The electric automotive revolution is mostly upon us. However, there's a perspective to be shared because the future looks brighter depending on whether you're involved with Team Tesla or not.
Last year, Tesla almost snatched the world's best-selling nameplate title. However, Toyota reworked the calculations, and after initially losing to the RAV4 compact crossover SUV, it rekindled the top position with help from its eternal Corolla series. However, it only did it after bundling Corolla Cross sales with the rest of the passenger car lineup.
As such, Tesla's Model Y was robbed of a precious accolade that would confirm Elon Musk was right all those years ago. Never mind, it's still a significant achievement to place first in Europe, fifth at home in the United States, and second overall worldwide. Also, if Tesla also considered Model 3 and Model Y to be a singular series, they would have won the laurels. Anyway, speaking of the Model 3, it may be the base offering in the lineup, but that doesn't mean people don't like playing with it, even if there's no Plaid yet.
For example, it could easily represent the next best thing at the local quarter-mile dragstrip, as EVs have now become a major jeopardy for high-performance cars. So much so that nowadays, only tuned vehicles seem to handle the task of conquering the laurels of victory against the Tesla Model 3. But there is no need to take our word for granted because we have a proper example.
The good folks over at the racing-focused 'ImportRace' channel on YouTube love drags at Island Dragway but sometimes also enjoy some rolls at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, where the electronic scoreboards are currently missing in action, and the results are sent directly to people's smartphones. Also, the classic quarter-mile drags have morphed into 40 mph rolls for the time being.
Over there, a feisty Tesla Model 3 caught the videographer's attention. It featured a black hood and dark wheels to contrast its white body while battling the first of two S550 Ford Mustang GTs. The latter was quite the rascal, for sure, as even at 40 mph (64 mph), it almost lost control before roaring to a stellar victory. Secondly, a Cadillac ATS thought it could intervene, but the Tesla Model S twice showed it who's a modern EV boss.
Next up, a boosted S550 Ford Mustang GT was also keen to show its worth and roared to the finish line for another resounding ICE versus EV victory. Last but not least, a derelict-looking Audi also dared to challenge the EV sedan to combat, and it surely made a lasting pop-and-bang impression on everyone in attendance. Well, this wasn't the greatest outing for the EV, for sure, but who would have thought merely a decade ago that we would start using them as high-performance benchmarks?
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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