Tesla Model 3 Drag Races Ferrari 488, Internal Combustion Loyalists Won't Like How It Ends

Beginning with their powertrains, the Fezza packs a twin-turbo V8 as opposed to a pair of electric motors for the Model 3 Performance. It's rear-wheel drive rather than all-wheel drive, putting the 488 GTB at a serious disadvantage. Looking at the bigger picture, bear in mind the Ferrari is lighter than Tesla's entry-level performance car.

Launched in 2015, the 488 GTB is listed with a dry weight of 1,370 kilograms (3,020 pounds). The curb weight is 1,475 kilograms (3,252 pounds) in European spec. In addition to being a four-door sedan, the Model 3 Performance is heavier still due to its high-voltage battery. Tang claims 1,844 kilograms (4,065 pounds), which is correct.

Pictured in RHD because the video was filmed in Thailand rather than Europe or the US, the cars duked it out over the quarter mile no fewer than five times. Tang won a single drag race in the 488 GTB, namely the first. His buddy got revenge in the following race, then proceeded to assert dominance in the remaining quarter-mile showdowns.

At the end of the day, the Model 3 Performance's best time was 11.58 seconds. By comparison, the 488 GTB clocked a rather impressive 11.66 seconds. Not bad for a supercar from a decade ago, right? Unfortunately, a hi-po internal combustion engine doesn't really stand a chance against the near-instant torque of an electric powertrain.

This reality, together with increasingly restrictive fuel economy and emission regulations, forced the Prancing Horse of Maranello to join the dark side. During the Italian automaker's Q3 2023 earnings conference call, big kahuna Benedetto Vigna confirmed that an electric vehicle is due to launch in 2025. The mystery EV doesn't mean that Ferrari will become an overpriced version of Tesla.

Lest we forget, Germany and the European Union reached a deal that allows new combustion-engined vehicles to be sold in the Old Continent past the 2035 phase-out deadline as long as they run on carbon-neutral synthetic fuels. Under this exemption, Ferrari will be much obliged to keep its V12s and V8ss alive for the foreseeable future.

Over at Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer produced 1.8 million vehicles and delivered 1.8 million vehicles in 2023. Still the biggest name in the EV space, Tesla may soon hit 2 million vehicles due to the aesthetically challenged Cybertruck.

Elon Musk has estimated 12 to 18 months for the Cybertruck to reach a yearly production volume of 250,000 units, which is hugely ambitious. Then again, few people gave Tesla a chance when they were struggling to ramp up Model 3 production.