Porsche 911 Turbo S: Unexpected King of the Quarter Mile vs Ferrari SF90 Stradale
Anyone who has witnessed a 1/4-mile drag race featuring the Ferrari SF90 Stradale knows it can dominate the strip with ease. Powered by a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 coupled with three electric motors, this plug-in hybrid has a remarkable output of 986 hp and can blitz from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 2.5 seconds. But what if another beast came roaring down this same track, fitted with enough power to rival even the Ferrari SF90? Enter the Porsche 911 Turbo S, modified to unleash an earth-shattering 1,075 horsepower.
The SF90 Stradale is truly a marvel of modern engineering. With a base turbocharged V8 engine producing 769 hp and an additional 217 hp provided by its electric motors, the car can achieve a total output of 986 hp. It accelerates almost faster than you can blink and reaches a top speed of 211 mph. The EV mode even allows you to drive up to 84 mph without using the internal combustion engine, making it a fascinating blend of eco-friendliness and raw, unparalleled power.
Yet, the beauty of the automotive world is that there's always room for a challenger. The 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S, customized by the experts at UK's ES Motor for Jamie, the host of the YouTube channel 'Officially Gassed - OG', exemplifies this notion. Originally, the 911 Turbo S is no slouch with its twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter six-cylinder engine generating 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. But after a myriad of modifications — including hybrid turbos, a full titanium exhaust, methanol injection, and custom ECU tuning — the car now exerts a monstrous 1,075 hp.
The Contenders: Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW
The 2024 Porsche 911 Turbo S, priced around $230,000, promises speed with its jaw-dropping 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds and a top end of 205 mph. But the souped-up version in this race? Estimated at around $271,776 with all the modifications, this Porsche is a demon on wheels. There's also a third competitor in this thrilling contest: the 2020 BMW S 1000 RR superbike. Equipped with a four-stroke, inline-four engine producing 207 hp, the bike — with mods like carbon fiber wheels and Akrapovic exhaust — ensures this isn't just a two-car showdown but a three-way battle.
Race Day: When the Rubber Meets the Road
The race day starts with a sound check, revealing the Ferrari to be surprisingly subdued. As the vehicles line up for their roll races, starting at 40 mph, the modified Porsche consistently crosses the finish line first. Despite the formidable performance specs of the Ferrari and the agility of the BMW bike, the 911 Turbo S proves unbeatable, clocking a jaw-dropping quarter-mile time of 9.4 seconds at 151.43 mph. For comparison, the SF90 did it in 9.68 seconds while reaching 146.89 mph, and the BMW S 1000 RR finished in 10.3 seconds at 146.98 mph.
When they switched to drag races, the story was much the same. Although the Ferrari managed to clinch a win in the second race, the Porsche dominated the other attempts. The specific timing metrics were even more telling: the Porsche hit 62 to 124 mph in an incredible 3.98 seconds. By contrast, the BMW reached the same speeds in 4.23 seconds, and the Ferrari lagged with a time of 4.48 seconds.
To add even more context, the finely-tuned Porsche 911 Turbo S outperformed some of the most renowned electric performance cars, such as the 1,050-hp Tesla Model S Plaid, which it beat by a fraction of a second. This performance reaffirms the timeless appeal of internal combustion engines when optimized to their fullest potential.
What's Next?
This drag race serves as a fascinating validation of Porsche’s engineering and tuning capabilities. It raises an intriguing question: what would happen if the Ferrari SF90 Stradale underwent similar modifications and enhancements? Until such a showdown occurs, the Porsche 911 Turbo S stands mighty, leaving us eagerly speculating about the next great rivalry in the realm of automotive performance.