Three German Super Coupes Show Us Why The 0-130 MPH Test Is Better

The 0-60 mph test is outdated. We need a new standard to reflect today’s level of performance.

The thing about 0-60 mph times is that they’re flawed. Sure, there are hardly more exhilarating ways to us a patch of empty road than to open the floodgates of a car, almost any car, and seeing what its engine, drivetrain, chassis, and tires can do at full tilt. That still doesn’t take away from the fact that 0-60 mph times are flawed. To put it simply, most automakers can design a car that pulls hard up to the minute-per-mile mark if they want, so why not raise the bar? Heck, a Chrysler Pacifica can do it better than Toyota's sports coupe but which would you pick?

All you need is an ample amount of power, all-wheel drive, traction control, and plenty of grip on the tires to better your odds. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk makes 60 mph happen in 3.5 seconds, coincidentally matching the winner of this German sports car drag race. The real challenge, though, is what happens beyond 60 mph.

That’s around the time that engines begin to lose their breath and gearing becomes tailored for efficiency rather than acceleration. To see which of these three German cars, a BMW M2, Audi TT RS and Porsche 718 Cayman S, is better than the others, it becomes important to test them on a straight runway long enough to hit 130 mph and brake to a halt afterwards. We won’t spoil the winner here, but it’s worth mentioning that all of the aforementioned methods of getting to 60 mph the fastest work favorably as long as the engine is powerful enough.

ABT's Audi RS3 Is A 500-HP Super Sedan

400 hp not enough for you in the Audi RS3? ABT has a solution.

German tuner ABT Sportsline is renowned for extracting more power out of fast Volkswagen Group vehicles. For its latest tuning project, ABT has focused its attention on the Audi RS3. In standard spec, the RS3 is certainly no slouch and is considered a sleeper sedan thanks to its turbocharged 2.5-liter engine producing 400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. But for ABT, that clearly wasn’t enough. The tuner’s new ABT Power R package extracts an extra 100 horses from the 2.5-liter unit, bringing the total output to 500 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque.

That’s a substantial increase by any measure. To achieve this, ABT installed a new in-house ECU and added a new intercooler and stainless-steel exhaust system to crank up the power. As a result of these mechanical upgrades, ABT’s modified RS3 will hit 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 186 mph, whereas the standard car achieves the same sprint in 4.1 seconds and is limited to 155 mph or 174 mph with the optional Dynamic Plus package. The aftermarket specialist has also added new suspension springs and anti-roll bars, upgraded brakes that “bring the car to a stop in no time,” and new alloy wheels available in either 19 or 20 inches.

Everyone will also know you’re not driving a standard RS3 thanks to ABT’s optional aerodynamics package, which adds a new front lip, grille add-on, rear skirt set, and fender inserts, giving the sedan a more aggressive appearance. The German tuner also fits an “acoustically appealing” ABT muffler system with two 102 mm double pipes finished in black chrome. As for the interior, buyers can have the RS3 fitted with ABT-branded seats, carbon fiber trim and a special plaque mounted on the dashboard.