Everybody knows how quick Teslas are and how formidable drag racing opponents they can make for almost any other car out there, but there is one catch: you need at least a dual-motor version, if not a Performance one, to make the most out of the electric powertrain's immense power reserve.
It's precisely that power combined with the availability that makes Tesla electric motors the preferred choice for anyone looking to turn a classic car into an all-electric restomod. We've seen Tesla units used in various vintage cars, from Ferraris to Land Rovers, and this 1970s Volkswagen Beetle makes no exception.
It's powered by a 450 hp electric motor from a Tesla Model S getting juice from a battery of unspecified capacity, but one that can't be too big considering the entire rig only weighs just over one ton (2,200 lbs). In fairness, that's accomplished through heavy use of carbon fiber panels as well as more modern peripherals such as brakes and wheels, but even so, that battery can't possibly be too big.
It's big enough for three standing quarter mile runs as well as two half-mile rolling starts, though, and that's really all we should care about. The Beetle belongs to a guy named Richard whose business is called Electric Classic Cars, a name that really doesn't require any further explanations.
So, according to Richard, the Bug is good for 450 hp and 498 lb-ft (675 Nm) of torque, all wrapped in a pretty lightweight package of just 2,315 lbs (1,050 kg). Its opponent for the day, though, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, is also renowned for being reasonably merciful with the scales – at least for a modern car. Even so, it's still nearly 850 lbs heavier at 3,152 lbs (1,430 kg), and even though it has 70 more horsepower, it's severely down on torque (346 lb-ft/470 Nm).
All-in-all, it should be an interesting confrontation. On paper, with the lower weight, the instant torque, and the lack of a multi-geared transmission, the Beetle just edges forward, but it may all come down to which one manages to put its power where it matters more efficiently.
Well, all that gets thrown out the window once they reach the half-mile roll race because the winner is actually decided by one of the Beetle's shortcomings that would never get exposed in the real world (i.e., on the street): its limited top speed. The EV classic seems to hit the ceiling at about 130 mph (210 km/h), whereas the GT3 RS has no problem whizzing past the old Volkswagen and taking the win.
However, we all know it's the standing quarter that matters, and that's one result we won't be spoiling for you. Let's just say it takes three races to settle the score, which is always the sign of a captivating contest.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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