German automakers tend to set the standard for sports sedans. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have been competing against one another for years for supremacy, and that drive is displayed at every trim level. A new video from the Throttle House YouTube channel pits the 2020 BMW M340i, Audi S4, and Mercedes-AMG C43 against each other in a trio of drag races.
All three feature turbocharged, six-cylinder engines and all-wheel drive, though they have different outputs. The C43 is the trio’s performance king, producing 385 horsepower (287 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-meters) of torque. The BMW is the middle child, producing 382 hp (284) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. By comparison, the Audi is down on power, making 354 hp (263 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. Both the BMW and Audi have launch control while the Mercedes does not.
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To compensate for the AMG’s lack of launch control, the crew put the cars through three races: two standing starts, one with and one without launch control, and a rolling race. While the Mercedes is more powerful, the BMW sweeps all three races by a sizable margin. The Audi actually takes second in the first launch control race, barely beating the Mercedes-Benz. However, the Audi takes third in the other two, though it doesn’t lose by a lot. The Mercedes finishes with a small lead over the Audi.
The results are a good reminder that specs are only one part of the performance equation. The Audi’s laggy throttle inputs don’t help it off the line, while the Mercedes’ lack of launch control hinders its starts. BMW’s power delivery surpasses both, which is what helped it secure three victories. The competition between the three automakers will only increase in the coming years as they begin developing electrified and fully electric performance vehicles.