The Ultimate Drag Race: Porsche Taycan vs. Tesla Model S (Top Gear Video)

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Update: Is Top Gear Misrepresenting 2019 Tesla Model S Performance, Using Results From 2017?

@elonmusk FAKE NEWS * Top Gear used OLD test Numbers for #Porsche Taycan Turbo S vs #Tesla Model S Racehttps://t.co/ZCd4VHU1GU pic.twitter.com/iFnSxMHcqN

— DragTimes (@DragTimes) October 31, 2019

Originally published on X Auto.
by Iqtidar Ali | @IqtidarAlii

At last an outlet like Top Gear arranges something that’s really fun to watch. It’s not just a Tesla Model S P100D vs. Porsche Taycan Turbo S quarter-mile drag race — it is a war for pride between two loyal fanbases — the Porsche vs. the Tesla community.

When we saw the first-ever drag race between the Taycan and Model S Performance by a German auto show, it raised many eyebrows, but this time the race is much more transparent.

The Tesla Model S P100D still reigns as the quickest production car ever in the 0–60 mph arena (manufacturer specs), but it has now been faced with a worthy challenger — the Taycan Turbo S with each passing race between the two is proving to be a superior sports car in this department.

As soon as the Porsche Taycan launched last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk rushed to unleash the tri-motor Model S Plaid version. Model S Plaid prototypes are now visiting the Nurburgring Race Track every month in a quest to beat the Porsche Taycan lap time record for a 4-door electric car.

But according to Porsche, the Nurburgring record was set by the Taycan Turbo, not the flagship Taycan Turbo S, so much remains to been seen!

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The Results

The Porsche Taycan Turbo S finished the 1/4 mile drag race in 10.69 secs @ 131.6 mph (211.7 km/h) vs. the Tesla Model S crossing the finishing line in 11.08 secs @ 124.0 mph (199.5 km/h). The Taycan also topped the 0–60 mph (2.61 vs. 2.68 secs) and 0–100 mph (6.12 vs. 6.46 secs) times in this drag stretch.

Although the Tesla Model S P100D was quicker off the starting line, the Taycan Turbo S caught up later in the race and maintained the lead. A recent acceleration comparison showed that the Taycan is able to accelerate to top speed a lot faster than the Model S.

Although these drag races have little relevance to an electric car owner’s daily routine, it surely is about bragging rights, who reigns supreme on the race tracks — in a straight line or circuits with corkscrews and difficult turns.

Hopefully the Tesla Model S Plaid that is intended to go to production late next year brings the racing crown back to Tesla with better thermal management, drivetrain, and more torque, maybe even torque vectoring.

It’s a start. We expect these track times to be beaten by the actual production 7 seat Model S Plaid variant that goes into production around Oct/Nov next year.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2019