Tesla Plaid Races Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, a Tenth Separates Them in the Quarter Mile

Because Daniel and Tobias are from Germany, we'll be listing both metric and imperial figures, beginning with the curb weights of said vehicles. 2,220 versus 2,167 kilograms or 4,894 versus 4,777 pounds makes the Porker that bit porkier, although not by a whole lot.

As for peak output, make that 1,034 pferdestarke and 1,240 Newton-meters of twist for the German automaker's most powerful series-production vehicle to date. In American vernacular, Porsche advertises the Taycan Turbo GT with 1,019 horsepower and 914 pound-feet. Said numbers are only available with overboost and launch control engaged.

Made in Fremont, the Model S Plaid has the upper hand in terms of maximum torque at 1,420 Newton-meters or 1,047 pound-feet. As for maximum power, make that 1,020 mechanical ponies or 1,034 metric stallions from its three-motor setup. By comparison, the Porsche uses two electric drive units. Although a third motor would have brought them closer, bear in mind that Porsche would've had to pay a weight penalty on an already heavy electric sedan.

We also have to remember that Porsche and Audi developed the J1 platform from the MSB of the Panamera and Continental GT, whereas Tesla's large car platform is a dedicated battery-electric architecture. In any case, how did these similar yet oh-so-different cars fare in a straight line in relatively cold weather?

With Daniel behind the wheel, the Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach Package proved to be the faster EV in four distinct metrics, those being acceleration from 100 to 200 kilometers per hour (62 to 124 miles per hour), the standing quarter mile, the standing 700 meters (2,297 feet or 0.435 miles), and top speed. As you might have guessed by now, the Porker couldn't match the best 0-100 time of the Model S Plaid, with Tobi recording a staggering 2.41 seconds compared to an extremely close 2.45 seconds for Daniel.

From 100 to 200, they ran 4.44 and 4.70 seconds, respectively, whereas the quarter mile was dealt with in 9.60 and 9.70 seconds. Over 700 meters, the Taycan pipped the Model S by a mere 0.14 seconds. The most Daniel and Tobi could hit on the runway was 275.25 and 267.40 kilometers per hour, converting to precisely 171.03 and 166.15 miles per hour.

Of course, they also raced from a rolling start, with the Taycan winning one race and the Model S winning the other. At the end of the day, both are stupidly fast in a straight line, be it off-the-line acceleration, in-gear acceleration, or top speed. On that note, a long enough runway would have seen the Model S Plaid reach 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour).

Despite being equipped with a two-speed transmission in the rear axle, with first being for acceleration and the long second ensuring high efficiency at high speeds, the Taycan Turbo GT is rated at 290 (180) by default or 305 (190) with the Weissach Package.

There's also the matter of price. With the Model S Plaid starting at $89,990 (excluding savings, taxes, and fees) and the Taycan Turbo GT retailing at $230,000 for both specifications, we can further agree that prospective customers in the market for a 2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT would rarely consider the MSP as a viable choice. Does that mean the Porker is twice the car, though?