In the realm of V8-powered coupes, the Lexus RC F seems like an underdog against the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. That's when you look at their spec sheets, with the German boasting a huge power gap advantage with its twin-turbo setup, pushing a hefty lead in terms of torque numbers.
But that isn't always the case when you put both cars in a drag race. Traction matters a lot and in this case, it's a fairly cold and wet tarmac in a battle set up by Motor on YouTube.
This begs the question: can the Lexus RC F really beat a more powerful Mercedes-AMG C63 S in a straight-line race?
Gallery: 2020 Lexus RC F Track Edition: Review
First off, the numbers. The RC F, despite being less powerful, is no slacker. The naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 mill makes a healthy 472 bhp (352 kilowatts) and 395 pound-feet (535 Newton-metres) of torque. These numbers are sent to the rear wheels.
The AMG C63 S, on the other hand, produces 503 bhp (375 kW) and a whopping 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of force-inducted torque courtesy of its twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8. Rear-wheel-drive as well and only marginally heavier than the Japanese coupe.
German drag races you shouldn't miss:
On paper, the RC F is a tad slower than the AMG C63 S, completing a zilch to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometres per hour) sprint in 4.5 seconds, versus the German's 3.9 seconds. However, these numbers were taken during ideal conditions, which brings us to the drag race in this article.
With the surface conditions mentioned earlier and the fact that these coupes were wearing different tyres, do these numbers matter in a quarter-mile drag race?
Source: Motor (YouTube)