In case the red Tesla Model S P85D in the clip below looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen the double-motor Model S before Christmas. Perhaps it was when the P85D raced a Ferrari 550 Maranello or when it battled it out with a Lamborghini Aventador. Regardless, the owner of the Tesla is back with an answer for those who criticized his race with the Prancing Horse, stating it was unfair to pit the Tesla against a decade-old Ferrari.
This time around, a Ferrari 458 Italia was thrown at the Tesla. Yes, we know, this isn’t the perfect example either, since the 458 is set to receive an important twin-turbo upgrade soon. And while asking people to wait for that would simply be unreasonable, some might point out that a 458 Speciale would’ve been a better treat. Nevertheless, given the race with the Aventador, the thirst for stuff that goes north of the 458 Italia has already been quenched.
The races
The two raced on the highway, from a standing start. The Tesla driver explains it was all a quarter mile game, with the 1/4 mile marker sitting at the back of the overpass the two cars ran towards.
As always, theory is far from being able to paint the whole picture, but we’ll drop some numbers here anyway. The 4,936 lbs (2,239 kg) Tesla Model S P85D relies on 691 hp and all-wheel drive, while the obivously-RWD 458 Italia uses 570 hp to move its 3,274 lbs (1,485 kg) about.
In a pretty similar fashion to the Aventador race, the Tesla takes the lead and manages to hold on to it for a while, but the Italian exotics reign once the two start playing in triple-digit land. Still, at legal speeds the Model S walks these supercars.
However, there are a few aspects to be mentioned here
First of all, an update for the Tesla is coming. The thing is currently limited to 130 mph (209 km/h), with the coming months set to raise the bar to 155 mph (250 km/h) free of charge. Moreover, an (also free) over-the-air firmware upgrade to the power electronics will “improve P85D performance at high speed above what anyone outside Tesla has experienced to date."
Speaking of improving performance, we can’t help but notice that while the 458 was driven in Race mode, Launch Control was not used. This reminds us of the Aventador race, where the Sport mode meant both Launch Control and the blitz-shifts of the Corsa mode were skipped.
Fret not, the owner said he’ll be back with another video, which will allow the Raging Bull to show its full force.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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