Tag Archives: Drag Racing

Widebody Trans Am With 808 HP Pits Itself Against A 600 HP BMW E36 Time Attack Car

Hoonigan’s ‘This vs. That’ drag racing series routinely pits some of the quickest cars on four wheels against each other and in this latest clip, brought together a Plymouth Trans Am and a BMW E36 3-Series. However, both have been heavily tuned.

The owner of the 1970 Trans Am featured has gone to town overhauling his muscle car, outfitting it with a 6.5-liter LSX V8 that churns out no less than 808 hp. Coupled to this engine is a G-Force GF4A transmission that powers the rear wheels.

There is clearly no mistaking this Trans Am from a regular, road-going example as it features flared front and rear wheel arches. The interior has also been completely stripped out, meaning it weighs only 3,165 lbs (1,435 kg).

Read Also: Is This The Facelifted 2022 BMW 3-Series?

As impressive as this Pontiac is, the BMW 3-Series it raced is equally as unique. It’s been designed as a Time Attack car and has also undergone an engine swap that saw a massive 7.3-liter V8 slotted under its hood. It also features a sequential transmission, is rear-wheel drive, and tips the scales at 2,700 lbs (1,224 kg).

During the first race, the driver of the Trans Am messed up a gear change, allowing the BMW to take an easy win. The second rolling race, by comparison, was extremely close with the Pontiac taking the win by roughly one foot, meaning it was all to play for in the third and final race.

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R8 Vs. RS E-Tron GT Drag Race Shows Us Which Audi Is The Quickest

The Audi R8 and RS E-Tron GT are both high performance cars, but one is a mid-engine V10 supercar, while the other is an electric sports sedan. Regardless of their differences, both are cars designed for speed, so that begs the question: which one is quicker? That’s what Carwow attempts to find out in their latest video as the two are pitted against each other in a series of challenges.

The R8 in the video is a pre-facelift model, but its 5.2-liter V10 engine has been tuned to make the same 612 hp (620 PS / 456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque as the current model. The RS E-Tron GT, on the other hand, is powered by two electric motors producing 637 hp (646 PS / 475 kW) and 612 lb-ft (830 Nm) of torque.

Related: Can The All-Electric Audi RS e-tron GT Worry The BMW M5 CS?

On paper, the two seem evenly matched, with both having all-wheel drive and similar power figures, but there are other factors at play that will determine the outcome of the challenges. For instance, the E-Tron has the additional benefit of instant electric torque, but it also weighs 1,468 lb (665 kg) more than the R8.

In the first drag race, the E-Tron GT left the R8 in its dust and just kept widening the gap until the finish line. In the second, the R8 actually got the better launch, but the E-Tron ultimately took the win by a sizeable margin. The third and final drag race was the most evenly matched of the bunch, with both cars neck and neck until the E-Tron managed to eek out the win at the very end.

We won’t spoil the other two challenges, so to see the results of the roll races and braking tests, you can check out for yourself the video right below.

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Lamborghini Aventador SV Races A Handful Of Rallycross Cars

The Lamborghini Aventador is coming towards the end of its lifecycle but it is still a joy to see it tested to its limits, particularly in SV Roadster guise like the example featured in this video.

The Aventador SV is powered by a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 that delivers 750 hp and 507 lb-ft (690 Nm) of torque and is coupled to the Aventador’s 7-speed ISR transmission and all-wheel drive system, enabling a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint in as little as 2.9 seconds.

Read Also: This Lamborghini Aventador SV Wears A Rather Unusual Set Of Rims

For many years, the Aventador SV has been one of the quickest production cars on the planet and eager to see just how it fares against some rather unusual competition, CarWow pitted it against a trio of race cars used in the British Rallycross championship.

In the first race, the Aventador SV and a bright yellow Peugeot 306 get jump off the line extraordinarily well while a Rallycross buggy and a Citroen DS3 struggled. In the second race, the DS3 driver nailed the launch and was able to beat both the Peugeot and the Lamborghini. A rolling race is then held between the quartet and unsurprisingly, the Peugeot and the Citroen initially had the advantage and the Aventador was only able to overtake when the others hit their top speed limiters.

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BMW M4 Vs. Mercedes-AMG C63 Vs. Audi RS5: Which Is The Quickest Premium Sports Coupe?

The BMW M4, Mercedes-AMG C63 and Audi RS5 are all great compact premium coupes with lots of performance, but which one takes the prize when you pit them against each other?

One might argue that the Quattro all-wheel drive system of the Audi is hard to beat. Some might say that the twin-turbocharged V8 engine of the Mercedes is simply superior here, whereas others would defend the BMW simply because it is arguably the most fun to drive.

