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Tesla P85D racing Stingray still
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By Patrick Rall Feb 4 2015 - 1:46pm

2015 Corvette Stingray Crushes AWD Tesla P85D (Video)

A video has surfaced showing the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray drag racing against the all-wheel drive Tesla Model S P85D and unlike the video showing the Tesla victimizing a Hellcat Challenger with a terrible driver, the pilot of this new Corvette shows the electric sedan how it’s done – even though the Corvette has far less power and rear wheel drive.
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Last month, a video surfaced showing a Tesla Model S P85D drag racing against a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, with the electric sedan pummeling the very poorly driven Challenger. Since the typical EVangelist knows nothing about (drag) racing, the group was proud that the Tesla Model S had beaten the 707 horsepower Challenger, taking to the various social networks to point out how slow the Hellcat coupe is in the real world. The truth to that Tesla P85D – v - Hellcat Challenger race was that while the Model S turned an incredibly impressive time, the clown driving the Dodge embarrassed himself and there are good odds that the race would have been very different if the Challenger driver had any idea what he was doing. Fortunately, with the advanced all-wheel drive system of the Model S P85D, the Tesla driver didn’t need to know anything about launching, which allowed him or her to run in the mid 11s by just flooring it when the light turned green.

Unfortunately for the droves of Tesla fans, this newest video has the Model S P85D racing against a far less powerful Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, but the Vette is piloted by someone who knows how to drive. Oddly, while the EV sites and the mainstream media were all about bragging on Tesla’s behalf when the 691 horsepower P85D beat a poorly driven Hellcat Challenger, there has been almost no coverage of this video showing the 460 horsepower Corvette beating up the Tesla sedan…presumably because this is a fairly embarrassing loss for the $105,000 EV.

Corvette Stingray VS Tesla Model S P85D
In case you don’t know all of the vital facts on the C7 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or the Tesla Model S P85D, here is a quick rundown.

The C7 Corvette Stingray is powered by a 6.2L LT1 V8 with 460 horsepower and 465lb-ft of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels by either an 8-speed automatic transmission or a 7-speed manual unit. The Corvette coupe weighs 3,298lbs and the price starts around $55,000.

The Tesla Model S P85D is powered by dual electric motors, one situation at each axle. This allows the range-topping electric sedan to produce 691 horsepower and 687lb-ft of torque, and due to the nature of the electric drive design, that torque is available from a stop. The Model S P85D weighs 4,830lbs and the price starts around $105,000.

Although the Model S weighs around 1,600lbs more than the base Corvette, it still has an advantage in power to weight ratio (6.99 for the Tesla, 7.17 for the Vette) while also having a clear advantage in traction due to the all-wheel drive system. In other words, the numbers suggest that a drag race between the Model S P85D and the Corvette Stingray would amount to a landslide win for the super sedan, but the numbers aren’t always right.

The Run
The video begins as the Corvette Stingray and the Tesla Model S P85D ease into the staging beams of the quarter mile drag strip. As the two cars light the pre-stage and stage lights on the “Christmas tree”, I will admit that I was expecting to see the all-wheel drive Tesla destroy the far less powerful, rear wheel drive Corvette. Amazingly, the driver of the Stingray is able to put the power to the ground well enough to stay right with the all-wheel drive EV as the two cars launch, and as the Corvette accelerates down the track, it gradually pulls away from the Model S. In the end, the Tesla turned an awesome quarter mile time of 11.79, but the Corvette got there first with a time of 11.67. Also, the Corvette went through the finish line traps with a speed some 7 miles per hour faster than the Tesla.

That’s right – the $55,000 Corvette Stingray with only 460hp and 465lb-ft of torque made short work of the $105,000 Tesla Model S with 691hp and 687lb-ft of torque. The EV still turned a very solid quarter mile time, yet the EV sites and the mainstream media weren’t as quick to show this video off, as they wouldn’t want to run off Elon’s ad dollars with bad publicity. Fortunately, the video is available below so crank up your speakers and enjoy the race right here on TorqueNews.com.

For all of you Tesla trolls ready with your canned explanation as to why the mighty P85D lost to the lowly Corvette Stingray, the comment section is just below the video.

