Audi RS 3 Sportback vs Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the RS 3 Sportback hits 100 km/h in 3.88 s versus 5.72 s for the Model 3 Long Range RWD. Despite lacking instant torque, 400 hp of power compensates. At this point, the RS 3 Sportback leads by 1.84 s and sits roughly 17 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the RS 3 Sportback is doing 150 km/h against 131 km/h for the Model 3 Long Range RWD. The gap is 1.36 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the RS 3 Sportback crosses the line in 12.08 s versus 14.16 s. The 2.08 s gap represents roughly 88 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the RS 3 Sportback continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 211 km/h versus 174 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the RS 3 Sportback finishes in 22.04 s versus 26.28 s, with a 4.24 s lead.

The RS 3 Sportback features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the Model 3 Long Range RWD’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the RS 3 Sportback is capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h, the Model 3 Long Range RWD at 225 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 9.03 seconds. The 1.84 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.