Driven: Here’s Why The 2021 BMW M4 Competition Is Great – And How It Could Be Better

Okay, that obviously does not answer the question, so it’s time to see them in action, in a video that focuses solely on the straight-line performance, from a standing and a rolling start, and includes brake tests too. But before doing that, let’s see what the spec sheets say, starting with the Audi, which uses a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that makes 444 HP and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque. It can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and up to 174 mph (280 km/h) with the optional RS Dynamic Package.

The C63 S, on the other hand, which is the pinnacle of the previous-gen C-Class lineup, has a 503 HP and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and will do the 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). And the new M4 Competition uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six with 503 HP and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm), for a nought to 62 mph of 3.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 180 mph (290 km/h).

On paper, then, they are almost inseparable when it comes to straight line speed. However, 0-60 times are one thing; how they actually perform in the real world can be quite another. So, which comes out on top?

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ And Porsche 911 GT2 RS Go Toe-To-Toe In Epic Drag Races

If you were to show pictures of the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ and Porsche 911 GT2 RS to someone who doesn’t know much about cars and asked them which of the two accelerates the fastest, most would guess the Lamborghini. But is it actually quicker than its German rival?

To find out, Formula E driver Daniel Abt brought the two along to a runway for a series of drag races, both from a standstill and from a roll. The results may surprise you.

Read Also: Lamborghini Aventador Successor Could Be Revealed This Year With Hybrid Technology

Powering the Aventador SVJ is a 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 pumping out 759 hp and 530 lb-ft (718 Nm) of torque while the Porsche delivers 690 hp from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder. However, the Porsche has a torque advantage with 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) and is also rear-wheel drive, meaning it has less drivetrain loss than the Aventador. It also weighs less than the Lamborghini.

In the first race from a standing start, the drive of the SVJ nails the launch and accelerates into a quick lead while Abt, behind the wheel of the 911 GT2 RS, struggles to put the power to the ground without spinning up the rear wheels. In fact, it took 3.8 seconds for the Porsche to reach 62 mph (100 km/h).

In the second race, Abt got a much better launch and was able to get off the line better than the Lamborghini, despite only having rear-wheel drive. As the speeds started to build, the Porsche continued to stretch out its lead, easily defeating the Lamborghini.

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Toyota GR Yaris Takes On Mitsubishi Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition

Tommi Makinen is one of rallying’s great drivers and his legacy is all over both the Toyota GR Yaris and the Mitsubishi Evo VI that bears his name. But which is fastest?

Carwow sought to find out, pitting the two rally-inspired cars against one another to discover what two decades of motoring progress has given us. And the answer is a very good time.

We’re all familiar with Toyota’s GR Yaris at this point: most powerful three-cylinder (257 hp), all-wheel drive, unique body designed to homologate Toyota’s WRC racer, shocking performance for something based on an economy car.

Makinen was intimately involved in the production of the car and even drove every single test mule in his role as Toyota Motorsport Advisor.

Long before he was an advisor, though, he was a WRC champion. In fact, he won the World Rally Championship four times in a row between 1996 and 1999. With 24 wins during his rallying career, he is the fifth most successful driver in WRC history; and most of those victories came at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

Read Also: UK Celebrates Two Decades Of Mitsubishi Lancer EVOs

The Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition featured in the video below was designed to celebrate the team’s accomplishments and was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four making around 275 hp. Power is routed through a five-speed transmission to all four wheels via a clever AWD system.

When it was released, Makinen said:

“Wow. To have a car named after yourself. That’s something else. Over the years, I have made a number of suggestions for the LANCER Evolution series, stressing the importance of making it easy to control and fun to drive and ride, as well as giving it high levels of performance. The LANCER Evolution realizes a beautiful balance between all performance parameters and it really provided me with the perfect car to re-write the WRC record book. I would just like to say that anyone who buys the LANCER Evolution has made the ‘Right Choice’.”

Just how reliable these races are is a little questionable based on the quality of shifting, but we can draw from these results that the Evo has more top-end speed than the Yaris, which is better off the line.

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Watch A McLaren 765LT Leave A Ferrari F8 Tributo For Dead

The Ferrari F8 Tributo is a very quick car, but it can’t hold a candle to the McLaren 765LT in a straight line.

In order to show the difference between the two supercars, the guys over at Hennessey Performance recently headed to the drag strip with both a F8 Tributo and a 765LT. Sure, the F8 Tributo isn’t a direct rival to the 765LT, but until a hardcore version hits the market, it remains Maranello’s closest competitor to the McLaren.

Watch Also: How Much Quicker Is The McLaren 765LT Than The 720S?

