It’s no surprise that both of these competitors are very quick. However, they both put down their performance in very different ways; while the Lamborghini is bombastically Italian in every single way, the Tesla is dead-silent but puts down ridiculous power – thanks in part to a clever trick up its sleeve.
Before we get to the race results, let’s do the numbers. Representing internal combustion, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante boasts a 5.2-liter V10 engine producing 630 horsepower (470 kilowatts) to all four wheels – all of that power in a package that weighs just over 3,000 pounds (1,360.7 kilograms).
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Comparatively, the special Model S Performance is also all-wheel drive and puts out 823 hp (613 kW). Along with its crazy power figure, it has a new drag racing mode which lowers the suspension on launch. However, the big drawback comes with its weight penalty as it tips the scales at a whopping 4,940 lbs (2,241 kg).
Unsurprisingly, the Tesla wins the initial race from the hit; its cheater launch mode and bigger power numbers are simply impossible to beat off-the-line. However, the Model S couldn’t compete with the Huracan Performante’s top-end performance at the end of the run. Quite surprisingly, things are much the same in the 0-100-0 test which you’d guess would be a shoo-in for the electric competitor – it was anything but. We’d wager its weight penalty hurt its performance not only in braking but also acceleration.
Regardless, any opportunity to race vehicles like these is a victory for car geeks like us. Even though electric power wasn’t victorious this time, it goes to show the entertainment factor of a simple heads-up drag race.