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Tesla Model 3 Performance quietly slays Lamborghini in 1/2-mile drag race
By now, the fact that Teslas are capable of slaying most high-performance production cars on the quarter-mile is common knowledge. With their instant torque, the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 are capable of launching very hard from a dead stop. This is why some motoring publications today have quietly shifted to half-mile races when benchmarking Teslas against the best fossil fuel cars that traditional automakers can offer.
Take Top Gear‘s Model 3 Performance review, for example. In it, the show opted to race the Model 3 Performance against the BMW M3, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S, and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, three of the best high-performance sedans on the market today. The show’s host, Chris Harris, noted that since Teslas dominate on the quarter-mile, Top Gear has opted to extend the race to a half-mile run instead. The drag race ended with the Model 3 Performance still beating the BMW M3 and the Alfa Romeo Q4, and the C 63 S catching up and passing the Tesla just before the half-mile mark.
If a video from a Model 3 Performance owner is any indication, it appears that Teslas are becoming a bit hard to beat in half-mile races as well. At the No Fly Zone event at Gila Bend, AZ, the Tesla owner ended up being paired with a formidable foe: a 580 hp Lamborghini Huracan. The Huracan is no joke, and the vehicle is considered as part of the automotive world’s supercar lineup. With looks to kill and performance to match, the Huracan is not a vehicle that one would likely see competing in a race with a four-door midsize all-electric family sedan.
The start of the run was typical of a Tesla vs. gas-powered car drag race, with the Model 3 gaining a quick lead over the supercar due to its instant torque. This continued until the quarter-mile mark, with the Tesla still leading. But then, something remarkable happened. The Model 3 just kept going, all the way to the half-mile point. Mar10 W6, the Tesla owner, remarked that he hit the half-mile mark at around 136 mph and well over a car length ahead of the Huracan. And just like that, Tesla’s most conservative Performance-branded sedan managed to beat an actual supercar in the half-mile.
Looking at the video, several things definitely seemed to have gone wrong on the part of the Huracan. For one, the supercar’s driver appeared to be sleeping at the wheel, and based on how the vehicle performed, it appeared that the Lamborghini was not even in Launch Mode. Perhaps it’s an honest mistake, or maybe it was a good helping of hubris, but one thing is sure: these little errors all built up as the perfect setup for what could only be described as an upset between a bonafide supercar and a family hauler.
Watch the Tesla Model 3 Performance quietly battle a Lamborghini Huracan in a 1/2-mile drag race in the video below.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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