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Tesla Model Y Drag Races the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 for the Glory of Aerodynamics

With their constant and perfectly explainable fixation for efficiency, EVs were forced to become some of the most aerodynamic vehicles out there regardless of their body type.
Tesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag race 6 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot/TFLCAR
Tesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag raceTesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag raceTesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag raceTesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag raceTesla Model Y vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 drag race
Traditionally, SUVs have been known to suffer when it comes to slipping through the air unnoticed. You can't expect to have all the practicality of a vehicle this size and still be able to split the atmosphere efficiently. It's a tradeoff people have happily accepted this far, but with the advent of electric mobility, improving their aerodynamics became a top priority. Low drat means better efficiency, and better efficiency means more miles for the vehicle's maximum range.

The fact they don't require a front radiator grille (since there's no big engine to cool) helps EVs greatly as it allows the designers to come up with a nose that focuses on slicing the air rather than shoving it toward the intricacies of a classic engine bay. It's mostly because of this that Tesla was able to obtain a drag coefficient of 0.23cd for the Model Y crossover, prompting Musk to say that its mass and aerodynamics only cause a drop of 8-10 percent in the Model Y's maximum range compared to the Model 3 sedan.

The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63, on the other hand, is a classic example of what an SUV normally looks like. A tall and abrupt front end, an upright windshield, and a long body that ends as abruptly as it started. Sure, it may not be as bad as a G-Wagen, but its shape still isn't too far away from the proverbial brick.

Luckily, it has a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine (this particular one handcrafted by Patrick Köhler) with 612 hp and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of maximum torque, as well as the brand's 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system to help counter its deadly combo of poor aerodynamics and excessive weight (over 5,500 lbs or 2,500 kg).

Its opponent, the Tesla Model Y Performance, also tips the scale more than a vehicle its size should at 4,416 lbs (2,003 kg), but it's significantly slimmer than the GLS. It also has less power at 480 hp, yet we all know every EV's party trick: the maximum torque is available from the get-go and the vehicle's brain is very good at delivering it in the most efficient way that makes wheelspin a thing of the past.

The guys at The Fast Lane Car ran three head-to-head quarter-mile races, but the result was always more or less the same, despite switching drivers for the last outing. You think you can predict what happens? Probably, but watching it is cooler than having it run in your mind's eye alone.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"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)
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