Camaro ZL1 Beats Audi R8 V10 Performance in Three-Round Shootout

Camaro ZL1 and Audi R8 V10 Performance are closely matched, but the Chevy muscle car has the edge.

The sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is the most powerful production GM muscle car ever, packing 650 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful American road cars as well. The Audi R8 V10 Performance is one of the best known modern supercars, offering 611 horsepower. In the video below from the Auto Glory YouTube channel, those two modern monsters to head-to-head in a trio of highway pulls and the results are pretty surprising.

Some people might think that the big weight advantage for the Audi would make up for the Camaro’s power advantage but – spoiler alert – they would be wrong.

Tale of the Tape

The races below include a 2020 Audi R8 V10 Performance and a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The R8 has 611 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque from a naturally aspirated V10, with the power being channeled to all four wheels by means of an advanced all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed dual clutch automatic. The R8 Performance has an official curb weight of 3,572 pounds and in the video, it has a driver and passenger. This car is completely stock.

The Camaro ZL1 is powered by the supercharged LT4 engine, delivering 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. Of course, the Camaro is rear-wheel-drive and this ZL1 is fitted with the 10-speed automatic transmission. The Camaro ZL1 coupe with the 10-speed has a curb weight of 3,883 pounds and it also has a driver and passenger. This car is stock, except for a cold air intake.

In short, the Camaro has a little more horsepower and gobs more torque, but before the occupants, it weighs about 300 pounds more than the R8.

Camaro vs. R8

The Camaro ZL1 and Audi R8 V10 Performance make three rolls, first from 40 miles per hour, then 50 then 60.

On the first run, the Audi jumps to a slight lead on the start, but the Camaro holds even and slowly pulls into the lead on the big end. We cannot see what speed they raced to, but the ZL1 had put space between itself and the R8 when the driver lifted. The Chevy was the clear winner here.

On the second run, the two started at 50 and it looks as though the Camaro shifted almost immediately after the start of the race. That allowed the Audi to pull out to a pretty significant lead right away, and the ZL1 wasn’t able to close the gap. Frankly, the way that the ZL1 fell back at first, it makes us wonder if the tires didn’t spin a bit or something.

Finally, on the pull from 60, the Audi once again jumped out to a lead, this time putting the Camaro at the back wheel before the ZL1 began its climb. Once the Chevy started to pull, it moved right on past the Audi to take an impressive win.

The Audi would likely have a much better chance from a dig, where it could make full use of the all-wheel-drive and lower curb weight, but at these higher speeds, the Camaro ZL1 is the clear victor.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com