Tesla Model S vs. BMW M5: The drag race

There are many burning questions these days to which we seek answers: who will win the upcoming presidential election? How does the Tesla Model S Performance stack up against the BMW M5 on a drag strip? And, of course, who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong? While we can't speak to the either the political or metaphysical queries, we now have one answer to the automotive one.

On paper, the answer seems clear. The BMW M5 is said to scoot from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds when equipped with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, while Tesla says the Model S Signature Performance edition can do that in 4.4 seconds. What happens beyond that speed is anyone's guess, but it should be kept in mind that the gas guzzler's 4.4-liter V8 puts out 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque – maybe more – compared to the battery-operated sedan's 416 hp and 443 lb-ft of sizzle.

But driving doesn't happen on paper and so the similarly-inquisitive folks at Automobile magazine took one of each of these vehicles to Gingerman Raceway for a little head-to-head competition. The result? While it is possible for the somewhat lighter German machine to occasionally edge out the slippery American newcomer, the Tesla seems more adept at translating its potential energy into forward motion.


http://green.autoblog.com/2012/10/09...ag-race-video/

 

That's pretty damn impressive!

 

Wow, max torque at 0 rpm does the trick!

 

sorry, but IMO that's a huge burn on the M5....beaten by an electric car!!!

 

ahaahahhaa M what? lol (Sorry, had to laugh) becz a 560HP BWW M5 got taken by an Electric car.. who says electric cars are slow.. Tesla "type" cars are the future.. now lets see the price tag..

 

I wonder how much tesla paid them to rig this test...

If you noticed the video that tesla has a 3/10th head start and the m5 actually lost control about 30 ft down the line as you can tell from the tire smoke when the rear broke loose.

Completely rigged.

 

+1

Sorry but yup, quite obvious. Completely rigged plainly visible to anybody paying the slightest bit attention and Automobile mag played it as if it was legitimate. Trash journalism and obviously paid.

 

1) We don't know the situation, maybe they got the go through walkie talkie inside the cars, a slow reaction by the M5 is not the fault of the Tesla or the testers.

2) The M5's inability to maintain control is not the fault of the Tesla or the testers.

3) They tested 2 of 3 times and Tesla is said to win two of them

Completely rigged? lol no.

 

I'm pretty sure they did a few runs with the same outcome. what I'm most concerned about is what are they doing driving an m5?

 

1. Slow reaction is the fault of the tester.
2. Inability to drive the car properly is the fault of the tester. (if the guy can't drive an auto properly, just use launch control)
3. Driver of the m5 only got it right 1 out of 3...it is the drivers fault.

They should have discard the runs that were not done proper, like loosing control and went side ways, do it right and the results would be very different. That makes this test completely rigged.

 

tesla s did get good track results in every test they did... it has no wheelspin when accelerating, unlike M5... it is pretty quick, but loses speed after 100mph, as shown in this test as well.

 

They should also have the drivers switch cars and repeat the runs again

 

was this test before or after the M5 motor exploded?? LOL


j/k BMW luvers!!!!

 

Well, there isn't any "New" news here. At least for me and most already know the Roadster Tesla can do 0-60 in under 4 secs and Qtr in the12's.. so why is so hard to believe this Tesla S can out run an M5, hard to believe but we (society) as a whole are product of Branding & Advertising.. I love BMW (not a BMW hater) but the facts are there.. atleast 0-100, the Telsa rocks but I can see the M5 about to take the Tesla near the end of the run.. Still for everyday use and all the speed most of us will use, the Tesla is the Winner in my book..

Tesla Roadster review for ref - http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...est/specs.html

 

NICE! I don't mind having a Model S performance as my daily driver

It is fun smoking people with a screaming engine, it is even more fun doing it silently. Like playing the underdog.