Not long ago, Porsche updated the 2025 Taycan series with subtle design changes and massive upgrades under the skin. Now, there's a third contender for the title of fastest EV sedan.
More precisely, the refreshed 2025 Porsche Taycan and Taycan Cross Turismo look almost the same. Still, the Turbo S models now boast 938 horsepower, making them the most potent series-production automobiles in the company's history. Interestingly, they're less powerful than the 1,020 Tesla Model S Plaid and not as expensive as the 1,234-hp Lucid Air Sapphire, which costs $249k with all the bells and whistles included.
Speaking of the latter, the "impeccably" smooth luxury sedan's only quest was – obviously – to dethrone the Tesla Model S plaid from the pedestal of nine-second quarter-mile dragstrip performance. As such, it would be natural to assume that Plaid owners are keeping a safe distance from Lucid's Air Sapphire. On the other hand, that doesn't mean there aren't people who simply don't know or don't care to know anything about the monster lurking underneath the appearance of an immaculate EV sedan.
But there is no need to take our word for granted because we have an eloquent example. The good folks over at the racing-focused ImportRace channel on YouTube love drags at Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey, but sometimes also enjoy checking out other racetracks like Orlando Speed World Dragway or Bradenton Motorsports Park, for example.
Their latest feature embedded below comes directly from BMP, where an unsuspecting Nissan Z decided that it was about time for a modern 'David vs. Goliath' confrontation with the hulking Lucid Air Sapphire. It's possible that this dark little Nissan Z was tuned or something because otherwise, it would be extremely foolish to assume that a pocket-sized coupe with 400 hp from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 can do anything to vanquish a high-performance EV sedan.
Anyway, the inevitable occurred, and that blue Sapphire taught the nimble Z a straight-line lesson it may always remember. The ETs were a little hard to catch due to the absence of the electronic scoreboard, and don't be fooled by the results displayed on the videographer's smartphone – those were for the cars from the previous race. Instead, the correct ones are with the Sapphire posting a so-so 9.76s ET, which was more than enough to demolish the Z's 12.57s pass.
Well, at least during the day, the Nissan Z sounded marvelous when trying its Japanese muscle from a 40-mph roll start. Things are obvious, though. We must wait a little longer to see Nissan Zs in enough quantities to warrant some brawls with the Toyota GR Supra and the S650 Ford Mustang. At the same time, the Lucid Air Sapphire should take matching rivals like the Plaid or the 2025 Taycan Turbo S. And maybe that's when things will properly heat up at the local quarter-mile dragstrip, not before.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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