Audi A5 Sedan vs Cupra Born: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Born hits 100 km/h in 7.23 s versus 7.79 s for the A5 Sedan. The instant torque of 310 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. The 0.56 s gap is negligible: both vehicles are neck and neck.

At 200 metres, the Born is doing 122 km/h against 117 km/h for the A5 Sedan. The gap is 0.16 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Born crosses the line in 15.39 s versus 15.74 s. The 0.34 s gap represents roughly 14 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Born maxes out at 160 km/h while the A5 Sedan keeps accelerating towards 242 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.45 s.

Around 881 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the A5 Sedan overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 82 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the A5 Sedan finishes in 28.62 s versus 28.98 s. The 0.36 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the A5 Sedan is capped at 242 km/h, the Born at 160 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 12.41 seconds. The 0.56 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.