As we have seen time and time again, the Tesla Model S and Model X are some of the quickest cars on the market when it comes to straight-line acceleration. Since the release of the Model S, tens of thousands of Tesla’s performance models have been putting other racers to shame at the drag strip.
So who do you race when the latest Model S Plaid can accelerate 0-60 in just 1.98 seconds? You take on your fellow Model S and X drivers of course.
YouTube channel CarWow recently took six performance Teslas to the drag strip to do just that. Entering the competition are three Model X’s and three Model S’s. Each nameplate is represented by one P100D, one Raven and one Plaid model.
To be clear, there is no expectation that the older models might win in a drag race. The goal was just to see how they performed relative to one another on the same track and under the same conditions. There was a surprising result in the braking test, however.
Vehicle Stats
| Model | Motor | Horsepower | Torque | Weight |
| Model S Plaid | Tri-Motor | 1020 | 1,420nm (1047lb-ft) | 2,190kg (4,828 lbs) |
| Model X Plaid | Tri-Motor | 1020 | 1,420nm (1047lb-ft) | 2,464kg (5,432 lbs) |
| Model S Raven | Dual Motor | 778 | 1,140nm (778lb-ft) | 2,255kg (4,971 lbs) |
| Model X Raven | Dual Motor | 778 | 1,140nm (778lb-ft) | 2,552kg (5,626 lbs) |
| Model S P100D | Dual Motor | 671 | 950nm (701lb-ft) | 2,292kg (5,053 lbs) |
| Model X P100D | Dual Motor | 534 | 755nm (557lb-ft) | 2,505kg (5,522 lbs) |
Looking at the specs, you'd probably be able to predict that the Model S Plaid led the pack and the rest of the models fell into line. This is precisely what happened.
The only potential difference maker in the first race was that the driver of the Model S P100D had a very poor launch. This allowed the Model X P100D to pull ahead initially. But the S managed to catch up and pull away again after a few seconds.
Standing Quarter Mile
| Model | Time (seconds) |
| Model S Plaid | 9.6 |
| Model X Plaid | 10.2 |
| Model S Raven | 11.0 |
| Model X Raven | 11.5 |
| Model S P100D | 12.2 |
| Model X P100D | 12.8 |
Up next was the rolling start quarter mile and in this scenario, the Model X Plaid was able to mostly keep pace with the Model S Plaid. The Model S Raven was also able to keep up with the Plaid models for a second or two before the newer models pulled ahead.
For the final race, the weather took a turn for the worse. A sudden downpour made for slick road conditions and poor visibility. Frustratingly, the Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid automatic wipers would not activate, and neither driver could see ahead of them. Both cars still pulled well ahead of the pack, but this was a less impressive showing thanks to these conditions.
After the rain let up, the crew decided to finish off with a braking test and one more standing quarter-mile race on the now slick drag strip.
On the braking test, the P100D S and X managed to beat their respective Raven rivals. The Model X Raven performed especially poorly on this test, stopping far out from the rest of the pack.
Finally, the crew took one last crack at the standing quarter mile with the new wet road conditions. Results were between .6 and .7 seconds behind the initial showing for each model. The Model X Plaid performed surprisingly well here, only adding .3 seconds to his time.
Standing Quarter Mile (Wet Conditions)
| Model | Time (seconds) |
| Model S Plaid | 10.3 |
| Model X Plaid | 10.5 |
| Model S Raven | 11.7 |
| Model X Raven | 12.1 |
| Model S P100D | 12.5 |
| Model X P100D | 13.7 |
No one will be surprised by the performance of the Plaid models on the track here. But a few interesting results. Hopefully, we'll finally be able to pit these two against a second-generation Tesla Roadster soon for some real competition.
