vs BMW M3 Competition: Drag Race](https://youtube.com/watch?v=8hEkmtpiTpA)

## Summary

This video pits the new hybrid Audi RS5 against the traditional BMW M3 Competition in a series of drag races and performance tests. The host, Matt Watson, compares their specs, including power, torque, and weight, to determine if hybrid technology truly enhances performance or is just a workaround for emissions laws. The results reveal a clear winner, highlighting the importance of weight in performance cars.

### Key Points

- **Car Specs Comparison** [00:16] — The Audi RS5 has a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor, producing 639 hp and 825 Nm, but weighs 2.4 tonnes. The BMW M3 has a 3.0L straight-six, producing 530 hp and 650 Nm, and weighs 600 kg less.
- **First Drag Race: Audi Wins** [02:07] — In the first drag race, the Audi won because the BMW driver had trouble prepping launch control, leading to a poor start.
- **Rolling Race: Audi's Boost Advantage** [03:08] — In a rolling race from 50 mph, the Audi's 'Boost' mode gave it a significant advantage, allowing it to win despite being in comfort mode.
- **Braking Test: BMW Wins** [05:29] — In a braking test, the BMW stopped in a shorter distance than the Audi, likely due to its lighter weight. A car swap confirmed the result.
- **Rolling Race Rematch: Audi Wins Again** [07:49] — In a rolling race rematch, the Audi's boost mode again proved decisive, allowing it to win.
- **Final Drag Race: BMW Wins** [12:23] — In the final drag race, the BMW won with a time of 11.3 seconds for the quarter mile, compared to the Audi's 11.8 seconds. The BMW's lighter weight was the key factor.