Thanks to Big Max on the video link!

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Comments

John Goreham wrote on February 4, 2015 - 1:58pm
The P85D starts around $105k but you are being generous. The prior P85 I drove, and the ones most media got, were $105k and up.
Turbofroggy wrote on February 4, 2015 - 2:26pm
Crushes? WTF the Corvette won by 0.12 seconds, I would not call that crushing. So congrats, you purpose built state of the art sports car beat a 4 door 7 passenger family electric sedan-golf cart by 0.12 seconds (slow clap).
Patrick Rall wrote on February 4, 2015 - 3:03pm
7 miles per hour is a pretty sound beating in the drag racing world. The Corvette is MUCH faster in the quarter mile.
Mahn wrote on February 5, 2015 - 4:33pm
Motortrend has the STOCK C7 Z51 at 12.2 seconds, so this one had to be modified and yet it barely won, because of the P85D driver's late reaction time.
Todd wrote on February 5, 2015 - 10:07pm
Well go ahead and mod the P85D, might I suggest an extra case of Duracells?
v wrote on February 6, 2015 - 12:46pm
Much applause to the poor winner. But, I guess apples to Four door oranges is fair comparison. Good for you and two cars you will never own.
Mark wrote on May 19, 2015 - 2:02am
Tesla mods come in for form of firmware downloads. One update shaved a tenth off the 0-60 time. It also didn't cost anything :)
Arrukus wrote on February 5, 2015 - 8:43pm
LOL! Too funny! Yeah, people keep forgetting these tesla cars are just showing that they are really impressive for what they are. This writer is neither objective nor unbiased. He just seems like a guy who is mad that people who are unskilled and have no love for the sport are showing off their expensive cars. But this writer is doing a good job of grabbing peoples attention with his article (which is the point of it anyway). This is the same kind of journalism that makes prime time news suck. Flashy over blown title with little substance and lots of editorial bias or purposeful spin to pull in the viewers. Although sometimes the perceived bias or spin is really just lazy writing or hurried writing due to a deadline.
Snapper wrote on February 4, 2015 - 3:41pm
If the Corvette didn't beat the Tesla I would be shocked. You're talking about 5-7 passenger sedan that is a baby compared to the decades of engineering that have gone in the Chevy. The fact that you're talking about them in the same sentence is a tribute to what Tesla is doing. I think it's pretty much guaranteed that the Vet will have some sort of hybrid propellant in it's next iteration. If it doesn't the even the next Gen Tesla Model X SUV may be faster.
BJ wrote on February 4, 2015 - 6:46pm
C'mon, a 100k Super high tech sedan making almost 700 horse with all wheel drive, gets beat by a 55k 460 horse rear drive chevy. So nice to see the stuffy, nose in the air car get it stuck up its a..
Randy wrote on February 4, 2015 - 6:56pm
It's pretty surprising that a car with 450hp and only RWD was able to keep up with an electric car with almost 700hp and AWD that costs twice as much. Sure, the Tesla is a sedan and weighs an extra 1500+lbs, but you have to give it to the Corvette for being able to get that power down while only being RWD and being able to keep up with a car that has a lot more hp and torque.
Mahn wrote on February 5, 2015 - 4:19pm
And only being modified to get down to 11 sec in the quartermile.
Thomas Musca wrote on February 4, 2015 - 7:48pm
This is a modified corvette. It's pulling about a second faster than the std singray times... Not a fair assessment.
Ryan wrote on February 5, 2015 - 6:18am
Shouldn't headline be "car with quoted 1/4 mile time of 11.5 s beats car with quoted 1/4 mile time of 11.6 s." oh shock horror how can that possibly happen!!!
John Goreham wrote on February 5, 2015 - 10:33am
Ryan is right, however, the back story many of us are assuming is known, is that the Teslarati have made a cottage industry out of showing videos of its cars beating cars in a drag race that cost much less and saying "See, we are wicked smart." So we have come to this point, which Patrick, the author, does a pretty good job of insinuating is a bit silly.
Morten Krogh wrote on February 5, 2015 - 11:21am
Crushed? Is the writer retarded or just paid by GM? Embarrassing....
