C8 Corvette Takes on Tesla Model Y Performance In Extremely Close Drag Race

Higher elevations help handicap the C8 Corvette to the point where it loses to the Tesla Model Y by a hair.

On paper, the C8 Corvette and Tesla Model Y Performance have basically nothing in common. On one side, we have a sports car icon that utilizes a mid-mounted, gas-fed 6.2-liter V8 as motivation. On the other side, we have an all-electric crossover. But when you line the two up against each other for a good old-fashioned drag race, as The Fast Lane Car did recently, you get a surprisingly competitive result.

No one would really guess that judging by the way these two vehicles compare on paper. The C8 Corvette’s LT2 powerplant produces 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque in Z51 guise, which sends power to the rear wheels via a quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission. Meanwhile, the Model Y Performance produces a similar 450 horsepower (335 kilowatts) and a little less than 500 pound-feet (667 Newton-meters) of torque.

Another big factor here is the fact that the Tesla tips the scales at a hefty 4,400 pounds, while the Corvette weighs in at around 3,600 pounds. So it’s logical to think that the C8 Corvette has a major advantage in this matchup. However, the Model Y Performance does have a few distinct advantages. It’s all-wheel-drive, for starters, and it has no transmission. Plus, electric motors are known for their immediate torque, available from the first press of the go-pedal.

However, GM says the C8 Z51 will do 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, while Tesla says the Model Y Performance takes 3.4 seconds to reach that speed. Regardless, in this particular drag race, the Tesla barely edges out the Corvette after getting beat off the line. However, there’s an important caveat here – the test took place in Colorado at a high elevation, which puts the Corvette at a distinct disadvantage.

The C8 wheezed its way through the thin air to a mere 4.17-second 0-60 time, while the Tesla did the deed in 3.93 seconds. Both times are disappointing, so we’d like to see a rematch under different conditions, with different drivers.

Regardless, this video just proves what most people already know – electric cars are quick. They may not evoke the same passion as something like a Corvette, but they are good for stoplight drag races. But at the top end, they also fall off quite quickly. Regardless, we’ll take that LT2’s intoxicating exhaust note over the silence of an electric motor any day.

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