The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is undoubtedly the most capable factory street-legal drag car ever made. Built with quarter-mile times in mind, it comes with a supercharged V8 engine capable of 1025 hp, along with drag radial tires, specific drag-ready suspension, and even a transmission brake. But it’s still no match for the Tesla Model S Plaid.
Brooks Weisblat from the DragTimes YouTube channel brought the two straight-line missiles together during a recent visit to Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida to see which would be quicker in a quarter-mile showdown.
In the first of three races, the Plaid is able to get a great start, launching away and leaving the Demon in the dust. The second race is a lot closer, with the Demon nailing an impressive launch. While the two cars are side-by-side for a few seconds, it’s the Tesla that slowly walks away and takes the win. The third race is a bit of a bust, as the Demon driver fudges the start, allowing the Plaid to take an easy victory.
As Weisblat points out, these cars are more closely matched than the results would suggest. In fact, it’s possible the Demon could beat the Model S Plaid if it were to get a perfect launch. But in the real world, the Tesla is far easier to drive, meaning it’s always going to lay down consistently quick quarter-mile times. The Dodge, on the other hand, needs a skilled driver and a perfect environment to extract the most performance.
If we had to choose one, we’d take the Dodge every time, despite the results.