Mahn wrote on February 5, 2015 - 4:17pm
That is a MODIFIED Corvette. You says trolls, when your own bias is showing, trying to shell a 11.6 1/4 mile corvette stingray as stock.
Mahn wrote on February 5, 2015 - 5:43pm
When the P85D gets its performance updates, that MODDED corvette won't stand a chance.
JackB125 wrote on February 5, 2015 - 8:44pm
Things may change late next year. There are speculations about a 110+ kWh battery pack upgrade for the Model S. This could perhaps drop the 0-60 mph time from 3.2 seconds (w/o the firmware upgrade) to about 2.8 seconds. I am not sure what it will do for the 1/4 mile time and speed; but, a 0.4-second improvement in the 0-60 mph range alone would put it in front of the Corvette by 2.8 seconds at the 1/4 mile.
Trevorpug5 wrote on February 5, 2015 - 10:52pm
Talk about underwhelming! The corvette is 1000lbs lighter and can only barely fit 2 passengers and a set of golf clubs. I guess you could buy two corvettes and you could drive your family around, oh and enough groceries to make dinner. Course then you would be paying more than the 104 for a Tesla. A purpose built sports car should have been seconds ahead of a grocery getter family sedan, not tenths.
Bobby wrote on May 26, 2015 - 9:23pm
Oh yeah whatever bro. How many people do you know who drive corvettes and teslas to the grocery store? think through it, these are sports cars nobody uses them to go buy a bunch of food
Dave wrote on September 14, 2015 - 4:25pm
Uh, dummy, every single person I know with a Tesla uses it as a daily driver, which includes going to the grocery store.
barosso wrote on February 5, 2015 - 11:40pm
lol the p85 is twice the cost...... it is a state of the art electric sedan with 100% torque at ZERO rpm..... elitists drive them..... they are butt ugly...... who cares if the tesla is faster. IT SHOULD BE. it will not beat the vette on a race track...... it is no match for the vette in the looks dept...... who wants to drive a fast car with everyone they know???????so they can kill their whole family???????
SeanM wrote on February 6, 2015 - 7:30am
I cannot believe all the comments about the 100k plus 691 hp "famliy" "grocery getter" The Tesla is a great vehicle, but it is a sports car, it has the convenience of 4 doors, but it is still a sports car. I, like the writer, am a little surprised that the Corvette was even close, considering it is 1/2 the price and HP.
Mahn wrote on February 6, 2015 - 10:34am
The stock version is the one that has half the price and less hp and already has trouble beating the regular P85, While this modified corvette in this video costs more and has more hp, it still has trouble beating the P85D. You will not beat a P85D when you buy your corvette z51, which the writer insinuates. Unless you pay for the same upgrades as the corvette in the video.
dave wrote on September 14, 2015 - 4:26pm
Ya, and that's why every person I know with a Tesla uses it as their daily driver....including my 68 year old father.
Jeff wrote on February 7, 2015 - 9:57am
The Corvette didn't red light, I don't know why, but his reaction time was definitely too quick. Also, the Corvette didn't get a green light. I'm not sure what this means. Go ahead and replay the video for yourself as many times as it takes for you to detect what I noticed. The Corvette definitely is rearing up off its front tires and compressing his rear tires just as the Tesla gets the green light.
Charlie wrote on February 11, 2015 - 11:18am
Really?.........Old school V8 rear wheel drive with a good driver against a High Tech all wheel drive with a good driver, should not have been close on paper, but it was. Enough with the suggested MODIFIED Corvette BS............ The Corvette is bang for your buck and is head and shoulders above the electric golf cart in performance, handling, (how's the Tesla on a Road course) braking,(where are the Stats on braking?) and MY GOD! LOOKS.......I would not be able to pick that car out of a lot full of Kias! Enough of you Corvette haters driving Smart Cars...............The Corvette is the real Sports Car
Jack wrote on May 26, 2015 - 9:18pm
YA NICE WAY TO PUT EM DOWN MAN I'M WITH YOU ON THAT ONE!!!!!!!!!!
HP King wrote on February 26, 2015 - 9:34pm
A Z06 would have been in the 10 second range and still cheaper than a Tesla.