On paper, all seem quite evenly matched.
It’s racing comparison time between a pair of German super saloons and an unlikely competitor. The BMW M3, Audi’s RS4 (wagon!!) and a…Tesla Model 3 Performance? This is worth a watch.
For Tesla, it seems to be just as easy to make an electric car quick as it is to make one that’s slow. So why not make one that’s quick? The Model 3 Performance gets a pair of electric motors that combine for 473 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The other benefit of the electric motor is that putting the second one in the front means that you have all-wheel drive.
But Audi and BMW have been building impressively fast compacts for decades. The latest from Audi is the RS4. A 2.9L V6 with 450 hp and quattro all-wheel drive through an eight-speed automatic. Plus it only comes as a wagon. At just 1,790 kg, this is a seriously quick car.
From BMW comes the M3. A 3.0L twin-turbo straight-six with 450 hp. For this test, it comes equipped with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, and it sends power through just the rear wheels.
On paper, all seem quite evenly matched. And in the UK, where this was filmed, they’re pretty close on price, too.
Carwow has convenient access to the best place to let these cars loose. A runway. So it’s time for a race.
Can the BMW’s launch control match the all-wheel drive traction of the all-wheel drive competition? Can the Audi’s eight-speed auto match the uninterrupted torque of the Tesla?
What about in a rolling start? Does the M3’s power let it beat the new M3? Then, finally, which one of this trio can bring the party to a stop the quickest?
Watch and enjoy. Though the best part might be the sound effects for the Tesla during the obligatory “rev the engines” shot.
Source: carwow youtube
Keyword: Watch a Tesla Model 3 Drag Race a BMW M3 and Audi RS4