Tag Archives: Plaid

Motorsport

A BMW M3 Needs More Than 1,000 HP To Keep Up With a Tesla Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid has proved to be a formidable drag racer. The electrical sedan’s triple-motor setup provides the automobile 1,020 horsepower, placing it in the identical efficiency class as modern-day hypercars. But it’s not invincible. A brand new video exhibits a gas-powered car, a tuned BMW M3 Competition, can nonetheless problem the last word EV for wins.

The M3 that traces up alongside the Tesla makes 1,039 hp, greater than double than it did when it left the manufacturing facility. Tom Wrigley Performance and R44 constructed the BMW, rising the horsepower by a number of upgrades to the twin-turbo straight-six engine. Those included improved cooling, a brand new exhaust system, upgraded turbochargers, and extra efficiency goodies.

The M3 needed to run on ethanol to maximise its output in opposition to the Tesla Model S. The EV’s triple-motor setup was barely much less potent than the BMW, nevertheless it did come to the race with all-wheel drive.

The pair competed in three drag races, and the primary run hinted on the struggle to come back. The BMW gained the opening race, crossing the end line in 9.7 seconds to the Tesla’s 10.2-second time. The Tesla gained the second and third races, beating the M3 by 0.1 seconds – 9.7 vs 9.8 seconds – however the BMW crossed the half-mile end line forward of the Model S.


Motorsport

Not Even 1,000-HP Porsche And BMW Can Beat This Tesla In Drag Race

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ll know the Tesla Model S Plaid is mighty quick. We’ve seen it beat all kinds of supercars in drag races and we know from a recent video it is also frighteningly fast around the Nurburgring. But can it compete against two very potent combustion-powered machines with heavy upgrades under the hoods? The short answer is yes.

But here’s the longer version. Carwow lines up a Model S Plaid against a heavily modified Porsche 911 Turbo and a tuned BMW M5. All three cars have around 1,000 horsepower and the Tesla is the heaviest at around 4,85 pounds (2,200 kilograms). As a reminder, it has a three-motor electric powertrain, which makes it one of the quickest production cars available on the market today with a claimed 0-60 miles per hour time of 1.99 seconds.

Against it, the Porsche relies on a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine with aftermarket intakes, a new titanium exhaust system, and a custom ECU remap. The result is a peak output of 1,011 hp. The 911 Turbo is the lightest of the trio tipping the scales at 3,637 lbs (1,650 kg). Last but not least, there’s an upgraded BMW M5. Its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 has been tuned and now delivers 1,000 hp. It is significantly heavier than the Porsche at 4,078 lbs (1,850 kg).

In the first three quarter-mile drag races, the Model S Plaid takes comfortable wins. The M5 driver then proposes that each car gets three passengers but the result isn’t much different. Actually, this puts the Bavarian sedan in an even worse situation losing to the Tesla and Porsche by a bigger gap. Things get even worse for the BMW during the rolling-start races.

Motorsport

Zeekr 001 FR Debuts As 1,265-HP Quad-Motor Rival For Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid, with its 1,020 horsepower, has dominated the high-performance EV market for over two years. However, this is about to change next month, at least in China.

China’s first Tesla Model S Plaid competitor, the Zeekr 001 FR, will start delivering its high-performance electric powertrain, which boasts an impressive 1,265 horsepower.

Built by Geely Group, the Zeekr 001 FR is based on the regular 001 mid-size liftback, recently launched in Europe, but it stands as a completely different beast.

While the most powerful version of the regular Zeekr 001 features a dual-motor powertrain producing 536 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, the 001 FR is equipped with four silicon carbide electric motors, delivering a jaw-dropping 1,265 horsepower.

This extraordinary power enables the Zeekr 001 FR to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 2.07 seconds in a rolling start scenario. Although details are scarce, implying a rollout is involved. In comparison, Tesla claims its Model S Plaid can reach 60 mph in just 1.99 seconds with a one-foot rollout. It’s worth mentioning that the Lucid Air Sapphire, with 1,234 horsepower, reportedly achieves 0-60 mph in 1.89 seconds, but no information on rollout is provided.

Since the length of Zeekr’s rollout and the fact that its acceleration time is measured to 62 mph rather than 60 mph are unknown, it seems that these three high-performance EVs will be very close in terms of acceleration. The ultimate winner will only be determined when these super EVs face off on the drag strip.

Aside from impressive straight-line performance, the Zeekr 001 FR also shines in corners, thanks to torque vectoring capabilities. This is made possible by its distributed quad e-drive design and in-house software and hardware technologies.