Tesla Cybertruck v Porsche 911: 1/8 Mile Showdown

Satellite Disagrees: Elon Musk’s Drag Strip Claim

Have you observed the really incredible quarter-mile contest between the new Tesla Cybertruck and a Porsche 911? It was one of the most captivating events at last week’s Tesla Cybertruck launch, particularly when the camera showed the Cybertruck hauling an equal Porsche 911 in a trailer after it while it finished ahead of the first 911.

Yet, when the full event was finally aired, it transpired the two vehicles had contested a much shorter eighth-mile stretch. As the Porsche snuck up behind the Cybertruck as they came in sight of the line, one can only speculate what would have been the result had the race been extended to a quarter-mile altogether.

Cybertruck beats Porsche 911 while towing a 911

A perceptive Redditor observed that the race had been staged at Sacramento Raceway, which is now no longer operational. A comparison of screenshots from Tesla’s video shows that the Cybertruck and the Porsche were arranged to race across the initial wide stripes laid out on the racetrack, located next to the grandstand at the eighth-mile marker. This is in evidence, as those particular stripes are not present at the quarter-mile part of the track. In spite of this however, at the press conference Elon Musk proclaimed explicitly that it had been an accurate and authoritative quarter-mile drag race.

This here is an authentic Porsche. We just recently secured it from a dealership. It’s a 2023 Porsche 911,” Musk expressed during the Cybertruck debut celebration. “It has the capability to tow that Porsche 911 across 1/4 mile speedier than the Porsche 911 can travel all by itself.”

Tesla recently boasted that their premier Cyberbeast variant of the Cybertruck had clocked a quarter mile race in under 11.0 seconds, even though they hadn’t yet tested it with a 3,300-pound sports vehicle and a 1,500-pound trailer in tow.

Maybe by displaying this statistic right after the 1/8 of a mile drag race, alongside Musk’s claim of the truck outrunning the Porsche for the 1/4 mile, has resulted in this misinterpretation.

It is challenging to discern specifically what unfolded here since we cannot communicate with Tesla, as they do not engage in conversations with the press. Examining the footage indicates that it was indisputably a 0.8-mile stretch; the grandstands don’t reach the quarter of a mile point.

It is unclear to what degree Tesla customized its dealer-purchased Porsche 911. All that Musk specified was that it was “essentially” a production unit acquired from a dealership. The baseline model of the 911 Carrera covers a quarter mile in around 12.2 seconds and does 0-60 MPH in 3.9 seconds, however, if fitted with Porsche’s reliable PDK dual-clutch gearbox, the acceleration time almost halves to around 3.4 seconds. Arguably, Tesla utilized a manual for their racing vehicle as the front seems to dip when shifting into second gear, as seen in their track videos.

In Tesla’s favor, the tri-motor Cybertruck is mightily brisk. Additionally, it’s estimated to cost about $15,000 less than the Porsche. But it would be reasonable to say that there probably isn’t a large amount of people who contemplate purchasing both of these vehicles, particularly since the 911 has been designed with equilibrium rather than solely straight-line velocity in mind.

Consequently, the Cybertruck is not only supposedly designed for beyond just relentless speed but it’s still swiftly reckoned. During a discussion with Tesla’s primary designer, Franz Von Holzhausen, it became clear that Elon Musk specified that the Cybertruck “required to drive like a sportscar while providing all the usefulness of a pick up truck”–even though its very first edition was created in merely 93 days. Part of Tesla’s response for this was found on the sail panels of the lorry. Simply that panel is held liable for 25% of the car’s torsional stiffness.

Inspite of all this however, one may infer that racing a truck around a professional raceway would not compare to the sensation of driving a Porsche 911.

It’s only fair that praise is given where due, and so Tesla should be recognized for their successful publicity campaign of a much-anticipated item. Personally, I likewise celebrated the achievement. With that said, it cannot be denied that the bold statement of the quarter mile time in the wake of the eighth-mile contest could be interpreted as a bit misleading.

It is evident that the acceleration capability of the Cybertruck is remarkable, particularly straight away from a stop. Furthermore, it looks to be advantageous in terms of hauling due to its electric torque. Yet, there is yet uncertainty regarding if it can overpower a Porsche 911 in a drag race, while simultaneously pulling another 911.