Latest news with #TeslaModelXPlaid
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
$4.5M Koenigsegg Agera RST Struggles Against Tesla Model X Plaid in Drag Race Standoff
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious In a matchup few would have predicted, a $4.5 million Koenigsegg Agera RST hypercar went head-to-head with a Tesla Model X Plaid SUV — and the results were far from predictable. The race, organized by the carwow YouTube channel, featured automotive journalist Mat Watson squaring off against collector Tom Beardsmore, who brought his ultra-exclusive, right-hand-drive Agera RST to the line. The Swedish exotic is no slouch on paper, boasting a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 pumping out 1,360 horsepower and 1,158 lb-ft of torque, capable of 278 mph in full attack mode. But for all its firepower, the rear-wheel-drive, 3,000-pound Koenigsegg struggled to put it down in a straight line against Tesla's electric grocery-hauler, the 5,400-pound Model X Plaid. Despite being a two-and-a-half-ton family car, the Tesla tri-motor setup offers instant torque, all-wheel traction, and a zero-to-60 mph sprint in under three seconds. In the first race, the Koenigsegg appeared to stumble — so much so that engineers had to diagnose an issue remotely mid-event. While Beardsmore eventually coaxed a 10.2-second quarter-mile from the Agera, the Tesla delivered the exact same time, and later rounds saw the Plaid consistently edging ahead. 'There's no shame in losing to a Tesla,' Watson joked, 'unless your car costs $4 million more.' Beardsmore, unfazed, explained he hadn't yet fully unleashed the Agera's ferocity. 'It's got way more in it,' he said, noting his 9,000-mile experience with the car over the past 18 months. In one late run, with perfect timing and max boost, the Koenigsegg finally pulled clear — proving that while electric torque is relentless, combustion still has its day. But the fact remains: the quickest car on this drag strip might just be the one with the car seats in the back.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
$4.5M Koenigsegg Agera RST Struggles Against Tesla Model X Plaid in Drag Race
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious In the world of hypercars, the Koenigsegg Agera RST is a titan—1,360 horsepower, 278-mph capability, and a price tag of $4.5 million. But in a head-to-head drag race against the much heavier, all-electric Tesla Model X Plaid, the Swedish powerhouse found itself in unfamiliar territory: struggling to keep up. The race, organized by YouTuber Mat Watson of carwow, pitted the Agera RST against Tesla's tri-motor, 1,020-horsepower family SUV. While the Agera weighs significantly less at just 1.4 tons compared to the Tesla's nearly 2.5-ton mass, the instant torque and all-wheel drive of the Model X Plaid proved formidable. Despite its engineering marvels, the Koenigsegg posted a quarter-mile time of 10.2 seconds—the exact same as the Tesla. However, the Swedish hypercar ran into trouble mid-race, requiring remote diagnostics from Koenigsegg's tech team. The matchup revealed an unexpected Achilles' heel for the Agera: while its monstrous 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 can deliver breathtaking speeds, launching it effectively is another challenge altogether. Owner Tom Beardsmore, who has put nearly 9,000 miles on the car, admitted he hasn't yet mastered extracting its full potential. In some runs, when the Koenigsegg's boost was perfectly timed, it effortlessly pulled ahead of the Tesla. But in most cases, the instant torque and seamless acceleration of the electric SUV left the hypercar struggling to keep pace. While the Agera RST remains an engineering masterpiece, the race showcased just how far electric performance has come. When a five-door, grocery-hauling SUV can match a multi-million-dollar hypercar in a drag race, the future of high-performance vehicles might already be here.
