With a spec sheet that outlines a total output of over 1,000 bhp and a 0-60 miles per hour time of under two seconds, the Tesla Model S Plaid modified by Unplugged Performance is a serious contender for any supercar or hypercar built today. But what about the supercars that were darlings of automotive TV shows from the 2000s and 2010s?
Well, the video above – published by Petersen Automotive Museum on its YouTube channel – tries to answer this question in the simplest way possible: a good, old-fashioned drag race.
Three Italian, attention-grabbing, V12-powered contenders race against the Model S Plaid modified by Unplugged Performance in a straight line. The best-known of the three is the Ferrari Enzo, a car so important at the time of its introduction in 2002 that it was given the name of the brand’s founder. With a 6.0-litre, 651 bhp engine that can rev up to 8,200 rpm, a 0-60 mph time of under four seconds, and a top speed of 217 mph, it’s certainly no slouch.
Gallery: Tesla Model S Plaid Modified by Unplugged Performance
Next is the Maserati MC12 from 2004, which is like a cousin to the Enzo, because it uses the same 6.0-litre V12 as the Ferrari, only it has a bit less power - 621 bhp. Still, it can accelerate to 60 mph in approximately 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 mph.
The newest of the three petrol-fed cars that take on the Tesla Model S Plaid is the Ferrari F12 from 2012, which has a total output of 730 bhp from its 6.3-litre V12 that feeds power to the rear wheels via a 7-speed, dual-clutch, F1-inspired transmission. It takes less than 3.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph and has a top speed of 211 mph.
Now that the spec sheets are out of the way, there can only be one winner out of the four cars. The numbers say that the Tesla Model S Plaid will silently devour (almost) anything it comes across in a drag race.
At the same time, the sound of the V12s roaring as they rev up on the drag strip might make some of you remember those supercar posters that were hanging on the bedroom walls.
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Source: Petersen Automotive Museum via YouTube