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Mercedes-Benz S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This Ends

One of my friends is thinking about buying a new car. And he wants something that's both fast and comfortable at the same time. But mixing those two characteristics is most likely going to prove expensive. I feel that it's best to commit to one or the other. There's also the option of buying two cars, each to serve a single purpose.
Mercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This Ends 19 photos
Photo: CarWow
Mercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This EndsMercedes S-Class Drag Races Tesla Model S, You Know How This Ends
And that brings us to the comparison at hand. On one hand, we're looking at a luxurious Mercedes-Benz S-Class, that comes with a 6-figure price tag. On the other, we've got a slightly more affordable Tesla Model S. This isn't going to be as comfortable, but it's most likely going to be faster. This drag race may not make sense to most people. Some may even look away to ignore the EV's superior performance.

This entry-level S 500 is powered by a turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine that's capable of producing 429 horsepower and 384 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque. It's not a light car, at 4,552 lbs (2,065 kg), but it does have the benefit of AWD. According to Mercedes-Benz, this should be capable of accelerating from a standstill up to 60 mph (96 kph) in 4.9 seconds. The Tesla Model S weighs in at 5,048 lbs (2,290 kg), but it does come with a dual motor setup.

That makes for a crushing 589 horsepower and 920 lb-ft (1,247 Nm) of torque. With those figures in mind, this isn't going to be a matter of who is going to win. It's just down to how much faster the Model S will be at the end of the day. As soon as the two cars are off, the Tesla takes the lead. It needed 12.2 seconds to complete the standing quarter-mile (402 meters) run. The Benz needed an extra 1.4 seconds to cross the finish line.

The experiment continues with a roll-race from 30 mph (48 kph). The conclusion is no different, and we can only imagine what would have happened if the Mercedes would have been an AMG model. In an attempt to even the odds, the two drivers decide on a re-run, this time starting from 80 mph (128 kph). At the end of it, the gap isn't as big as it was in the first two runs. But it's still the Tesla that comes out on top. At least the Mercedes manages to make a comeback in the braking test!

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
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The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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