The Audi RS3 Sedan, no matter how competent it might be, couldn’t possibly stand a chance against a genuine supercar like the R8 V10 Spyder in a drag race, right?
On paper, the R8 has a huge advantage, thanks to its 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 that delivers 540hp and 398lb-ft (540Nm) of torque to the ground.
The official 0-60mph (96km/h) sprint time is just 3.5 seconds, which is very impressive for the open-top version of Audi’s supercar, and flat out it will eventually reach 198mph (319km/h).
The brand’s challenger to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG CLA45 and BMW M2, the RS3 Sedan, uses a 2.5-liter TFSI engine that makes 394hp and 354lb-ft (480Nm) of torque. That’s enough to propel it from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in 3.9sec and up to a top speed of 174mph (280km/h) with the optional Dynamic Plus package.
Of course, there’s also a huge price gap between the two, as the RS3 Sedan can be had from $54,900 in the US, the R8 Spyder comes at a cool $177,100.
Specs and price lists aside, the question is: does the RS3 have a fighting chance against the R8? Scroll down and watch the video to find out.