There is no car these days like the Bugatti Chiron. It was expensive, powerful, and rare, and it represented the best of internal combustion engines. The new DragTimes YouTube video puts Bugatti in its place as it races the powerful Tesla Model S Plaid.
The 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine powers the Bugatti, which pumps out 1,500 horsepower (1,118 kilowatts) and 1,180 pound-feet (1,600 Newton-meters) of torque. It has all-wheel drive, transmitting power to the wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
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The Tesla Model S Plaid drops power with its three-motor setup, pumping 1,020 hp (760 kW) to all four wheels. The Tesla is also about 500 pounds (226 kilograms) heavier than the Bugatti, but that weight doesn’t show up in the results.
Neither car kept the other out of the water, as both trades won back and forth over five races. In the first, Tesla got a stellar launch, with Bugatti slow to leave the starting line. Chiron narrowed the gap but couldn’t close it before finishing in second. The Chiron got a better start in the second race, which allowed it to win, keeping the Tesla in his rearview mirror.
The third and final race of the dig resulted in Tesla getting his second win. The Model S launched ahead of the line, leaving Bugatti to catch up.
The last two fights were rolling races, which helped Bugatti a bit but not enough to secure victory. In both races, the Chiron lost, but came close to winning the second race, losing just half the length of the car. The internal combustion engine can’t beat three electric motors.
The Bugatti Chiron is an engineering marvel, a pure example of the capabilities of an internal combustion engine. The Tesla Model S represents the future, and is able to outperform the Chiron. However, now that Rimac and Bugatti have partnered, we expect the bespoke French brand to have its own high-powered EV in development as we want to see a proper rematch.
