The new 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid takes on Ken Bjønnes in a tuned 1,100 horsepower Palm Beach Dyno Mustang GT500 at MITM Elite for a series of rolling races, followed by a quarter-mile pass by each car. Can the Model S Plaid come out on top?

In the Grey Corner - Tesla Model S Plaid

The 2021 Model S Plaid has been one of the most hyped new EVs for a while now, not just for its performance but also for that Yoke steering. Despite the Plaid Plus being dropped at the very last minute, the Plaid is no slouch and holds its own, offering some ballistic performance.

With customer deliveries now well underway, it’s no surprise that new owners want to take their prized possession to the drag strip. Unlike the previous Model S which couldn’t do launches all day long, this new generation of Tesla addresses that problem.

In the Blue Corner - Mustang GT500 tune by Palm Beach Dyno

Let's face it, a stock Mustang GT500 might have a hard time keeping up with a Model S Plaid. But what about one that is highly tuned? The GT500 you see here belongs to Ken Bjønnes and it produces over 1100 horsepower. The car was tuned by Palm Beach Dyno.

With the numbers out of the way, let's Race. The cars go head to head, over the quarter-mile at MITM. The showdown took place at the World Wide Technology Raceway in St.Louis. They begin with a rolling start, before putting their foot down at the line.

The Race

On the first run, the Mustang is on the inside lane. Past the Christmas tree, both cars nail it and the Mustang just about managed to eclipse the Model S Plaid at the finish line.

GT500 vs Model S Plaid Race 1

On the second run, the Tesla is on the inside lane. Both cars get a rolling start and managed marginally faster times as the tires had warmed up. This time though, it was much closer. The Mustang did beat the Tesla but by the tiniest of margins. The GT500 did the quarter-mile in 7.66 seconds at 160.94 mph while the Model S Plaid managed 7.68 seconds at 155.19 mph.

Shelby GT500 vs Model S Plaid Race 2

Conclusion

It’s surprising to see how close these two cars are in terms of performance. There will be more duels in the near future with the Model S plaid now hitting the market. We wonder what would have happened had Tesla launched Plaid Plus. Ford Performance is also testing EVs at the drag strip, with their Cobra Jet 1400. The findings from the Cobra Jet should eventually trickle down to road cars, says Ford.