Can some of the most sought-after sports cars with yesterday's powertrain technology compete with the electric champions of today. How will Ford and Dodge's iconic muscle cars fare against Tesla's flagship performance sedan?
The Tesla Model S is one of the quickest cars ever produced, and that's been the case for some time now. However, the all-electric brand's flagship model has evolved over the years, and the latest iteration is even quicker than Model S Performance variants of the past.
The Model S Plaid is not only the quickest accelerating vehicle Tesla has ever produced, but also the quickest production car on the road today. According to Tesla, it can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just under 2 seconds and cover a quarter-mile pass in just 9.23 seconds.
While the conditions have to be absolutely perfect for the Plaid to pull off a 1.99-second zero-to-60-mph time, this Tesla has proven it can do it over and over again in just a little over 2 seconds, which is arguably more than impressive enough.
The Plaid features three electric motors, all-wheel drive, 1,020 horsepower, and a top speed of 200 mph, though Tesla currently has the top speed limited to 175 mph. A software update may eventually unlock the Model S' true top speed. The Plaid also offers an impressive 396 miles of electric driving range. It carries a starting price of $135,900.
In the video above, we get to see the Model S Plaid face off against a Dodge Charger Hellcat in a quarter-mile drag race. However, the race against the Hellcat comes after the Plaid challenges a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with a manual transmission in an eighth-mile race.
Place your bets. How do you think this gasoline versus electric battle plays out? Will it even be close?
Before you come up with an answer, we will tell you that the Shelby gets a nice jump off the line before the Plaid begins accelerating. However, when facing off against the Hellcat, the Model S gets a solid start, but it appears the driver of the Charger forgets which pedal to press.
