We’ve been getting used to seeing drag races featuring incredibly powerful cars from our favorite German car makers. And while they are good fun, only a very fortunate, extremely small minority of people out there will ever be able to buy such cars and actually drive them on the daily. Therefore, seeing a BMW 420i at work in the same scenario seems like a more relatable experience.
Of course, that BMW 420i needs a matching rival and the guys from CarWow found it: an Audi A5 40 TFSI. This is bound to be a very interesting race, mind you, because of the specs of the cars. The Audi comes prepared with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, making 190 horsepower and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque and it is close to the entry-level version of the A5. Basically, this is what you’re looking at if you’re interested in getting an A5. This car lacks Launch Control though, unlike its BMW counterpart.
The 420i also uses a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine and is one of the best-selling models in the range right now. Unlike the Audi, the BMW makes 184 horsepower and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque, numbers that are slightly lower than the Audi’s. Other differences include the axle which gets the power (RWD for the BMW vs FWD on the Audi) and the gearbox which is a dual-clutch, seven-speed on the A5 versus an eight-speed torque converter on the BMW 420i. Surprisingly, the Audi is also the lighter car here by some 70 kilos.
Therefore, going into the race, the Audi arrives with a bit of extra power, some extra torque and a lower total weight. Does that mean it will win automatically win it? Well, only one way to find out but I will mention the video does go over more than just a standing start 1/4 mile race, make sure you check all the tests.