## Transcript

Oh my goodness! What will win in a drag race between the new Audi RS5 and the BMW M3 competition? Well we're going to find out by racing them over the standing course of miles. I'm Matt Watson, you're watching CarWire.
Let me tell you about this Audi RS5. It's got a 2.9-litre twin turbo V-Stick, but it's supplemented with an electric motor and some batteries. As a result, we've got 639 horsepower, 825 Newton-metres of torque,
driving all four wheels, by an 8-speed automatic gearbox in launch control. However, due to the hybrid tech, it's quite heavy, weighting at 2.4 tonnes. That BMW keeps it simple. It's just got a 3-litre straight-six twin-turbo petrol engine,
producing 530 horsepower and 650 Newton-metres of torque, drives all four wheels, by an 8-speed automatic gearbox in launch control. But because it doesn't have all that hybrid governance, it's a lot lighter than the 600 kilos lighter than this car. And we're going to find out whether hybridisation actually gives you better performance
or if it's just some cheat code to get these performance cars through tough EU emissions laws. Alright Nick, you ready for this? Oh, I'm so ready for this. That RS5, it's always sort of playing second fiddle to the M3 ever since this new generation came out all those years ago,
but I think this might be the first time that has a chance of beating this entry. Well, I certainly have more power and torque, but I also have more bulk. This is sort of the battle of the balls, isn't it? That car actually reminds me of Tom Hardy when he was in Batman.
He was in Inception and he was quite selt. And then he put on hundreds of pounds, suddenly grew an extra foot and wore a mask. And that car kind of ticks all those boxes. See what they're saying with that? Good analogy. Hopefully this is going to be good at drag racing.
Let's do this. Come on, that's not the line.
Come on, R5, you've got this! Come on, Henry! Yes!
Go, go, go, go! I'm going back now. Oh, I forgot the speed marker! Mate, what were you doing?
You were like half asleep, late night. It was, but that's not the reason. I forgot, it's been ages since I've driven an M3. I forgot how long it takes to prep launch control in these things. I'm sitting here for ages.
It's not saying launch, it's not saying launch. At the very last second, it finally does. I don't think it had full boost. I don't think it was producing all of that power to really clean you off the line. Doesn't matter, mate. It's 1-0 to me. Now we're going to come back to the drag racing in a bit, but first let's get the cars warmed up so we can see what happens with the drag racing later on.
But before that, let's do a rolling race. 50 miles an hour over the half mile. We're going to be in comfort mode, but I have this cheat code called Boost. And when I press that, I get full power. Even if I'm in like balanced or comfort, it's going to give me all the odds to the electric motor.
So it should really help me keep this thing off down the runway. When I figure, he doesn't have that. That's the benefit of a hybrid. All right, Nick, let's do this. 3, 2, 1, go music music music music music The wait
and I'm on the spot you want power no stop it
You're going down the right now! No! Hey! Hey!
No! Why? For a car that's in efficient mode, I don't think it was being that efficient.
It was getting some serious fuel right there. Yeah, maybe it's the system because it beat you efficiently. It used exactly as much fuel it needed to just get ahead of you and stay ahead. And it totally did as well. I'm humiliated.
Let's see if I can do any better if I'm in full attack mode and manual gear changes. All right, Nick, let's get into it. So gear on. Pressing boost. Three, two, one, go. How's that? Why does that hurt?
Please work. I'm getting out of the way, girl.
I'm getting out of the way.
I'm so high now. I'm getting the noise up. Oh, hello. I'm a bit clean. Yeah, you won. Yeah, I did. To be honest, I was a little bit worried at first.
That boost mode definitely seems to help, doesn't it? This just doesn't pick up as quickly, but this is a complete package. It doesn't need the hybrid system, does it? No. I still break test. This is going to be bad now. I'm really going to sell my 600 kilos of extra bulk.
Let's do it. Oh, I think there is a way I can beat him there. Not necessarily with this, but the next round after this. I think, to be honest, I will win. Alright, next here, how come I haven't had one of those in this song?
Which I will win.
Oh, hello. What's just happened? BMW's are famous for having poor brakes on their M cars, and in the... I think the gold ones are the carbon ceramics and they've warmed them up. What has happened, Nick?
I have no idea. I was just hoping and praying that at some point you'd slide past my A-pillar and I'd win. But no, it stopped, didn't it? I'll give you that. Let's just check the braking that I didn't cheat.
Your brake lights came on really soon, then. My brake lights were on way sooner than Nick's. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay, so good.
Oh dear Do you think it the weight Yeah I think that might have one or two or six hundred little things to do with it Yeah it could be You know what you do Nick See if it the weight or whether it me Do you want to swap cars
Yeah, let's do it. I'm curious to see, actually. This could humiliate me. Oh.
Go on. OK, so not quite so bad Oh, did I notice the Audi rings spin on the stop? Yeah, I noticed that They're pretty good actually
I think this is exactly the same result I think we can confirm that the BMW brakes in a shorter distance than the Audi Absolutely, yeah, no doubt about that Let's just take a quick sound check See which car sounds the best I've got a soft D
It's alright I can hear yours. OK, you win by default by not having a shock limiter.
Well done, you. Let's race. Three, two, one. There you go. We've got a boost. One, two, jump. I've dropped it.
Drop it. One, two, jump. I don't know how long this is going to take anymore.
Let's do this O.V. Let's do this. We might have it. I've only done a quarter of a half but would I be able to stay ahead for the half?
that bass button does the job my friend you got crushed that's like a dream ticket scenario for
you in that car isn't it like first year when the engine's kind of lugging away at low revs and i haven't got any booze, and you've got some special electric motor hidden in your gearbox, 170 horsepower or whatever extra, that makes a massive difference. It did, and I've got to come clean.
I actually had it in auto mode there, because otherwise, you'd bounce off the limiter too soon, and then you'd lost the race. So it's not cheating, because it wasn't first gear, right, Nick? I mean, it's not like that would have made any difference. If I'd have been in auto, it would have been exactly the same result.
All right, then. We need to do it now, though. Let's do this drag race. Let's see what's what. It's one nil to me, remember. Keep going
Keep going Keep going
Keep going Oh dear I a freaking radio We lost his radio Can you find me Matt I hiding somewhere on the floor
Colder. Really cold. Oh, warmer. I got it. I had a good launch there. Yours wasn't bad. I thought I was going to win that and you just came past. One each, Nick. This is the decide. If I get a good launch, I'm pretty convinced.
I'm going to take it. Let's find out, shall we? I'm buzzing for this one. Amy, I just noticed that this car's going to be called RS Tour Korea. So I pressed that. It says, do not use on public roads. Only use on a closed-course racer, which is where we are.
Let's have some of that. It's really good. It's a car that's a sort of donut-y thing. You cannot be enjoying that, Matt. From where I'm sitting, that just looks painful. it's pretty ugly and horrible that is
let's try the other way oh here we go I've got it, I've got it locked in ho ho ho ho
I take it all back that got good at the end didn't it I mean it was not bad for an Audi but is it as good as a BMW well I don't know about torque rear but I can go two wheel drive full rear-wheel drive mode.
Oh, that'll spare them what I did. Shut up, anyway. Let's just race.
You got me off the line, that's the best side, Dad. Oh, my goodness. Are you just kidding me?
Something away now. It's embarrassing for Audi lovers everywhere.
Neck and neck off the line. You finally had a good start. And when it is even off the line, we get to see the difference, don't we? Yeah, and it's a profound difference. That 600 kilos is really holding you back. I think we've answered the question, haven't we really?
Is hybrid technology there to improve a car's performance, or is it just some form of cheat code for EU emissions laws? Yeah, unfortunately, I don't think it's going to get any better either, is it? This M3 right here, I think, is peak car.
You know what? I think it's fine. So then what exactly happened? Well, the BMW won. It completed the standing quarter mile in 11.3 seconds. The Audi took 11.8 seconds.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the video, if you did, give it a like. But maybe the case against hybrids isn't set in stone just yet. You need to see this video here where I race the BMW M5 against the previous generation.
Maybe the latest hybrid BMW can do the job. Anyway, watch that video to find out. If you haven't done so already, make sure you subscribe to this channel because we've got some more drag races coming out soon. and if you want to compare these cars quarter mile times to everything else I've ever drag raced
click on the CarWire logo to check out the CarWire Drag Race Leaderboard thanks for watching and I'll see you next time