In the first race, the 765LT needed just 9.532 seconds to sprint down the quarter-mile, at a trap speed of 147.54 mph. By comparison, the F8 Tributo took 10.139 seconds with a trap speed of 139.44 mph. The second race delivered very similar results, with the 765LT recording a 9.571-second quarter mile at 145.63 mph whereas the F8 Tributo set a 10.119-second run at exactly 139 mph.

It only takes a quick look at the spec sheets of both cars to understand why the 765LT is so much quicker. Slotted beneath the sexy bodywork of the Ferrari is a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 710 hp and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque. This engine is coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sending power to the rear wheels, while the car tips the scales at 3,164 lbs (1,435 kg).

By comparison, the McLaren features a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing a claimed 755 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. It too uses a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and rear-wheel drive, but weighs less than the Ferrari at 2,952 lbs (1,339 kg). Moreover, dyno runs suggest that the 765LT could actually be producing closer to 900 hp at the crank.

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BMW M2 CS And Porsche Cayman GT4 Vie For Straight-Line Speed Honors

While supercar manufacturers continue to engage in a seemingly never-ending horsepower war, it’s good to know that there are still some sports cars that aren’t all about on-paper performance but are instead focused on driving thrills. Take the BMW M2 CS and Porsche Cayman GT4, for example.

While the M2 CS and the Cayman GT4 represent the flagship variants of their respective bloodlines, they are not solely focused on crazy output numbers and lap times. Instead, they offer just the right amount of power that can actually be used on the street. However, performance cannot be overlooked, which begs the question which of the two is the fastest.

To find out, Lovecars recently conducted a drag race between the M2 CS and the Cayman GT4. It’s worth pointing out the GT4 featured is the 981-generation model and not the latest iteration. Nevertheless, it is an absolute pleasure to drive.

Watch Also: The BMW M2 CS And Jaguar F-Type Are More Evenly Matched Than You May Think

As the M2 CS uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 444 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque, it has a significant power advantage over the Cayman GT4 that is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six with 380 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm). Both are rear-wheel drive and are fitted with six-speed manual transmissions.

In theory, then, the M2 CS is faster than the Cayman GT4, so did it manage to beat the Porsche in a straight line?

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Lexus LFA Vs. Audi R8 V10 Spyder Drag Race Could Go Either Way

The Lexus LFA is regarded as one of the best supercars ever made, yet ever since it left production at the end of 2012 after only two years and 500 units made, the automotive industry has stepped up its game with significant advancements in aerodynamics and powertrain development.

So, can it still hold its ground in a direct battle with more modern machines like the Audi R8? That is what we are about to find out in the next few minutes, as the Japanese exotic faced the Spyder version of the German supercar in a quarter-mile sprint.

Read Also: Lexus Sold Three Brand New LFAs In The U.S. In 2019

The R8 V10 Spyder seems to have the upper hand in this test, as its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter ten-cylinder engine puts out 611 HP (620 PS / 456 kW) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. According to Audi Sport, this translates into a nought to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration of just 3.2 seconds and a 204 mph (328 km/h) top speed.

The LFA also packs a V10, but with a smaller displacement of 4.8 liters. Co-developed with Yamaha, the engine pumps out 552 HP (560 PS / 412 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. It needs 3.8 seconds to hit the 62 mph mark and will max out at 202 mph (325 km/h).

However, despite being less powerful, the Lexus is around 640 lbs (290 kg) lighter than the R8, which tips the scales at 3,900 lbs (1,770 kg). This levels the playing field somewhat and, thus, makes the outcome of this drag race far from a foregone conclusion.

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Tesla Model S P90D Vies With Porsche Taycan Turbo For Electric Saloon Supremacy

The Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan are the two most accelerative electric sedans currently on the market and, as Lovecars recently discovered, they are quite evenly matched.

Tesla has, of course, been producing the Model S for much longer than Porsche has been building the Taycan. In fact, the Model S has been in production since 2012, whereas Porsche started rolling out the Taycan last year.

Watch Also: There’s No Chance The Porsche Taycan Turbo S Can Defeat The 918 Spyder, Right?

Back in 2015 and 2016, Tesla’s Model S range was topped out by the P90D Ludicrous, complete with two electric motors and pumping out the equivalent of 762 hp and 1,013 lb-ft (1,373 Nm) of torque. While this variant has since been superseded by the P100D and more recently the Model S Performance Raven, Lovecars decided to pit the P90D against a new Porsche Taycan Turbo for a drag race.

We’ve seen the flagship Taycan Turbo S racing the flagship Model S Performance Raven in the past and the two were very close, although the Porsche seems to have a slight advantage. As it turns out, it is the same case here.

Off the line and racing in extremely wet conditions, the Tesla and Porsche got near perfect starts and accelerated at near identical rates. However, as the speeds started to increase, the Taycan Turbo stormed away from the Tesla, taking a relatively easy win.

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