Tuesday 20th January 2015

Hellcat vs Tesla: Time For Tea?

A drag battle for the soul of the American car industry, after a false start

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With 350,000 views on YouTube in just two days it's fair to say that this drag race video is already doing it's own small part in breaking the internet. It's already picked up a fair few comments in the Gassing Station, too - but we figured it deserves a wider audience through the homepage.

Yet to watch it once is to realise that the narrative that has sprung up around it is almost entirely wrong. Because this isn't the story of how a cappuccino-sipping electric-powered Tesla comprehensively outgunned some old-school Detroit V8 muscle so much as the story of how a Dodge Challenger Hellcat driver completely fluffed the start and then decided to play it for laughs.

Credit to the Tesla P85D, the new four-wheel drive version of the electric carmaker's saloon, with a peak total 691hp. It sets off at a convincing pace on its way to an 11.68 second quarter mile, crossing the line at 114.6mph. That has to make it the fastest production electric car in the world; not bad for a four-seater with room for luggage.

But having messed up the start the Hellcat driver seems more intent on punishing his rear tyres than he does on recording a time. Rear wheels are spinning, and a fair amount of opposite lock is applied, for at least 100 yards. It certainly proves the Dodge is a hard car to get off the line (something born out by my experience in one last year), but in a fair fight it would be very close, especially as it's already recorded an 11.2 second quarter on road legal tyres.

Now if somebody could take them both on track for us with an expert driver...

Watch the video here.

 

 

 

[British Beef]

I was in a Tesla taxi just this morning (Stavanger, Norway), very impressive packaging, and its a full 5 seater with option plus 2 in the boot, so its a 5+2 seater, still with seperate storage space under the bonnet.

The Hellcat looks far more fun mind!!

[Agoogy]

What a non event

What stopped them going back and doing it again.....properly?

regardless, both very desirable cars, proving there is more than one way to skin a (Hell)cat.

[kambites]

Would have been a great comparison if the Hellcat driver hadn't screwed up the launch.

However you look at it, 11.7 seconds is bloody impressive for a seven seater EV (although I wouldn't fancy being in the back row of seats when someone put their foot down).

The dodge is fantastic in a rather different way.

[iloveboost]

kambites said:

Would have been a great comparison if the Hellcat driver hadn't screwed up the launch.

However you look at it, 11.7 seconds is bloody impressive for a seven seater EV (although I wouldn't fancy being in the back row of seats when someone put their foot down).

The dodge is fantastic in a rather different way.

The driver must have never been on a drag strip before. I agree about the Tesla, it' really impressive and desirable for an EV.

[rijmij99]

iloveboost said:

The driver must have never been on a drag strip before. I agree about the Tesla, it' really impressive and desirable for an EV.

It's really impressive and desirable FULL STOP

[unsprung]

Agoogy said:

What stopped them going back and doing it again.....properly?

+1

[Burnham]

Well that was a waste of time.

[anonymous-user]

Thing is, as much as i love 'lecy cars, i'd never go to a drag strip to watch one go up, i mean, it's just about the most boring spectacle ever. The Hellcat, may have lost, but i'd watch that squeel and vapourise it's rear tyres all day long. And that's kinda the rub, that pure speed is dull. I mean, you could stand on the side of the motorway and watch car after car going past at 85mph, and, well, i give you 1 min tops till you're bored. And yet, here's a car doing not much more than 25mph in place, and wow, it's gripping:


Delacour_and_a_911_on_ice

[Dave Hedgehog]

the tesla could run 7 sec qtr's and it would still be as desirable as a dyson ...

the hellcat on the other hand scores a 11/10 on the desirometer

[J4CKO]

I think he would have still won in a Leaf, was that pass 17.2 seconds, most half decent hot hatches can better that, this was a battle between the Tesla having 4wd and being very easy to drive and 700 odd bhp and a driver who hadnt a clue.

I still dont think that the Hellcat would have bettered the Tesla, even if fitted with Drag slicks, might have been about the same at best.

Thats the second version of the Tesla, makes you wonder what they will be able to do in future.

[s m]

I think when there's nothing else left to drive then I'll start showing an interest in electric cars

Till then, I'll take the Hellcat

[lufbramatt]

They should do a electric touring car race series with the teslas, would be much better than those formula-e things. Bit of paint swapping rather than the clinical nature of open wheel racing cars.

[Burwood]

it's a tesla publicity stunt. Intentional burn out at the start. The HC can run 10s quarters

[crimbo]

These tesla are fantastic, had one at work the other day and it is outstanding, punch in the gut fast and relentless, and I think that was the 400 bhp version, very fast car that everyone was impressed with. Instant power!!!!!

[JD]

Burwood said:

it's a tesla publicity stunt. Intentional burn out at the start. The HC can run 10s quarters

[Burwood]

JD said:

Burwood said:

it's a tesla publicity stunt. Intentional burn out at the start. The HC can run 10s quarters

don't get me wrong. I think the Tesla is a great piece of kit.

[98elise]

Look up tesla vs a 458 Italia on YouTube for a decent comparison. The same guy also puts the tesla up against his own aventator.

I can't post the links as I'm on my phone, but perhaps someone can do the honours?

I wouldn't take a tesla over either as a toy, but as a daily driver.....hell yes. The 700 bhp version is more efficient then the 400 bhp version (in like for like driving)!

Edited to add...here are the links

Tesla vs 458 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cA1doO_9h8
Tesla vs Aventador - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e-jquwHKtI

Edited by 98elise on Tuesday 20th January 21:38

Edited by 98elise on Tuesday 20th January 21:41

[QuattroDave]

98elise said:

Look up tesla vs a 458 Italia on YouTube for a decent comparison. The same guy also puts the tesla up against his own aventator.

I can't post the links as I'm on my phone, but perhaps someone can do the honours?

I wouldn't take a tesla over either as a toy, but as a daily driver.....hell yes. The 700 bhp version is more efficient then the 400bhp version (in like for like driving)!

Seeing as you asked so nicely:

458:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cA1doO_9h8

Aventador:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e-jquwHKtI

[redroadster]

These electric cars will become the fastest accelerating road cars very soon they have come along way since milk floats.

[98elise]

QuattroDave said:

98elise said:

Look up tesla vs a 458 Italia on YouTube for a decent comparison. The same guy also puts the tesla up against his own aventator.

I can't post the links as I'm on my phone, but perhaps someone can do the honours?

I wouldn't take a tesla over either as a toy, but as a daily driver.....hell yes. The 700 bhp version is more efficient then the 400bhp version (in like for like driving)!

Seeing as you asked so nicely:

458:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cA1doO_9h8

Aventador:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e-jquwHKtI

Thanks. I got home and added the links at the same time