Guy who bought the 'cheapest Tesla Model S Plaid in the US' with $100k discount and says it's faster than his Bugatti Veyron
- The battle between gas and electric rumbles on
- This time a Tesla Model S Plaid went up against a Bugatti Veyron
- Is the $47,000 or $1.7 million car faster?
Published on Feb 03, 2025 at 4:23 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Feb 05, 2025 at 9:54 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
In the latest battle between gas and electric, a Tesla Model S Plaid has gone up against none other than a Bugatti Veyron in a Kansas drag race.
The Tesla Model S Plaid was bought for a mere $47,000.
That’s almost $100,000 off its original manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $140,000 due to extreme electric car depreciation.
But how will it perform in a drag race against the $1.7 million Bugatti Veyron 16.4?
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The Tesla Model S Plaid
Tyler Hoover, aka Hoovie, of Hoovies Garage hated the Tesla when he first drove one four years ago.
However, you can’t argue with the EV’s impressive stats: 1,000HP tri-motor platform, and 0-60mph in just two seconds making it the quickest accelerating car in the world at the time.
It’s certainly faster off the mark than most.
However, according to Hoover, its ’10-year-old luxury sedan platformance’ means it’s ‘dead behind the eyes’.
“Other than death and taxes, the only other certainty in this world is massive massive electric car depreciation,” Hoover said.
He bought this for a song with 58,000 miles on the odometer for $47,000 before driving it 600 miles home in the middle of winter ‘when battery performance is at its worst’.
The Bugatti Veyron
The roughly $1.7 million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 model was produced between 2005 and 2011.
Similarly to the Plaid, it packs 1,000 horsepower, 16 cylinders, and four turbos and can accelerate from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds, meaning the Tesla is faster off the line.
“I think I know how this is going to go though, unfortunately,” Hoover said.
“I’m rooting for the Bugatti because it’s a lot more expensive.”
Which is faster?
We’ve seen this story play out before in an EV versus gas drag race with remarkably close results.
The Plaid is quicker off the line in the drag race due to instant electric torque and AWD traction.
However, the Veyron’s faster top speed of 253mph compared to the Plaid at 200mph means the supercar would likely win in a longer race.
Ultimately, at a mere fraction of the cost of its competitor, the Plaid holds its own but falls short due to the wet track.
With a dual English and French degree and NCTJ diploma, Amelia began her career doing award-winning writing and editing for titles and brands spanning Women's Health, the Telegraph, Boots, and Vitality. Amelia joined the SB Media family in September of 2023, bringing her expertise in SEO and reader takeaway. As Lead Editor, her superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a shareable story.
