Video: Heavily-Modded Nissan 370Z Catches Fire While Racing Tesla Model S Plaid

We know what you’re probably thinking, that the 370Z cannot possibly stand next to the Model S Plaid in a drag race, but it appears that this one was seriously modified. According to the video embedded down below, which is a little under 50 seconds long, it has 700 horsepower at the wheels, courtesy of a twin-turbo conversion, and other revised and replaced oily bits.

In the first run, which was filmed by the man riding shotgun in the Tesla, you can see the Nissan driver stepping on the gas, apparently from 60 mph (97 kph). For a short moment there, we actually thought he was going to win, especially since we had no idea that the person holding the wheel of the electric hyper sedan had yet to step on the throttle. But shortly after, he did, and the 370Z simply disappeared in the rearview mirror.

Confident that his ride has what it takes to put the Model S Plaid in its corner, the owner of the Japanese sports car lined up next to it for a second attempt, from a 60 mph (97 kph) rolling start. He had yet to finish the countdown, when you could hear a strange mechanical noise, and see smoke coming from the back end. The 370Z then disappears from sight and can be seen in the rearview mirror lighting up the road in a ball of fire.

It appears that the flames actually extinguished themselves right before the Nissan came to a stop, though not before damaging the back end of the car, as a picture of the aftermath, attached to the clip, shows. We don’t know how much it is going to cost to bring the powerful 370Z back on the road, but it should be quite a lot, as besides the burnt paint, it’s going to need some TLC in the mechanical department too.