AutoTrader UK is facing controversy over a video of the Tesla Model S vs. Lamborghini Huracán drag race their YouTube team released last month. When a YouTuber and Tesla fan Sam Alexander pointed out a potential issue that could’ve been the reason for the Model S’s defeat, AutoTrader punished him with a copyright strike on the popular video streaming platform.
Sam used 48 seconds of footage from the drag race video to share that the Tesla Model S battery was at only 30% state-of-charge (SOC) before the race. But instead of clarification, AutoTrader misused their DMCA takedown powers to belittle a smaller YouTuber and tried to shut the voices of criticism.
At 30% SOC, a Tesla or any EV cannot perform a launch at its full potential. However, AutoTrader, later on, said that this shot was taken in the evening after several drag races took place. Still, Sam Alexander further investigated only to find out that the Model S Performance reached the 1/4-mile finish line 0.8 seconds after the Huracán Performante which should’ve been only 0.2 seconds according to independent testing stats.
Now AutoTrader puts the same Tesla Model S Performance against multiple supercars in another drag race. An Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante, Lamborghini Huracán Performante (yes again), and a McLaren 540C, and the Porsche Taycan 4S.
Taycan 4S is the entry-level variant of the Porsche Taycan but it’s still pretty much capable of beating many ICE sports cars on the dragstrip. Aston Martin cars have been my childhood fantasy, especially the design and Tesla Model 3 and Model S are what I think have somewhat of an Aston touch in their design philosophy.
Let’s go over some basic specs comparison of all the 5 cars involved in this drag race before jumping to the actual video.
| Cars | Engine/Battery pack / Drivetrain | 0-100 km/h | Top Speed | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model S Performance | 100 kWh / AWD | 2.5 s | 162 mph (261 km/h) | 615 kW (836 PS) |
| Lamborghini Huracán Performante | 5.2 L V10 / AWD | 2.6 s | 201 mph (325 km/h) | 470 kW (639 PS) |
| Aston Martin DBS | 5.2 L Bi-Turbo V12 / RWD | 3.4 s | 211 mph (340 km/h) | 533 kW (725 PS) |
| Porsche Taycan 4S | 79.2 kWh / AWD | 4.0 s | 155 mph (250 km/h) | 390 kW (530 PS) |
| McLaren 540C | 3.8 L V8 / | 3.5 s | 199 mph (320 km/h) | 397 kW (540 PS) |
