MotorTrend's World Greatest Drag Race 7 (Tesla Model S P100D included)

[Sticky]

Hot on the heels of MotorTrend's 2017 Best Driver's Car competition comes their World's Greatest Drag Race where they have the contestants face off in a straightline contest. They did make one change though by replacing the Miata (which had no chance) with a Tesla Model S P100D.

Racing from a stop is the Tesla's game. It shows as it gets a lead off the launch with the 911 Turbo S hot on its heels.

Surprisingly, nobody is able to pass the Tesla in time. It runs a 10.5 @ 125 (GPS time) in the 1/4 mile. This is what happens when you do not have a prepped strip or drag rubber for powerful RWD cars.

The rest of the times are below in order of trap speed but as stated BoostAddict.com believes the Ferrari is a ringer based on real world results from owners.

[Blown6]

It runs a 12.5 @ 125 (GPS time) in the 1/4 mile.

Sticky, you mean 10.5 @ 125

[Sticky]

Sticky, you mean 10.5 @ 125

Whoops, typo. Thanks.

[Blown6]

Whoops, typo. Thanks.

350hp cayman almost as quick as the 650hp camaro?

Whats up with the Turbos trap speed, it usually cracks 130mph!

[Enfiftyfore]

Go home Lexus, you're drunk.

[Stevenh]

Whats up with the Turbos trap speed, it usually cracks 130mph!

Ferrari probably had their crew running around adding 85 octane to the other cars' tanks.

After watching the video: Me thinks Motor Trend staged the footage or fudged with the numbers to create controversy. The 911 turbo was literally right on the Tesla's door through the whole race, but it somehow managed to trap 4+mph faster higher without ever passing it?

When you're pulling on a car at 5mph that is a slow jog, not walk, away from the slower car. Doesn't add up.

[Blown6]

Ferrari probably had their crew running around adding 85 octane to the other cars' tanks.

After watching the video: Me thinks Motor Trend staged the footage or fudged with the numbers to create controversy. The 911 turbo was literally right on the Tesla's door through the whole race, but it somehow managed to trap 4+mph faster higher without ever passing it?

When you're pulling on a car at 5mph that is a slow jog, not walk, away from the slower car. Doesn't add up.

While adding 100 octane to theirs...

Its real hard to gain a perspective in Motor Trend drag races as they quickly keep switching between cars so you never really see who is gaining on who.

Teslas are getting too quick, thats the the first time a 4door has won the yearly MT drag race

[Markblackwell]

Great Video,
As a Turbo S owner I say they need a rematch

[Sticky]

Ferrari probably had their crew running around adding 85 octane to the other cars' tanks.

After watching the video: Me thinks Motor Trend staged the footage or fudged with the numbers to create controversy. The 911 turbo was literally right on the Tesla's door through the whole race, but it somehow managed to trap 4+mph faster higher without ever passing it?

When you're pulling on a car at 5mph that is a slow jog, not walk, away from the slower car. Doesn't add up.

Exactly.

This doesn't make any sense. Off the line the 911 Turbo is right there with it. You're telling me it doesn't pass by the 1/4 mile mark? BS

The Turbo isn't affected by the crappy surface like the RWD cars.

[Bowser330]

Ferrari probably had their crew running around adding 85 octane to the other cars' tanks.

After watching the video: Me thinks Motor Trend staged the footage or fudged with the numbers to create controversy. The 911 turbo was literally right on the Tesla's door through the whole race, but it somehow managed to trap 4+mph faster higher without ever passing it?

When you're pulling on a car at 5mph that is a slow jog, not walk, away from the slower car. Doesn't add up.

+1000

No way a Tesla P100D is holding off a 911 Turbo or Ferrari F488 (which was also right next to it) at over 100mph, the fact they aren't pulling harder is most definitely suspect.

There are angles where it looks like the TurboS out launches the Tesla, i bet it actually DID on one of the takes they filmed...

The whole thing is staged. My good friend used to work for Motor Trend Video and told me they could never get everyone to launch at the same time so they launch and run NUMEROUS times together to get the footage they need to put the cars in the right order. How do they determine the right order you ask? They run the cars a few times by themselves and see who is quickest/fastest. They then edit it all together to make it seem like one, single, very big race all the way to the finish line.

They justify the video editing and staging by saying the order of the cars is still the same as the data from the single runs. It's all editing, its a car magazine after all did you actually expect better?

^ Truth

[[email protected]]

Watching many Tesla on the drag I just knew it would have gotten out ahead but thought it would have gotten picked down early though.

[Sticky]

The whole thing is staged. My good friend used to work for Motor Trend Video and told me they could never get everyone to launch at the same time so they launch and run NUMEROUS times together to get the footage they need to put the cars in the right order. How do they determine the right order you ask? They run the cars a few times by themselves and see who is quickest/fastest. They then edit it all together to make it seem like one, single, very big race all the way to the finish line.

Who is your friend?

That's messed up if true.

Just entertainment more than anything else.

At least they could publish the data from each run...

[subaru335i]

The rwd cars had a severe disadvantage and if what Bowser said is right (and I don't doubt it) this test means nothing.

[bmwsport]

We had an electric car show the other weekend. Part of National Electric Drive Week. It was my job to provide test drives in a P100D for 6 hours straight. The instant response and violent acceleration in near silence is eerie. Most of my passengers said they could feel the blood rushing out of their heads. You have to give the Tesla some respect for how quick it is considering the following handicaps:

A. The Tesla weighs over 5000 Lbs
B. Has only a single gear to run 0-150mph. (Imagine a gas engine taking off in 4th gear??)
C It takes over 600lbs of battery to equal one gallon of gas in energy content.
D. This test was run at almost sea level. Do it again at 6000FT or higher DA and see how the gap grows even more.
E. The highly efficient Tesla is more efficient than a Prius. 70MPGe +
F. Tesla can run 10 second times on all season tires, with nary a squeal.

