Despite the major push towards electrification for many automakers, the V8 engine is still alive. You can find it under the hood of many new models in different forms – naturally aspirated, turbocharged, and supercharged. Speaking of engines with different types of air delivery, what better way to compare their capabilities than a direct drag race?
Sam CarLegion has a new video putting against each other three of the fastest and most beautiful grand tourers currently on sale. We will get to the performance numbers in just a minute but first, let’s see the contenders today. These are the 2023 BMW M850i xDrive, Lexus LC500 Coupe, and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Three amazing cars and three very different philosophies.
Coming from Germany is the BMW M850i, which isn’t a fully-fledged M vehicle but has a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 mill under the hood. It delivers a peak output of 523 horsepower (390 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque, sent to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
Coming from Japan is the Lexus LC500. It has a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine with a maximum power of 471 hp (351 kW) and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm) of torque. It is obviously very different compared to one of Bavaria’s finest V8s and is mated to a 10-speed automatic and a rear-wheel drive.
Finally, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is America’s contender in this drag race. It has a 6.2-liter V8 supercharged engine with a mighty 717 hp (535 kW) and 656 lb-ft (890 Nm) of twist. An 8-speed automatic sends the power to the rear wheels exclusively. Interestingly, all three cars have almost the same weight of about 4,400 pounds (close to 2,000 kilograms).
So, which one is faster in this standing start and rolling drag race series? Of course, it is difficult to tell just by the numbers and we’d advise you to take a look at the video at the top of this page. You won’t regret spending 7 minutes watching it, we promise.
