Here's What Happens When A BMW M3 CSL Drag Races A B5 Audi RS4

Had YouTube been a thing when the BMW M3 CSL arrived in 2003, we’ve no doubt this is a drag race video every petrolhead would have wanted to watch. The B5 RS4 is a very different car to the M3 and actually went out of production two years before the CSL’s launch, but sticking them together for a straight-line showdown just feels natural, doesn’t it?

The 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 in the Audi makes a little more power than the BMW’s 3.2-litre N/A straight-six, but the former has over 200kg more car to punt around. The RS4 has the benefit of all-wheel drive traction off the line, but the launch control function on the CSL’s SMG robotised manual gearbox could well neutralise that advantage.

In other words, these two races - one with a standing start and the other rolling - could be very interesting indeed. Press play to see the outcome!