This German coupe drag race is the one many performance fans have been waiting for especially the BMW fan boys. It features the recently launched BMW M4 Competition, the Audi RS5 and the Mercedes-AMG C63S.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.

Order from our online store and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349.Double Apex T-shirts

Natural-born rivals

BMW used to dominate this segment. The very first (E30) M3 set the bar for all others to be measured against. However, as time progressed Mercedes-AMG and later Audi began to produce the kinds of performance cars to keep BMW M engineers on their toes. 

Read our BMW M2 CS track driving review by clicking here.

Force-fed fever

Each car featured in the German coupe drag race is fed by twin-turbochargers. The differentiating factor lies in the cylinder count and engine configuration. The AMG is the oldest car here and it will soon be replaced; check out info on the upcoming Mercedes-AMG C-Class four-cylinder hybrid powertrain here. The outgoing C63S has a 4,0-litre V8 that is good for 375 kW/700 N.m. 

The BMW M4 has an inline 3,0-litre six that churns out 375 kW/650 N.m of torque. Check out BMW M3/M4 SA pricing at this link. The Audi has the smallest engine of the trio, a 2,9-litre V6 that makes 331 kW and 600 N.m. Read about Audi’s ambitious expansion performance model plans in SA  by clicking here.

Read our BMW M3 Competition launch report here.

While the Merc and BMW are rear-wheel-driven, the Audi sends power to all four wheels via its quattro system, which should give it a massive advantage in the standing start race. For now the BMW M3/4 is RWD, but soon enough there will be all-wheel-drive versions on offer as well. All three cars have automatic transmissions with launch control functionality. To take the drivetrains out of play there is also a rolling race and a brake test.