Tesla Model X Plaid Carrying Six Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S

The Model X Plaid is so fast that it needs ballast to make drag races more exciting for viewers.

08:13

Dan Mihalascu

By: Dan Mihalascu

Jun 6, 2022 at 11:20am ET

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The Tesla Model X Plaid has proven itself in many drag races so far, including against the world's fastest-accelerating production car, the Model S Plaid.

But the insane quarter-mile acceleration is just one facet of the Model X Plaid's personality. It is also a roomy family electric vehicle that can transport six people in complete comfort and tranquility. But what if both the acceleration and practicality of the electric crossover were put to the test simultaneously?

That seems to be the logic behind DragTimes' unusual drag race between a Tesla Model X Plaid with six people on board and a stock 640-horsepower Porsche 911 Turbo S with only the driver inside.

On the surface, this should be an easy win for the 911, whose 0-60 mph time is officially 2.6 seconds (with the Sport Chrono Package), although Car and Driver did manage to stop the clock at 2.2 seconds in internal testing.

But this is a quarter-mile run, so the 0 to 60 time is not everything. Furthermore, the Porsche's 3.7-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine does not have instantaneous access to its peak torque of 590 lb-ft (799 Nm); the boxer unit needs to be revved between 2,500 rpm and 4,000 rpm for that to kick in.

Meanwhile, the Model X Plaid's 1,020-horsepower tri-motor AWD electric powertrain unleashes the peak torque from the get-go, which helps explain the magic behind making a 5,333-pound (2,419-kilogram) crossover rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds.

What do you think?

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That official acceleration time is recorded with only the driver inside, so the added weight of five more adults will surely take its toll on the Model X Plaid's performance. Or will it? The video above has the answer to that question, so we won't spoil it for you.

We'll only reveal that the battle was supposed to consist of three runs, but only two were needed to establish a winner. Can you guess which one that was?