Precisely zero people will cross-shop the Porsche 911 and the Lucid Air, but that didn't stop Carwow from orchestrating a drag race to see whether ICE can still put up a good fight against an EV. The Zuffenhausen resident was a 911 Turbo S while its contender was the Dream Performance, so high-end variants of both the flat-six coupe and the dual-motor sedan.
While weight is the enemy of performance, the instant response of an electric motor shows you can offset the extra bulk in a straight-line acceleration test as long as you have ludicrous power. As tested, the Air Dream Performance tipped the scales at a colossal 5,235 pounds, thus making it over 1,600 lbs heavier than the 911 Turbo S.
2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe: First Drive
The heavier car wouldn't stand a chance in an ICE vs ICE duel, but the purely electric Lucid has 1,111 hp and 1,025 pound-feet whereas the Porsche has to make do with 640 hp and 590 lb-ft from its twin-turbo 3.7-liter gasoline engine. The Taycan Turbo S would've been a more logical contender but it’s interesting to see how a sports car from the old guard stacks up against a luxury family sedan that does away with the combustion engine.
Usually, we expect EVs to be quicker off the line in a drag race before the ICE begins to catch up but it was the other way around. The 911 Turbo S initially had an advantage until the Air Dream Performance closed the gap and went on to win the first two drag races. With the stability control system turned off during the third duel, the Porsche was even quicker at the start and managed to win after a photo finish.
The 911 had no chance in the subsequent rolling races to the half-mile mark, and it also lost when the two cars raced to the full mile. Yes, the Lucid managed to win even though the electronic top speed limiter kicked in at 168 mph. The Porsche did triumph in the last duel by being the first to come to a halt during the brake test from 100 mph.
Lest we forget the Air Dream Performance is not the range-topping version as the Sapphire has a tri-motor setup with 1,234 hp and 1,430 lb-ft. of torque.
