Tipping the scales at 1,865 kilograms, the BMW M3 Touring is far from being a lightweight car. However, the G81 suddenly doesn’t feel like such a porker when the new Audi RS5 Avant carries an extra 505 kilograms. Yes, the RS4 wagon’s replacement weighs 2,370 kg. Ingolstadt decided to give its all-rounder the plug-in hybrid treatment to keep the V6 alive for another generation while meeting ever-stricter emissions regulations.
For the consumer, the major advantage of going down the PHEV route is an electric range of up to 53.4 miles (86 kilometers). However, the extra weight brought by the 22-kWh battery reveals its ugly head in a new track test organized by Sport Auto. The German journalists pitted the non-CS M3 Touring against the RS5 Avant, and it didn’t end well for the model carrying the Four Rings. To even the odds, the magazine’s test driver, Christian Gebhardt, piloted both cars.
In a back-to-back comparison at Hockenheim, the long-roof BMW crossed the finish line in 1 minute and 53.44 seconds. Its archrival from Audi Sport needed nearly four seconds more to get the job done, completing the lap in 1 minute and 57.15 seconds. The 3.71-second difference is substantial considering the German circuit is only 2.84 miles (4.57 kilometers) long.
Different Tires Played An Important Role
However, the gap doesn’t solely come down to the RS5 Avant’s much higher weight. The difference also stems from the tires: the Audi had Pirelli P Zero R tires, whereas the BMW had the optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The latter is a track-focused, semi-slick set, so it wasn’t exactly an apples-to-apples comparison. Nevertheless, the nearly four-second gap is significant, especially since the M3 Touring is way down on power.
Indeed, BMW’s do-it-all wagon makes do with “only” 523 hp from its twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six that skips electrification. Its competitor pushes a little over 100 hp more than Munich’s excellent Touring. Pairing the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with an electric motor delivers a total system output of 630 hp.
Numbers aside, it’s real-world tests like this that paint a more accurate picture. Yes, the tires were different, but even on the same set, it’s hard to imagine the RS5 Avant holding a candle to the M3 Touring. As to how many owners will take their super wagons out on a track and give them the proverbial beans, that’s a different story. Regardless of which side you’re on, we should just be happy that cars like these are still around in an increasingly regulated automotive space.
Looking ahead, there is real hope for another M3 Touring, aka the G88. If it happens, we believe it’ll have a mild-hybrid version of the existing S58 engine, so the weight penalty should be minimal.
Video: Sport Auto / YouTube
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
