World’s Best-Sounding Drag Race: 2023 Audi RS3 Squares Off Against Legendary Lexus LFA
A three pack of Audi sedans compete against each other as well as a fabled supercar for speed and sound bragging rights.
A drag race is typically held for just one purpose. That purpose is to see which car can cover the quarter mile in the least amount of time. However, there can be an additional benefit besides finding out just which one is quicker. That benefit is which car sounds the best while doing it. In other words, the Tesla Model S Plaid need not apply. But Audi has a few cars that certainly can apply to this speed and auditory thrill contest. For example, the 2023 Audi RS3 with its 5-cylinder turbocharged unit makes a glorious sound. Oftentimes a turbocharged car doesn’t offer a thrilling sound as the turbo muffles the exhaust. But that is not the case with the RS3.
Sound is subjective but speed is objective. And in the speed department the RS3 is also a strong performer. But is it strong enough to take on a legitimate supercar? And is it really that much faster than the less expensive Audi S3? And what about when you throw a highly modified 1991 Audi 200 Quattro in the mix? Where does the RS3 rank in this oddball mix of cars? Jason Cammisa breaks this down in a video posted to the Hagerty YouTube channel. For good measure the video compares the Porsche Carrera GT with the Lexus LFA as well. Let’s consider that a bonus but focus on the Audi models for now.
R You Serious?
Audi offers a very nice and quick S3 sedan with 306 horsepower. Does prepending an ‘R’ really make that much difference? The RS3 costs about $13,000 more than the S3 but it also packs 95 more horsepower and 74 more pound-feet of torque. That is a serious increase in power and the results in a drag race between the S3 and RS3 illustrate the difference. The RS3 runs an 11.8 second quarter mile which is over a full second faster than the S3. The S3 is not exactly slow at 12.9 seconds but it can’t run with the RS3. However, the RS3 has a bigger challenge ahead.
Unfair Fight
The RS3 easily put down the S3 but now it is paired up with a couple cars that it has no hope of competing with. Or does it? In one corner is an OG Audi Quattro. It is a 1991 Audi 200 20V Quattro. But don’t let its age fool you. This particular car has been highly modified by adding a massive turbocharger that helps the car produce over 800 horsepower. So, it makes about double the horsepower of the RS3 and is over 100 pounds lighter. But the Audi 200 is a manual transmission and the RS3 is a dual clutch auto. In the other corner is one of the great supercars to be built this century, the Lexus LFA. Powered by an incredible V10 engine the LFA has twice the cylinders and over 150 horsepower advantage on the RS3. Surely the RS3 has no prayer.
The modified Audi 200 crushes the other two with a 10.5 second quarter mile run. Not too surprising but it is a highly modified beast. Much more interesting is the race between the RS3 and LFA. The RS3 dominates at the launch and pulls hard on the LFA. But after launch the LFA gains ground FAST. But not fast enough. The 4-door Audi sedan is level with the supercar at the line as they both post a 11.8 time. But the LFA traps much faster so anything beyond a quarter mile and the LFA will disappear. But in the real world, on real roads the RS3 is every bit as quick as an LFA. Add a little rain to the mix and the little Audi will walk the LFA. Astonishing.
Sound
Again, this is a subjective measurement, so it is tougher to determine a clear winner between the RS3 and the LFA. That being said the LFA might be the best sounding road car ever built. As much as we love the Audi, we have to give the win to the LFA. But remember the LFA is almost impossible to buy and will cost you roughly five times what a new RS3 will.
Audi RS3
These results really bring into focus how impressive the RS3 is. The fact that it is even in the conversation with such a highly regarded supercar speaks volumes. It proves its mettle against its lower-powered sibling. It is dead even in a race against the LFA. And maybe it can’t quite match the incredible sound of the LFA, but it still sounds terrific in its own right. When you consider price, performance, and practicality the RS3 might be the best vehicle in the current Audi lineup. But if you want to decimate all in true sleeper fashion, you will need a 30-year-old Audi 200 running a turbo with 26 pounds of boost.
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