Audi S5 Avant vs Cupra Born VZ : which one is faster?
0-100 km/h, 400 m, 1000 m, top speed — physics simulation calibrated on 7 measures.
Simulation de performance
Race simulation at real speed
CONFIDENCE 97%Calibrated physics simulation: SCx via VMax, power curves, Crr via WLTP, drivetrain losses. Manufacturer 0-100 is the calibration target. Confidence 97 %.
S5 Avant vs Born VZ: chronicle of a drag race at 250 km/h
The launch: 0 to 100 km/h
Off the line, the S5 Avant hits 100 km/h in 4.53 s versus 5.73 s for the Born VZ. Despite lacking instant torque, 367 hp of power compensates. At this point, the S5 Avant leads by 1.21 s and sits roughly 20 m ahead.
From 100 km/h to 400 metres
At 200 metres, the S5 Avant is doing 142 km/h against 138 km/h for the Born VZ. The gap is 0.94 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.
At 400 metres standing start, the S5 Avant crosses the line in 12.83 s versus 13.96 s. The 1.12 s gap represents roughly 50 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.
Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play
Past 400 metres, the S5 Avant continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 197 km/h versus 160 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the S5 Avant finishes in 23.49 s versus 27.45 s, with a 3.97 s lead.
What the numbers don’t tell you
The S5 Avant features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the Born VZ’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 S5 Avant is capped at 250 km/h, the Born VZ 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 8.30 seconds. The 1.21 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.
Audi S5 Avant has a clear edge over the Cupra Born VZ to 100 km/h. This difference is clearly noticeable in spirited driving and widens on standing starts.