Tesla Model S Plaid versus a wild AWD Mustang set up a nuts EV vs ICE drag race

The Tesla Model S Plaid is making quite a name for itself on the racetrack, but can it match up against a sub-nine-second AWD Mustang Hoonicorn in a drag race?

Notoriously, EV motors are not quite up to scratch with the biggest turbo engines that money can buy.

But when it comes to the Plaid, Tesla has hit the jackpot and there are fewer cars quicker off the mark.

YouTube account Hoonigan, famous for their drag racing episodes, has now pitted the Model S against one of their most fearsome cars yet in an AWD Mustang Hoonicorn.

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Tesla Model S Plaid versus 1,400hp AWD Mustang is a drag race for the ages

The Plaid was facing down the throttle of an incredible Ford Mustang, driven by the 14-year-old daughter of Hoonigan’s own late Ken Block, Lia.

The wild beast holds 1,400 horsepower with a twin-turbo V8 engine and weighs over 35% lighter than the Plaid at 3,000lbs.

Already this particular Plaid and driver combination had unseated a McLaren, and other Model S’ have taken down a Lamborghini Huracan on this same strip, proving that the Tesla cars are no joke.

This time, the drag race would have three heats, with the loser of each round determining a slight headstart for the next round.

The results

Heat one was the race everyone wanted to see, as the standard 1,000ft dead start rules applied.

The Tesla was off the line quickest, shooting into an early lead. But it was the Mustang that kicked its hooves into action around the 500ft mark and jet off to win by three furlongs.

The second heat saw the Plaid get a small five-yard advantage and the track shortened to 500ft.

Here, the Tesla held its own and maintained its car length advantage all the way to the finish line, taking down the Mustang with ease.

Finally, the third race was a dead-even 500ft drag race, with the scores all squared up.

The shortened heat saw both cars get off to a flying start, again, they’re nuts. But the race was only split by one-quarter of a car length as both crossed the line for a photo finish.

The winner: The Mustang.

The Tesla Model S Plaid could hold its head up high though. Not bad for a car that doubles as a race track EV phenomenon and a school-run sedan.

Hoonigan has produced some stellar matchups recently, most notably this drag race between a twin-turbo Mustang and a Suzuki Hayabusa.