Although many have questioned its performance bona fides on a track, no one questions the Tesla Model S Plaid’s abilities on a drag strip. Is it good enough, though, to take on the fearsome Hoonicorn?
As part of Hoonigan’s ongoing series, Hoonicorn vs the World, the highly modified 1965 Mustang is finally taking on the pride of the Tesla lineup, and one of the fastest production cars on earth, the Tesla Model S Plaid.
Packing 1,020 hp (1,034 PS/761 kW), the Tesla is powered by three electric motors that drive the front and rear wheels. On a prepped surface, the Tesla has been able to hit 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than two seconds, though times tend to stand at around 2.1 seconds on normal road surfaces.
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That’s impressive no matter which way you cut it but is especially so when you consider that the EV has four doors and tips the scales at 4,766 lbs (2,162 kg). With quarter-mile (403-meter) times recorded in the 9.2-second range, the car cannot help but impress when it launches hard.
The Hoonicorn, though, is no stranger to impressive cars. Weighing in at just 2,998 lbs (1,360 kg) and churning out 1,400 hp (1,419 PS/1,044 kW), it would seem to have the advantage on the spec sheet.
It is a testament to the straight-line performance of the Tesla, that a completely stock car, whose only modification is a window tinting treatment, could almost keep up with the Hoonicorn in the opening 1,000 ft (305-meter) race. With shorter races that follow, this is one of the closest races we’ve seen in the series.