Heading to retirement, the BMW M5 F90 in Competition guise has time for one more drag race against a domestic rival that is also about to be discontinued, the Mercedes-AMG E63 in the hotter S specification. The two high-powered sedans are joined by a more practical competitor as Carwow also brought the Audi RS6 Avant in its new Performance flavor to settle once and for all which of the three German large luxury cars is the quickest in a straight line.
Recently launched, the RS6 Performance uses an uprated twin-turbo V8 4.0-liter engine delivering a massive 630 hp and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque, which is up by 30 hp and 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) compared to the regular RS6. The super wagon is the most potent of the lot as the M5 Competition has 625 hp and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) from its twin-turbo V8 4.4-liter mill while the AMG E63 S has 612 hp and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) from a twin-turbo V8 4.0-liter unit.
Power isn’t everything in a drag race as weight is also a major factor. The Audi is the heaviest of the trio, tipping the scales at 2,090 kg (4,607 lbs), followed by the AMG at 1,950 kg (4,300 lbs) and the BMW at 1,865 kg (4,111 lbs). All three send their power to both axles through automatic transmissions with eight speeds in the case of the M5 and RS6 whereas the E63 has a nine-speed gearbox.
It looks as though the M5 Competition has finally met its match as the RS6 Avant Competition won the first two drag races and was only a bit behind the BMW in the third fight. However, provided the M5 launches off the line perfectly, it still seems to be the faster car. The wagon carrying the Four Rings had excellent starts but the Bavarian sedan always seemed to be quicker later in the race by recuperating the lost ground.
In the rolling races to the quarter-mile mark, the AMG E63 S had its revenge, but only in the first fight as the M5 triumphed in the subsequent race. The Audi did manage to win another test by stopping first from 100 mph (160 km/h), despite being the heaviest car of the lot.
The conclusion? There’s no such thing as a bad choice as all three are excellent all-rounders by offering an excellent mélange of performance, luxury, practicality, and technology.
Source: Carwow / YouTube
