The launch of the Tesla Cybertruck went far better than anybody could have imagined because it simply does everything better than people expected. The greatest example of this is very specific: drag racing a Porsche 911.
Back in November 2019, the test prototype was shown to be faster in a drag race than a Porsche 911. Exactly four years later, the actual Cybertruck over-delivers by drag-racing a Porsche 911 and whining while towing another Porsche 911. Simply put, the tri-motor version of the Tesla truck is faster to 60 mph by at least 0.3 of a second (2.9s vs 2.6s).
Tesla made huge engineering strides, developing brand-new battery technology and using its first 800-volt EV architecture. So it simply does more with its 845 horsepower than you’d expect. I think beating a Hummer or Rivian is way more important for sales, but this Porsche drag race is more dramatic. It’s also a stolen idea!
Where Tesla got the idea of a towing drag race
Fans of drag racing will no doubt know what we’re talking about. It’s from a famous clip shot by Motor Trend in 2016 but taken down from YouTube. The brand new (at the time) Tesla Model X P90D Ludicrous was put up against an Alfa Romeo 4C Spider and drag-raced with another 4C Spider in tow.
The creative man (or potentially the team) behind that stunt was car journalist Jason Cammisa. And in March 2022, he pulled the stunt again, this time for Hagery. This time, the Rivian R1T was pulling a GMC Syclone and it beat a Ford Raptor but lost to the TRX.
We don’t think mister Cammisa is upset about this. He probably was informed by Tesla and gave them the green light. After all, Hagerty probably had the best access to the Cybertruck of any channel on YouTube, being allowed to do performance tests at their filming locations and even sledgehammering a door.
So is the Cybertruck faster than a Porsche 911?
Yes, it is. Tesla almost singlehandedly created the performance EV niche, so we shouldn’t be surprised this is happening. However, it’s worth talking about the conditions and the cars involved.
First, the race is happening on a prepped surface, which is much stickier than a real road. But this doesn’t necessarily put the EV at an advantage. It might be the other way around.
There are no technical details for this drag race, but we can presume the Cybertruck is the top-trim tri-motor version, also known as the Cyberbeast. While the base model costs $80,000, this one is worth more than $100,000 with options, which is still good value.
Its rival is synonymous with the word “sports car.” Everybody knows what a Porsche 911 looks like, but we can’t say for sure what model they used. It could be anything from a base 911 Carrera to a 911 GTS. All of them come with the same type of engine, a 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-6, with outputs ranging from 385 to 480 hp.
Our guess is they used a RWD Carrera S or a GTS. They are powerful and fast, but can’t launch as well as an AWD EV. In addition, the Cybertruck is pulling about 5000 pounds to even the field.