Real world launch or 40-70 mph pass in a Tesla is so instantaneous most gas cars would be a car length behind by the time they find the right gear and build boost.

Here is an interesting kit car using an older Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries. Thing runs in the 9's

http://insideevs.com/tesla-powered-8...seconds-video/


Some people will say all an electric car is good for is the 1/4 mile.

Another guy electrified a Lotus Elise with a Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries, beating all kinds of cars at the local road course.

FYI: One of the fastest production cars around the Nurburgring happens to be all electric also:

https://nurburgringlaptimes.com/lap-times-top-100/

[subaru335i]

We had an electric car show the other weekend. Part of National Electric Drive Week. It was my job to provide test drives in a P100D for 6 hours straight. The instant response and violent acceleration in near silence is eerie. Most of my passengers said they could feel the blood rushing out of their heads. You have to give the Tesla some respect for how quick it is considering the following handicaps:

A. The Tesla weighs over 5000 Lbs
B. Has only a single gear to run 0-150mph. (Imagine a gas engine taking off in 4th gear??)
C It takes over 600lbs of battery to equal one gallon of gas in energy content.
D. This test was run at almost sea level. Do it again at 6000FT or higher DA and see how the gap grows even more.
E. The highly efficient Tesla is more efficient than a Prius. 70MPGe +
F. Tesla can run 10 second times on all season tires, with nary a squeal.

Real world launch or 40-70 mph pass in a Tesla is so instantaneous most gas cars would be a car length behind by the time they find the right gear and build boost.

Here is an interesting kit car using an older Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries. Thing runs in the 9's

http://insideevs.com/tesla-powered-8...seconds-video/


Some people will say all an electric car is good for is the 1/4 mile.

Another guy electrified a Lotus Elise with a Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries, beating all kinds of cars at the local road course.

FYI: One of the fastest production cars around the Nurburgring happens to be all electric also:

https://nurburgringlaptimes.com/lap-times-top-100/

Why do they use volt batteries?

[bmwsport]

Why do they use volt batteries?

It is merely a cheap and plentiful source to find a salvaged Volt Battery, that's all.

It is amazing that the EP9 beat that track toy Radical SR8LM by over 2 seconds.

Radical SR8LM run:


Website with more Nio ep9 info: http://www.nio.io/ep9

[Traf]

Damn the Ep9 is wide as f*** Sure helps with cornering

[spool twice]

thanks for posting, reading this on MT's own advertisement infused website makes it difficult. It's like using weather.com for weather with the dumb video's and ad's that slow it down.

[Sticky]

thanks for posting, reading this on MT's own advertisement infused website makes it difficult. It's like using weather.com for weather with the dumb video's and ad's that slow it down.

Someone needs to sort through the bull$#@!. Might as well be me.

[Sticky]

We had an electric car show the other weekend. Part of National Electric Drive Week. It was my job to provide test drives in a P100D for 6 hours straight. The instant response and violent acceleration in near silence is eerie. Most of my passengers said they could feel the blood rushing out of their heads. You have to give the Tesla some respect for how quick it is considering the following handicaps:

A. The Tesla weighs over 5000 Lbs
B. Has only a single gear to run 0-150mph. (Imagine a gas engine taking off in 4th gear??)
C It takes over 600lbs of battery to equal one gallon of gas in energy content.
D. This test was run at almost sea level. Do it again at 6000FT or higher DA and see how the gap grows even more.
E. The highly efficient Tesla is more efficient than a Prius. 70MPGe +
F. Tesla can run 10 second times on all season tires, with nary a squeal.

Real world launch or 40-70 mph pass in a Tesla is so instantaneous most gas cars would be a car length behind by the time they find the right gear and build boost.

Here is an interesting kit car using an older Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries. Thing runs in the 9's

http://insideevs.com/tesla-powered-8...seconds-video/


Some people will say all an electric car is good for is the 1/4 mile.

Another guy electrified a Lotus Elise with a Tesla motor and Chevy Volt batteries, beating all kinds of cars at the local road course.

FYI: One of the fastest production cars around the Nurburgring happens to be all electric also:

https://nurburgringlaptimes.com/lap-times-top-100/

You make a good argument.

That said, the Tesla should not have won this drag race and I think they did it for views.

[bmwsport]

You make a good argument.

That said, the Tesla should not have won this drag race and I think they did it for views.

Yeah, it is such a strange, staged video. Look at the video in the 5:04 mark. You can see the Tesla does instantly jump a car length in front of everyone including the Ferrari. But you don't even see the nose of the Porsche 911 next to it. Bad launch for the Porsche in that take of the video? Yet other angles show the Tesla not ahead by the car length right after the launch. But yes, after all their instrumented testing, the numbers reflected are probably accurate, including that ringer of a car Ferrari.

Electric motors definitely have a power curve too. Sure they have instant response, but they do have a sharp torque and HP fall off after a certain RPM. So while a gear box can help with top end performance, the complexity and reliability factors just don't justify it on most cars but some exotic EVs. FYI, half of the Formlula E cars have a 2 speed, and the other half don't. The BMW i8 has a 2 speed GKN unit on the front axle motor also.

Contrary to internal combustion engines, high altitude thin air can actually help an EVs performance through reduced air drag.

[Blown6]

Can anyone locate a 0-150mph time for the p100d?

[Sticky2]

Does it even hit 150?

[Blown6]

Does it even hit 150?

LOL sticky, tell me your joking!

[Stevenh]

LOL sticky, tell me your joking!

I'm pretty sure it doesn't get there. Single speed so its limited by gearing and RPM motor will spin.