It’s always a bad idea when two overpowered machines start racing against each other on public roads.
Both the BMW 3-Series E36 and the Volkswagen Golf IV offered high-performance variants. While the M3 came (outside the US) with a 3.2-litre, straight-six chugging 316 hp and 350 Nm (260 lb-ft) of torque (in its most potent form), the Golf R32 offered a 3.2-litre VR6 capable of boasting 237 hp and 320 Nm (240 lb-ft) of torque.
Needless, to say, both cars were already pushing the envelope of the vehicles they were based on, and the engineers who developed them wouldn’t have dreamed to make them more powerful. Even so, the two cars involved in this particular illegal street race were animated by V10 engines.
According to GT Speed, the Golf was sending 1300 hp to all four wheels thanks to the RS6’s gargantuan 5.0-litre bi-turbo V10, while the M3 was gathering its strength from a nitrous-injected V10 “borrowed” from an E60 M5.
Now, the most common issue with high-powered, modern engine swaps is that they’re rarely subdued with improvised electronic gizmos, such as stability or even traction control. Since implementing a bespoke nanny system can be time-consuming, expensive and complicated, most rely on their skill to control the beast under the hood.
That’s not (as) worrying in an all-wheel-drive vehicle, like the Golf, but when it comes to an old, RWD BMW, things become more serious. Even 250 hp can become a handful at times, not to mention 500 hp plus a shot of nitrous.
The footage recorded at this illegal race (that took place in Kosovo) shows exactly what happens when there’s a moment of negligence, too much power, and no electronic governor to individually brake each wheel. The outcome isn’t very pleasant, but luckily the Bimmer was equipped with roll bars and the driver escaped unharmed from the mess.