Power is important, but one also has to consider the way it’s applied. This is a point proven time and again on the drag strip, where all-wheel drive vehicles perform exceedingly well.
The latest proof of this comes from Porsche and CarWow, who decided to pit a 992-generation 911 Turbo S and 911 GT3 against a 991-generation 911 GT2 RS.
The 911 GT2 RS, despite being the oldest car of the trio, makes the most power. Its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six pumps out 690 hp (700 PS/515 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, which is without a doubt impressive, but all of its goes to the rear wheels.
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The 911 GT3 also powers its rear wheels exclusively but its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine makes “just” 503 hp (510 PS/375 kW) and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm) of torque. That actually makes it the least powerful of the trio.
The 911 Turbo S, ostensibly the least track-focused of the three, gets AWD and a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged engine that churns out 641 hp (650 PS/478 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. That makes it the second most powerful car lining up for this race but it’s also the only one that powers all four wheels.
The results speak for themselves as the more powerful 911 GT2 RS struggles to put its power down off the line regardless of whether its driver is using launch control, stability control and launch control, or is simply relying on his right foot. Although it finishes each drag race closing in on the 911 Turbo S, it never manages to catch it.
And that’s the advantage of all-wheel-drive. Even against another car that was made by the same manufacturer and features a more powerful engine, more grip means more speed.