Watch: The Tesla Model S Plaid Just Beat a Ferrari SF90 and Porsche 911 Turbo S in a Drag Race
Yes, the Tesla Model S Plaid has some impressive performance specs, but how does it match up with other high-performance cars?
Popular YouTube channel CarWow decided to find out, so it pitted Elon Musk’s most powerful EV against the Ferrari SF90 and Porsche 911 Turbo S in a series of drag races for a new video. And across three heats, the Model S Plaid showed that it can certainly hold its own.
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If you were just going by performance specs, you would probably think the Model S Plaid should be the clear favorite. The top-of-the-line variant of Tesla’s current flagship has a tri-motor power train that’s capable of pumping out 1,020 hp and 1,047 ft lbs of torque. The SF90, meanwhile, is powered by a hybrid power train that includes a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 and a trio of electric motors that combine to generate 986 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. Finally, the Turbo S’s 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six produces 640 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque.
The higher output should give the Tesla a leg up on the competition, but its heavier weight is far from advantageous. The Model S Plaid tips the scales at 4,828 pounds thanks to its 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, whereas the Ferrari and the Porsche weigh in at 3,461 pounds and 3,616 pounds, respectively. Remember that performance specialists, whether it be manufacturers or tuners, tend to do everything in their power to reduce a car’s weight as much as possible.
The Model S Plaid’s may have ended up being more than enough, though. In the first race, the Turbo S had the best start off the line, but the SF90 came out on top at the end, with the Tesla model in second. In the second and third races, though, the Model S Plaid was the strongest off the starting line and the first to the finish line. These weren’t official races, mind you, but the EV’s performance in all three is something Tesla can be proud of.
What might be most impressive about the Model S Plaid’s showing is that it came, presumably, without the aid of the EV’s upcoming Track Package. The performance kit—which includes new wheels, tires, and brakes—will let the powerful sedan finally accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under two seconds and hit a top speed of 200 mph. The kit is set to go on sale next month and will cost between $15,000 and $20,000.
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