Categories
Drag Racing Model S Videos

McLaren 600LT dares challenge the Tesla Model S Plaid in a street race (specs comparison, video)

Advertisement

If you’ve ever wondered if a Tesla Model S Plaid can be rented on Turo? Yes, it is possible to get the fastest production car ever made on this ridesharing service like Brooks Weisblat of Drag Times did.

Parker Nirenstein, who also owns a large YouTube channel named Vehicle Virgins thought he should take his McLaren 600LT to try his luck racing the Model S Plaid. Although the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 powered 600LT is very fast, the Plaid acceleration is something out of this world — it’s Alien Technology, as Elon Musk and Randy Pobst like to call it.

Experiencing the Plaid acceleration and Drag Strip Mode (launch) a few times, Parker was totally amazed like everyone who feels it for the first time. After his first encounter with the Plaid acceleration, Parker knew that his $259,000 McLaren 600LT performance car had no chance against the $129,900 Tesla Model S Plaid.

– Sponsored –

Let’s go over a spec-to-spec comparison of the Model S Plaid and McLaren 600LT to see how they stand against each other on paper.

Tesla Model S Plaid vs. McLaren 600LT specs comparison

 Tesla Model S PlaidMcLaren 600LT
Engine / DrivetrainTri-Motor (AC permanent magnet synchronous motor, carbon-fiber-wrapped rotor, liquid-cooled, with variable frequency drive (1x motor in the front, 2x motors in the rear)M838TE twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 / Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD)
TransmissionFront (Single speed fixed gear, 7.5:1. Enhanced lubrication), Rear (Independent single speed fixed gear, 7.5:1. Dry sump lubrication)7-speed + Reverse Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG)
0-60 mph1.99 seconds2.8 seconds
Top speed200 mph (322 km/h)*204 mph (328 km/h)
Power1,020 hp592 hp
Torque1,050 lb-ft (Motor Trend)457 lb-ft (620 Nm) @5,500 – 6,500 rpm
1/4 mile time9.23 seconds10.4 seconds
Range (EPA estimated)348 milesN/A
Efficiency (combined)101 MPGe18 MPG (EPA estimated)
Starting Price (USD)$129,990$259,000
Data source: Manufacturer specs; Tesla, Inc. / McLaren. *When equipped with the proper wheels and tires (available fall 2021).
Advertisement
Video: Tesla Model S Plaid vs. McLaren 600LT street racing and Plaid acceleration review.

The Cheetah Stance that Brooks is referring to in the video was introduced by Tesla last year in a free over-the-air software update. Cheetah Stance lowers the front axle and adjusts the damping of the car for a quicker and more aerodynamic launch. This mode enhanced the 0-60 mph time of the Tesla Model S Performance (P100D) from 2.5 seconds to 2.3 seconds at the time (P100D is now discontinued in favor of the Model S Plaid).

Related: Tesla Model S Plaid performs 0-60 mph in 1.99s on the street (video) | Model S Plaid breaks the quarter-mile world record

Stay tuned for constant Tesla updates, follow us on: 
Google News | Flipboard | RSS (Feedly).

Advertisement

By Iqtidar Ali

Iqtidar has been writing about Tesla, Elon Musk, and EVs for more than 3 years on XAutoWorld.com, many of his articles have been republished on CleanTechnica and InsideEVs, maintains a healthy relationship with the Tesla community across the Social Media sphere. You can reach him on Twitter @IqtidarAlii