This Vs That: American Muscle Takes On German Engineering

This Vs That: American Muscle Takes On German Engineering

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than to watch a match race between an American muscle car and a high-performance European automobile? We’re big fans of the THIS vs THAT series on the Hoonigan YouTube channel and on this episode we have a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS racing a 2001 Audi S4. Both cars are highly modified and the specs on the two vehicles pose some interesting comparisons that should make this a great race.

This vs That

In THIS corner is the 2001 Audi S4. The S4 is an all-wheel drive sedan and this particular car is packed with surprises. To start, under the hood is an LQ4 6.0L LS with forged internals. Shockingly, that’s not the craziest thing in the engine bay of this Audi. There are also four — yes, four – GT35 61mm turbochargers pumping approximately 24 pounds of boost into the engine. According to the owner and builder of the car, Marnell, his best guess is that the car makes about 900 horsepower.

In order to keep the stock Audi all-wheel drive system, six-speed manual transmission, and rear differential, Marnell had to custom-mount the LS engine almost entirely in front of the front shock towers. To do this he used LS4 accessories on the front of the engine due to the extremely limited space. The Audi rolls on 19×8.5-inch wheels wrapped in 245mm section width Toyo Proxes R888R tires in the front and rear to get the power to the ground. To save what little weight he could, Marnell stripped the interior almost entirely. According to Marnell, his Audi S4 weighs approximately 3,400 pounds.

In THAT corner is something most of us are probably more familiar with. It’s a 2016 Chevy Camaro SS that is modified from front to rear. Starting in our favorite place, under the hood resides a Gen V 6.2L LT engine that, according to the car’s owner Kyle, is slightly bigger than stock. He doesn’t share many details on the engine combination, however, it’s not hard to see the Vortech YSi-Trim centrifugal supercharger sitting next to the engine. According to Kyle, the combination is good for 1,040-wheel horsepower. Getting all that power to the ground is a set of 15×10-inch Bogart single beadlock rear wheels with Mickey Thompson 325/50R15 ET Street R drag radials. The Camaro is still running the stock rear differential and six-speed manual transmission. According to Kyle, his Camaro weighs approximately 3,840 pounds.

This vs that

On paper this appears to be a great machtup. The Camaro makes more power and rolls on drag radials, but it weighs roughly 400 pounds more than the Audi. The S4 on the other hand is all-wheel drive, has a weight advantage, and is not far behind in horsepower. As is normal on THIS vs THAT the first race is a heads-up 1,000-foot drag race. Unfortunately, the all-wheel drive system of the Audi proved to be the ideal setup for traction on the unprepped tarmac and outran the Camaro that was fighting for traction.

For round two, the drivers agreed to start from a 40mph roll. Kyle proposed the rolling start thinking it would help control his Camaro’s traction issues. The second race was better than the first, but Marnell and his Audi managed to pull ahead and take the win. Although THIS vs THAT is a best-of-three match race format, and Marnell took the win handily the two drivers agreed to a third race for fun. This time Kyle and his Camaro would get a two car length head start and the hit, meaning the race starts whenever Kyle decides to launch. The third race had the same outcome as the first two with Marnell’s Audi catching and pulling away from the Camaro to take the win.

Not the outcome we would have liked to see, however, the Audi is LS-swapped and turbocharged. It doesn’t get more American than that. For more THIS vs THAT coverage visit the Hoonigan YouTube channel.

About the author

Jeremy Nichols

Jeremy loves to go fast, whether that's on two wheels, four wheels, or boating. With a willingness to compete at almost anything, Jeremy shoots competition long-range rifles matches and races road bicycles and enjoys building vehicles for people.
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