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Ferrari SF90 Owner Upgrades His Car To Defeat the Tesla Model S Plaid, but It's Not Enough

Trying to defeat the tri-motor Tesla Model S Plaid turns into a real challenge for this Ferrari SF90 Stradale owner. Tired of losing against the all-electric vehicle in drag races, the man upgrades his hypercar and compares the 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) times of both vehicles. The result isn’t satisfactory, to say the least.
Ferrari SF90 Stradale 6 photos
Photo: DragTimes on YouTube
Ferrari SF90 Stradale and Tesla Model SFerrari SF90 StradaleFerrari SF90 Stradale InteriorFerrari SF90 StradaleTesla Model S Ahead of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale
The $566,090 Ferrari SF90 Stradale is one of Italy’s latest and greatest vehicles. It’s packed with technology, looks exactly as someone would envision a vehicle carrying the prancing horse badge, develops enough power to keep the driver bolstered in their seat while accelerating, and it’s also a plug-in hybrid. There’s not much more you can ask for. There’s even a solution for the open-top experience – the SF90 Spider.

The 986 HP (1,000 PS) this vehicle can put out thanks to the blending of internal combustion engine and electric motor power, however, isn’t enough to defeat the all-electric Tesla Model S Plaid.

The $135,990 all-wheel-drive EV uses a tri-motor solution that can deliver the impressive figure of 1,020 HP (1,034 PS). The single-speed transmission transforms acceleration into an almost science fiction-derived feeling. There are no hiccups. Plus, there’s that steering yoke everyone was talking about when the car first surfaced.

Similarly, the Ferrari uses an all-wheel drive architecture to put its might to the ground. It’s also the first mid-engine vehicle coming from the Italian brand that isn’t rear-wheel drive. However, unlike Tesla, the power is managed with the help of an eight-speed automatic transmission. But, as the recording down below shows, using the best of both worlds for a high-performance powertrain ultimately ends up looking like a compromise. That’s what happens when the two vehicles are in a head-to-head run.

The owner’s video shows him comfortably defeating other Ferraris, Porsches, and McLarens, but the Model S Plaid always finishes the race ahead of the Italian hypercar.

To get his revenge on the “pesky” Tesla, the SF90 Stradale owner added new, stickier tires – the Toyo R888R. Then he started measuring the 0-60 mph acceleration. The result? Only 2.33 seconds. It’s still not enough. The Model S Plaid, under the right conditions and with the proper pre-race management, can get to 60 mph (97 kph) a little faster – all it needs are 1.9 seconds.

The electrified V8 might be able to accelerate until it runs out of gas, but it won’t defeat the EV until we’re entering the top speeds realm. The Ferrari is limited to 211 mph (340 kph), while the Tesla can reach 175 mph (282 kph) in Track Mode. Worth mentioning that an especially modified Plaid reached even 216 mph (348 kph). Maintaining this speed over a longer distance is a whole other story.

At the end of the day, we have reached an incredible time for the development of high-performance machines. Delivering a 0 to 60 mph time of under three seconds was regarded just recently as a major success. Now everyone’s trying to break the under two seconds threshold. It’s truly fascinating.

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About the author: Florin Amariei
Florin Amariei profile photo

Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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