Can the Audi RS6 Avant Take Down a BMW M550i?

The Audi RS6 Avant usually competes with cars like the Mercedes-AMG E63 S and BMW M5; full-blown performance models. However, it’s actually not as fast as those two cars in a straight line (and nowhere close to as fast on a track). So Carwow’s Mat Watson recently decided to pit the RS6 against one of BMW’s lesser performance models, the BMW M550i.

In this drag race, the Audi RS6 Avant takes on the BMW M550i xDrive on a slippery, wet surface. The RS6, being a typical Audi, is usually quite good at launching on slippery surfaces. However, despite not being the full-on M5, the BMW M550i is seriously quick in its own right. So which car was quicker?

On paper, the RS6 Avant should beat the Bimmer by quite a bit. Its 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 makes 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, compared to the M550i’s 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. They both have all-wheel drive and eight-speed automatics, so there’s not much of an advantage there, either way. Though, the RS6’s Quattro system is typically a bit better off the line. So was the Audi faster than the surprisingly strong BMW?

Yes, which wasn’t much of a surprise. The Audi RS6 Avant is more powerful, it’s a proper Audi Sport model, and its traction is a bit better. While the BMW M550i is less power, isn’t a full-on BMW M car, and doesn’t have as good of traction. Though, it’s not exactly a fair, apples-to-apples comparison, as the M550i is also quite a bit cheaper than the RS6.

We know that the BMW M5 is faster than the Audi RS6 Avant in almost all areas but we now know that the RS6 is faster than the M550i by quite a bit. So Audi seems to have positioned the RS6 in between the two, making it a bit of a ‘tweener. Still, its killer styling and wagon body style make up for its lack of outright speed compared to the M5.