Drag racing videos on YouTube typically feature very little discussion about tires and traction, with much more emphasis placed on horsepower and torque stats. Of course, all the beefy engine upgrades in the world mean nothing if that power can't grip the ground, though watching a Tesla four-door drag race against a legit supercar sure is fun, regardless. In the spirit of absurdity, the Hoonigan YouTube channel has been pumping out a parade of hilarious races as the "This vs. That" series, with the latest featuring a Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG minivan challenging a supercharged Audi R8 V10 in the quarter-mile.
Not Your Mama's Minivan
Of course, this Mercedes super-van was an exercise in all-out insanity from the factory, merging a potent V8 engine and all-wheel-drive layout with seating for six in a downright ugly exterior. Mercedes and AMG only built about 200 of these 2.5-ton beasts, making them rare to spot on the streets and even more surprising to see in a drag-racing video.
Modified Mid-Engined Audi
When a heavily-modified Audi R8 pulls up to a red light and sees a minivan in the next lane, very few drivers would imagine a drag race might ensue. The 2014 model year R8 in question here sports the V10 engine, which has received a supercharger upgrade to pump 750 horsepower through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel drive. The R8 isn't exactly light, though, tipping the scales at 3,700 pounds.
A Monster Minivan
The R63 has also received a supercharger, bumping output up from a factory rating of 507 horses to 750 at the crank, also being routed to all four wheels through a seven-speed gearbox. That output allows the stickers proclaiming the Benz as "the world's fastest minivan" to seem legit. But a weight of 5,500 pounds and higher aerodynamic profile could present problems in a drag race—watch the video to see whether the minivan can challenge the supercar, and stick through to the end to catch some requisite Hoonigan tire shredding.
Sources: youtube.com and caranddriver.com.