At CAR magazine, we take every new vehicle we feature to our test strip to gather data for our in-depth road tests. Sometimes, we see some pretty impressive results – this year, for example, a midsize family crossover achieved an average braking time on par with that of a supercar. Colour us impressed.
Below we have listed the best average 100-0 km/h times we’ve collected in 2018 (each vehicle goes through a punishing ten-stop procedure, allowing us to calculate its average braking time). To determine which car places higher in the event of a tie, we went back to the test results and looked at the best single braking time achieved by the vehicles in question.
10. Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupé: 2,79 seconds
Those red brake callipers behind the Michelin Pilot Sport-clad 19-inch alloys hint at this model’s stopping potential. Ventilated discs, 360 mm in diameter fore and aft, brought the Mercedes-AMG C63 S to a standstill in an average time of 2,79 seconds. However, a best single stopping time of 2,68 seconds saw this rear-wheel-drive V8 coupé place tenth on the list…
9. Volkswagen Polo 1,0 TSI 85 kW Highline DSG: 2,79 seconds
The 1,0-litre Polo inches past Affalterbach’s V8-powered brute with a best single braking time of 2,60 seconds (and an average of 2,79), placing ninth on this list. The small hatchback rides on 16-inch alloys wrapped in Falken Ziex 195/55 rubber. At the front, 276 mm ventilated discs can be found, with 230 mm solid items doing duty at the rear.
8. BMW M4 Coupé Competition Package: 2,78 seconds
Averaging 2,78 seconds from 100 km/h to standstill, the BMW M4 Competition Package takes eighth place. The Competition Package includes new springs and adaptive dampers, providing the driver with increased confidence when negotiating corners. But when hard braking is required, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres (size 265/30 R20 fore and 285/30 R20 aft) and 360 mm (front) and 350 mm ventilated discs (rear) bring this M4 to a swift stop.
7. Honda Civic Type R: 2,77 seconds
One of only two manual cars here and seventh-quickest from 100-0 km/h, the Civic Type R stops just 2,77 seconds after the brakes are applied. This front-driven hot hatch makes use of 350 mm ventilated discs up front and 305 mm solid discs at the rear. Contributing to its average stopping time are the 245/30 Continental Sport Contact 6 tyres wrapped round 20-inch black alloys (the latter complete with red accents).
6. Audi RS5 Coupé: 2,75 seconds
In the February 2018 edition of CAR magazine, we put the RS5 up against its German rivals. Not only did Ingolstadt’s RS5 coupé achieve an average 0-100 km/h time of 4,13 seconds (bettering the M4 Competition Package and the C63 S), but it managed to get from 100-0 km/h quicker than its rivals, too. It boasts 350 mm ventilated discs up front and 330 mm items at the rear, and Continental Sport Contact 6 rubber (275/30 R20 at each corner),
5. Nissan 370Z Coupé: 2,71 seconds
Making it into the top five is this, the old-school Nissan 370Z Coupé. Foot hard on the brake, clutch in and in an average time of 2,71 seconds this Japanese sportscar came to a halt. Unfortunately, the 355 mm ventilated discs at the front and 350 mm stoppers at the rear couldn’t stop the Nissan quick enough to beat the Audi TT RS’s best single recorded time.
4. Audi TT RS Quattro S tronic: 2,71 seconds
The TT RS came close to the podium with a best 100-0 km/h time of 2,49 seconds – the quickest single braking time we recorded in 2018. However, consistency is key, and the Audi’s sticky 255/30 R20 Pirelli P Zero tyres and ventilated stoppers (370 mm at the front and 310 mm at the rear) managed to achieve a terrific average braking time of 2,71 seconds.
3. Opel Grandland X 1,6T Enjoy AT: 2,70 seconds
That midsize family crossover we mentioned earlier? This is it … the Opel Grandland X 1,6 Enjoy. Built on the same platform as the Peugeot 3008, which likewise placed third in 2017 with an average braking time of 2,70 seconds, the Opel punched well above its weight. Indeed, this German crossover, boasting 305 mm and 268 mm ventilated discs front and rear, averaged a braking time on par with that of the McLaren 720S. But the crossover’s best time of 2,67 seconds wasn’t enough to grab the silver.
2. McLaren 720S Coupé: 2,70 seconds
The McLaren’s large ventilated discs (390 mm at the front and 380 mm at the rear) and grippy 305/20 P20 Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres brought it to a halt in a best time of just 2,54 seconds, delivering a knockout blow to the Opel and seeing it claim second place.
1. Audi S4 Quattro Tiptronic: 2,64 seconds
It seems the engineers at Audi have perfected the recipe for impressive braking times. The S4 is the third car from the Ingolstadt-based automaker to feature on this list. The same ventilated discs as those found on the RS5 are fitted to this German sedan. The S4 scored gold for achieving the fastest average braking time of all the cars we’ve tested in 2018…
