Seeing a Model X Plaid destroy its competition has become somewhat of a bore lately because simply knowing it participates kind of gives away the ending. And no one wants to know the ending of a story, no matter how interesting the plot might seem. We want drama, excitement, ups and downs, a villain, and all that jazz. Well, this Sunday's race brings a bit of everything, minus a princess to save at the end.
The first hero of this story is the dual electric motor Model X Plaid that Tesla likes to tout as the "quickest accelerating SUV in production today." And it's not like they're lying or anything, because this puppy can deliver a whopping 1,020 hp (1,034 ps) with 752 lb-ft (1,020 Nm) of torque.
Its spec sheet boasts an estimated range of 333 miles or 536 km, it can hit 60 mph (96.5 kph) in just 2.5 seconds and can do a quarter-mile in 9.9 seconds. It's also the heaviest of the three, weighing in at 5,597 lbs. (2,539 kg). If, for some reason, you were wondering how much it might run you for, then I'll just leave this $111,630 (U.S.) price tag dangling in plain sight.
Next, we have an Italian beauty with a very ugly 'genre' or architecture category description, namely, the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), but luckily, its name rolls off the tongue: the SF90 Stradale. (Hand gesture optional). As a fun little fact, the nameplate was meant to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari.
This baby is packing a 4.0-liter V8 turbo engine that can output 986 hp or an even 1000 ps, with 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. With its 8-speed automatic F1 dual-clutch transmission and AWD system, this thing can hit 62 mph in only 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 211 mph (340 kph). It's way lighter than the Plaid, sitting thin and pretty at 3,461 lbs (1,570 kg).
If you don't want to bother with the math, it's precisely 2,136 lbs. (969 kg) lighter and its exhaust sounds better, too! Now, this being said, it does cost around $529,000, according to industry sources, which is a price tag we can't simply ignore.
The last 4-wheeled brave warrior of this mythic tale is another all-time favorite, the almost $510k Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Sadly, when we compare it to the other fabled heroes, it doesn't hold up as well on paper, even though it's armed with an astounding 6.5-liter V12 turbo engine capable of producing 759 hp (770 ps) with 531 lb-ft (720 Nm) of torque.
Its all-wheel-drive system and 7-speed automatic gearbox can make it fly toward the 62 mph (100 kph) mark in 2.8 seconds, while also clocking in at a maximum speed of 217 mph (349 kph). It too can wear a dress better than the Plaid can, weighing 3,362 lbs (1,525 kg), which puts it roughly in the same ballpark as the Ferrari.
Now, during the first attempt, the Tesla shot off from the starting line like a spaceship leaving the launching pad, leaving the SF90 and SVJ behind to battle among themselves. The Model X won without breaking a sweat, while the Ferrari came in second and Lambo in third. But what really happened?
Apparently, the SF90 ran into some problems during launch and didn't change gears properly, which ruined its start. Thus Mat from the 'carwow' YouTube channel that was in the Tesla decided they should do a repeat. And so they did... but the second time around, that half-a-million-dollar red Italian menace took off like a bat out of hell and stood neck-and-neck with the Model X all throughout the race.
It was a photo finish between these two, clocking in at 10 seconds flat, leaving the winner up to a visual interpretation. But from what I'm seeing, it sure looks like a no-contest win for the SF90 Stradale. (A top-down drone cam wouldn't have hurt.)
Oh, and the SVJ crossed the line in 10.8 seconds, so there you have it, ladies and gents, a rare occasion where the mighty Model X Plaid didn't obliterate its competition, save for the Aventador, but all in all, hurrah for team pony!
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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