While the standard Audi RS3 saloon is a spritely package in the corners, its straight-line performance is a different story. Sure, its Quattro all-wheel-drive system might help it off the line, but after that things go pear-shaped. Thankfully Mat Watson from Carwow staged a drag race between a heavily tuned RS3 and a standard Porsche 911 Turbo S.

As the turbocharged 911 is the undisputed king of the Carwow drag race series – completing the standing quarter-mile in 10.1 seconds – a fan of the channel named Daniel challenged Watson to beat his upgraded Audi RS3 saloon. While the former boasts excellent traction from a standing start, and 650 bhp (484 kilowatts) to propel itself to the finish, we wouldn’t be so sure about the Porsche keeping its straight-line accolades.

With 716 bhp (533 kW) and 560 pound-feet (760 Newton-metres) on tap thanks to its upgraded turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine, the Audi can certainly get out of its own way. The only possible issue lies with its semi-slick tyres which make it very easy to bog down off the line.

The exhaust soundcheck before the standing start reveals the inevitable gap between the Audi’s five-cylinder snarl and the Porsche’s relative silence. We know the former has an aftermarket exhaust, but it’s hard to argue that the latter needs some work in the sound department. Semantics aside, the kinematics of the 911 Turbo S off the line showed why it’s the Carwow quarter-mile king – several more attempts produced the same result.

Things were much closer in the brake test, but the RS3’s drag-racing specific brake setup left a lot to be desired when it came to dropping anchor. It took a series of rolling-start races to get the Audi across the line first, but only just. With its lack of traction and big power, we’d wager that the underdog would be better suited to a half-mile race. However, that remains to be seen, and the quarter-mile leaderboard remains unchanged.