Porsche 911 Turbo S Drag Races Audi R8 GT RWD, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 With Predictable Results

While on the subject of internal combustion, there's also the matter of natural aspiration and turbocharging. The 5.2-liter V10 of the Audi sounds the way it does because it's not muffled by turbos. However, no forced induction also means that it needs a lot of revs to produce maximum power and torque, with Ingolstadt's favorite son quoting 620 ps (612 hp) at 8,000 revolutions per minute and 565 Nm (417 lb-ft) at 6,400 rpm.

By comparison, the Merc and Porker develop maximum power and torque at 5,500/2,500 and 6,750/2,500 revolutions per minute, respectively. The GT 63 Coupe has the upper hand in terms of peak torque band, with Mercedes listing 2,500 to 5,000 rpm versus 4,000 for the 911 Turbo S.

All three contenders rock performance tires, but as far as the standing quarter is concerned, the R8 GT is on the back foot. Why is that? Because said R8 GT is a rear-drive swansong to Audi Sport's most exotic series-production vehicle thus far. It's possible that its place in the lineup will be taken by an electric supercar, but in any case, we know for certain that second-generation Audi R8 production came to a screeching halt in March 2023.

Both the R8 and 911 use dual-clutch transmissions, while second-generation GTs feature a multi-clutch transmission derived from the 9G-TRONIC. By using a multiple-disc wet clutch instead of a torque converter, the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G responds better to accelerator commands. How much better, though? Even though it shifts quicker than the 9G-TRONIC, the multi-clutch sibling is hampered by the sheer weight of the GT 63 4MATIC+.

Mat Watson states that 2,130 kilograms (4,696 pounds) is the curb weight of the 63 series, which mirrors the curb weight listed on Mercedes-Benz UK's website. For the 911 Turbo S Coupe in right-hand drive, that'll be 1,640 kgs or 3,616 lbs. Obviously enough, the R8 GT RWD is the lightest of the bunch at 1,570 kilos or 3,461 pounds.

Given the numbers we talked about so far, does it come as a surprise to you that Merc's redesigned GT ends dead last in the quarter? It managed a best of 11.2 seconds, which is a tenth off the rear-wheel-drive and far more in-your-face R8.

However, the Neunelfer is the golden standard among sports cars for a reason. On a less-than-perfect surface, it blitzed the quarter mile in a staggering 10.4 seconds. The 911 Turbo S and R8 GT RWD were in a league of their own from a rolling start as well, with Mat Watson and crew racing in auto- and manual-shifting mode from 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour).

The AMG did redeem itself in the braking test, stopping from 100 miles per hour (just over 160 kilometers per hour) a bit quicker than the Porker. Curiously, the lightest car of the bunch required the most distance to come to a complete stop.