Semi-trucks battle in hilarious drag-race showdown
- Two British YouTubers raced two semi-trucks in a hilarious drag race
- In what was probably the slowest drag race ever, they tested breaking and acceleration
- It was a Scania R500 vs. a Mercedes Actros
Published on Feb 13, 2025 at 11:54 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Feb 14, 2025 at 10:37 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Two semi-trucks have gone head-to-head in a hilarious drag race.
In what could probably be described as the slowest drag race ever, the two semi-trucks were put through their paces.
The trucks, a Mercedes Actros and a Scania R500, were tested for speed, acceleration, and braking.
The content creators were in fits of laughter, realizing that it wasn’t exactly a usual drag race.
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A very unlikely drag race
Two car YouTubers from the UK called Mat and Yianni had an unlikely, and frankly hilarious drag race in two massive semi trucks.
On one side we had Mat in the Mercedes Actros and on the other side we had Yianni in a Scania R500, both fairly well matched in terms of horsepower.
But the Scania does somewhat edge out the Mercedes when it comes to a bigger engine, a fact that Mercedes reassured Mat was nothing to worry about.
When they set off for their first race, without any load, the Scania narrowly won the speed test with 0.1 second to spare.
However, much to Mat’s horror, he discovered a ‘power mode’ button that could’ve easily won him the race if he’d noticed it earlier.
When both the semi-trucks were fully loaded at 44 tons, the Scania won with more of a margin, 35.4 seconds to the Mercedes’ 38 seconds.
What is the king of semi-trucks?
The next round involved a rolling race with a 20mph start, and shockingly the Mercedes made a comeback, beating the Scania.
When it came to breaking, once again the Mercedes had a comeback, with a significantly quicker full emergency stop when compared to the Scania, however Yianni admitted that he didn’t think he fully pressed the break pedal properly.
When it came to acceleration, the Scania proved it was king, but the Mercedes really shone when given the chance to show off its emergency breaking skills at high speeds.
As both semi-trucks won the same number of tests, they couldn’t crown an overall winner.
But not all was lost because the race was hilarious, and anything but a drag!
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
