Every now and then, the right guy with the right video camera and a YouTube account uploads very unusual drag races. Unusual as in the cars competing are so different in specifications, powertrain and body style. But nevertheless, someone managed to record a drag race between an all-electric Tesla Model S and a Nissan GT-R. Just prepare for the (un)expected.
Oh come on, don't get ahead of yourself, betting on the Tesla Model S P85. Yes it has a powerful electric motor that sends 422 ponies and 601 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque to the rear wheels. Yes it can do the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) run in just 4.2 seconds. But that instantly delivered torque figure is worthless when you remember just how much the Model S P85 weighs: 4,647 pounds, which translates to 2,108 kilograms.
In comparison to that, the Nissan GT-R is lighter at around 3,830 pounds (1,737 kgs) and boasts with a twin-turbo V6 that churns out 550 horsepower and 628 Nm (463 lb-ft) of torque. But the Japanese supercar's party piece is its trick all-wheel drive system and launch control feature. With the right settings, you can get this thing off the line and up to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a blistering 2.86 seconds.
Despite the almost 30 percent difference in weight and the dissimilarity between internal combustion and all-electric power, the Tesla Model S gets off the line faster thanks to that 100 percent torque available from the get-go. But things will soon change and the Nissan GT-R will nudge ahead of the Tesla by a considerable margin by the end of this unusual but entertaining quarter mile drag race.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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