Twin-Turbo Audi R8 V10 Drag RacesTesla Model S Plaid
Iroz Motorsport’s twin-turbo Audi R8 drag races and beats Tesla Model S Plaid thanks to its 1700 HP internal combustion powerplant.
EV pioneer Tesla and its mercurial CEO take immense pride in the automaker’s “absolutely insane” Model S Plaid. Since its launch, the super EV has been dominating races and demonstrating electric mobility’s superiority over internal combustion engines. Well, in one of Hoonigan‘s recent videos, the YouTube channel pits the Plaid against Iroz Motorsport’s twin-turbo Audi R8 V10 Plus, which produces 1700 HP at the wheel.
The pièce de résistance of this 2018 Audi R8 is its powertrain, which continues to run its stock long block whereas the additional power comes from a pair of 68mm turbochargers. A dual-clutch transmission sends power to all four corners via Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Iroz Motorsport rebuilt the transmission so it could handle the extra power. The AWD layout is the only common factor between the two contenders.
Iroz Motorsport’s Hank Iroz shared his thoughts on probably one of the fastest Audi R8s in the world. “This (Audi R8) is the pinnacle of gasoline cars. Ten years from now, you may not be able to do that; I’ll always be able to play with this (Plaid). So, like enjoy this thing while it’s here. It’s not gonna be too long where you can’t have a nice big V10 behind you with some whirlybirds,” said Iroz.
The team at Iroz Motorsport also managed to keep the weight of the twin-turbo Audi R8 down to just 3700 lbs which makes it a featherweight compared to the 4828 lbs Model S Plaid.
On the other hand, the Model S Plaid is entirely stock, and the car even runs on its factory wheels. However, the EV’s powertrain delivers instant torque, which comes in handy in a race setting. True to the prediction of the Hoonigan team, the Audi R8 quickly obliterated the Plaid in the first round.
Even with a head start of two car lengths, the Plaid could not outrun the twin-turbo R8, which was crowned the overall winner. Safe to say, even though the large battery pack of the Model S Plaid delivers impressive range, its weight ultimately acts as its Achilles heel when it comes to drag racing.
Image Source: Hoonigan
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