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Tesla Model S Plaid Races Bugatti Chiron, New Lucid Air Sapphire Obliterates Them Both

Remember when Tesla rolled out a three-motor option for the Model S? The Plaid still is ridiculously fast by current automotive standards, but can it show the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport a thing or two in the quarter mile?
The World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag Race 22 photos
Photo: Hagerty on YouTube
The World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag RaceThe World's Quickest Cars: Lucid Air Sapphire v Bugatti Chiron v Tesla Plaid - Cammisa's Drag Race
On paper, that would be a no. 4,828 pounds (2,190 kilograms), 1,020 horsepower, and 1,050 pound-feet (1,424 Nm) of torque make it heavier and less potent than the limited-run hypercar. Speaking of which, the quad-turbo W16 land missile tips the scales at 4,450 pounds (2,018 kilograms), belts out 1,479 hp, and makes 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Nm).

The Model S Plaid needs 2.1 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), two tenths quicker than the Chiron Pur Sport. Mounted with super-sticky rubber from Michelin, the handling-oriented hypercar boasts a 15 percent closer ratio spread at the expense of top speed. Be that as it may, it crosses the line slightly ahead of the Tesla, with both of them clocking 9.3 seconds. The Bugatti recorded a trap speed of 156 mph (251 kph), whereas the Tesla ran an impressive 152 mph (244 kph).

As the headline implies, Lucid obliterated both in the quarter mile despite weighing approximately 5,400 pounds (2,449 kilograms). The prototype in the featured clip rocks in excess of 1,200 horsepower from a three-motor setup. Scheduled to enter production in early 2023, the Air Sapphire carries a starting price of $249,000 in the U.S. and $325,000 in Canada.

2.1 seconds to 60 and 9.1 seconds at 156 mph (251 kph) in the quarter mile speaks volumes about this performance-oriented sedan that runs Michelin PS4S tires sized 265/35R20 up front and 295/30R21 in the rear. Still, does it stand a chance against a $39,500 Ducati Panigale V4 SP2?

Well, nope. The high-performance motorcycle is faster than both the Pur Sport and Plaid, clocking 157 mph (252 kph) in 9.3 seconds, but that Lucid is too much for this incredible motorcycle and its talented rider.

This episode of Jason Cammisa’s Drag Race, as with the previous one, was filmed at the Willow Springs International Raceway in California.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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