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Tesla Plaid Drags Ford Mustang GTs and the Unthinkable Doesn't Happen, Thrice

Soon, there will be only one. And yes, we are talking about the 'last of the ICE-powered Mohicans,' aka the 2024 Ford Mustang in EcoBoost and Coyote V8 (including Dark Horse) form. But does that help its case against the novel EV lifestyle?
Tesla Plaid vs Ford Mustang GT drag races 28 photos
Photo: Wheels / Wheels Plus / YouTube
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Look, as saddening as it may be, perhaps it's for the best that both General Motors and Stellantis have decided to avoid putting their pony and muscle car heroes at odds with the grands of the EV revolution. So, the Chevy Camaro's sixth generation will be retired after January 2024 and a singular 'Collector's Edition.' Meanwhile, the 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger are the last hurrahs of the V8s – also by way of no less than seven 'Last Call' special editions.

We also know that the final one – aka the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 – is a 1,025-hp monster on E85 capable of high eight-second glory if all planets align. And that is well into Tesla Model S Plaid territory, of course. But the Demon 170 will have very few opportunities to ascertain its dominion because no more than 3,300 units will be produced – to ensure maximum hype and collectability. And that means it may fall on the Ford Mustang to duke it out in 'ICE vs. EV' style for the time being.

Only that the latter, at least until the S650-based Shelby models come out to play, has little to no chance of succeeding. And there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have a couple of eloquent examples. The videographers behind the Wheels Plus and Wheels channels on YouTube were at MRP to catch the sights of a trio of ICE vs. EV brawls of the Ford Mustang GT versus Tesla Model S Plaid variety. Interestingly, we might have to rephrase that into 'videographer' because we have a suspicion that we are dealing with one and the same person (or team) playing with different yet related social media channels.

Anyway, back to the brawls at Mission Raceway Park – aka 'Thunder by the River' – the auto racing facility in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, put its NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile dragstrip to the test with help from a blue Plaid that was in a hurry to wipe the floor with its ICE-powered opponents. Those were a couple of Ford Mustang GTs, one crimson and one Convertible, depending on what video you are watching first. We wanted the coupe on top simply because it did not have the chance to a rematch, like the' Vert, on the other hand.

Well, it would have made no difference whatsoever, given the distance put between the feisty Tesla Model S Plaid and the slow but roaring Coyote-equipped Mustangs. Still, the latter two won our hearts because they delivered that sweet V8 music to our ears. Besides, we are also too ashamed to write their 13-second-something ETs when the Plaid was bound by EV honor to post mid-nine-second results!

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

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.
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