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Tesla Model 3 Performance drag races McLaren 570S in impressive 1/4 mile showdown
There is no denying that the Model 3 Performance is quick, especially considering VBOX data validating the car’s 0-60 mph acceleration figures. But the question is, would it be fast enough to beat an actual supercar on the drag strip? Perhaps, even something as daunting as a McLaren 570S?
This was something explored recently by Tesla owner-enthusiast Erik Strait, better known as the host of YouTube’s DÆrik channel. Thanks to a friendly owner in the area, Erik has been able to test out the capabilities of the Model 3 Performance, which adds dual motors and a $5,000 Performance Upgrade package to the base trim, including 20″ Performance Wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, a carbon fiber rear spoiler, aluminum alloy pedals, and a top speed boost that enables the electric car to max out at 155 mph.
Tesla lists the Model 3 Performance with a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, which is plenty fast for a high-performance midsize sedan. Erik’s tests have shown that the Model 3 Performance is actually quicker than Tesla’s estimates, with the electric car hitting 60 mph in as low as 3.18 seconds when fully charged. Nevertheless, with a McLaren 570S as its opponent, the cards are stacked against the Model 3 Performance.
McLaren’s supercars are actually embedded in the history of Tesla, with CEO Elon Musk famously buying a McLaren F1 when he made his first millions after selling Zip2, his first company. Musk would later infamously wreck his McLaren F1 in a joyride with Peter Thiel, but the supercar would hold a special place in the Tesla CEO’s heart for years to come. When Musk unveiled the Model S P85D, for example, he made it a point to highlight that the electric car’s 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds is comparable to the acceleration of the supercar.
The 570S is McLaren’s “baby” supercar, slightly less powerful than its flagship vehicles like the 650S but incredibly fast just the same. The 570S is equipped with a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine making 562 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. The car is also fitted with a slick-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which helps propel the vehicle from 0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds. The 570S’ top speed of 204 mph places it beside popular supercars like the Lamborghini Huracan 610-4 Spyder and the Ferrari 488 Spider 3.9 V8 Turbo. Compared to the McLaren 570S, the Model 3 Performance appears completely outclasses, with its dual motors producing a combined 450 hp and 471 lb-ft of torque and its top speed of 155 mph.
The Model 3 Performance dueled the McLaren 570S twice, and on both times, the electric car left the gas-powered supercar off the line. The Model 3 Performance did get the jump on the 570S to the quarter-mile mark, but stats-wise, Tesla’s electric car fell just around .2 seconds short of the supercar. The Model 3 Performance finished the quarter mile in 11.79 seconds at a speed of 115.18 mph in the first round, which was just slightly lower than the McLaren 570S’ 11.62 seconds and 124 mph. A second race rendered similar results, with the Model 3 Performance finishing the run in 11.79 seconds at 115.35 mph and the 570S completing the run in 11.58 seconds at 125.68 mph.
The Model 3 Performance is not a supercar, both in design and in function. While the McLaren 570S had bad launches on both races, the time differences between the two vehicles’ quarter-mile runs were just way too close. With stickier tires and a possible Ludicrous upgrade in the future, the Model 3 Performance could most certainly establish itself as a force to be reckoned with on the drag strip, just like its two larger siblings — the Model S P100D and the Model X P100D.
Watch the Model 3 Performance stand up to the McLaren 570S in the video below.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk hints Tesla investors will be rewarded heavily
“Hold onto your Tesla stock. It’s going to be worth a lot, I think. That’s my bet,” Musk said.
Elon Musk recently hinted that he believes Tesla investors will be rewarded heavily if they continue to hold onto their shares, and he reiterated that in a new interview that the company released on its social accounts this week.
Musk is one of the most successful CEOs in the modern era and has mammothed competitors on the Forbes Net Worth List over the past year as his holdings in his various companies have continued to swell.
Tesla investors, especially those who have been holding shares for several years, have also felt substantial gains in their portfolios. Over the past five years, the stock is up over 78 percent. Since February 2019, nearly seven years ago to the day, the stock is up over 1,800 percent.
Musk said in the interview:
“Hold onto your Tesla stock. It’s going to be worth a lot, I think. That’s my bet.”
Elon Musk in new interview: “Hold on to your $TSLA stock. It’s going to be worth a lot, I think. That’s my bet.” pic.twitter.com/cucirBuhq0
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 26, 2026
It’s no secret Musk has been extremely bullish on his own companies, but Tesla in particular, because it is publicly traded.
However, the company has so many amazing projects that have an opportunity to revolutionize their respective industries. There is certainly a path to major growth on Wall Street for Tesla through its various future projects, including Optimus, Cybercab, Semi, and Unsupervised FSD.
- Optimus (Tesla’s humanoid robot): Musk has discussed its potential for tasks like childcare, walking dogs, or assisting elderly parents, positioning it as a massive long-term driver of company value.
- Cybercab (Tesla’s robotaxi/autonomous ride-hailing vehicle): a fully autonomous vehicle geared specifically for Tesla’s ride-sharing ambitions.
- Semi (Tesla’s electric truck, with mentions of expansion, like in Europe): brings Tesla into the commercial logistics sector.
- Unsupervised FSD (Full Self-Driving software achieving full autonomy without human supervision): turns every Tesla owner’s vehicle into a fully-autonomous vehicle upon release
These projects specifically are some of the highest-growth pillars Tesla has ever attempted to develop, especially in Musk’s eyes, as he has said Optimus will be the best-selling product of all-time.
Many analysts agree, but the bullish ones, like Cathie Wood of ARK Invest, are perhaps the one who believes Tesla has incredible potential on Wall Street, predicting a $2,600 price target for 2030, but this is not even including Optimus.
She told Bloomberg last March that she believes that the project will present a potential additive if Tesla can scale faster than anticipated.
Cybertruck
Tesla drops latest hint that new Cybertruck trim is selling like hotcakes
According to Tesla’s Online Design Studio, the new All-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck will now be delivered in April 2027. Earlier orders are still slated for early this Summer, but orders from here on forward are now officially pushed into next year:
Tesla’s new Cybertruck offering has had its delivery date pushed back once again. This is now the second time, and deliveries for the newest orders are now pushed well into 2027.
According to Tesla’s Online Design Studio, the new All-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck will now be delivered in April 2027. Earlier orders are still slated for early this Summer, but orders from here on forward are now officially pushed into next year:
🚨 Tesla has updated the $59,990 Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s estimated delivery date to April 2027.
First deliveries are still slated for June, but if you order it now, you’ll be waiting over a year.
Demand appears to be off the charts for the new Cybertruck and consumers are… pic.twitter.com/raDCCeC0zP
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
Just three days ago, the initial delivery date of June 2026 was pushed back to early Fall, and now, that date has officially moved to April 2027.
The fact that Tesla has had to push back deliveries once again proves one of two things: either Tesla has slow production plans for the new Cybertruck trim, or demand is off the charts.
Judging by how Tesla is already planning to raise the price based on demand in just a few days, it seems like the company knows it is giving a tremendous deal on this spec of Cybertruck, and units are moving quickly.
That points more toward demand and not necessarily to slower production plans, but it is not confirmed.
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim will undergo massive change in ten days, Musk says
Tesla is set to hike the price on March 1, so tomorrow will be the final day to grab the new Cybertruck trim for just $59,990.
It features:
- Dual Motor AWD w/ est. 325 mi of range
- Powered tonneau cover
- Bed outlets (2x 120V + 1x 240V) & Powershare capability
- Coil springs w/ adaptive damping
- Heated first-row seats w/ textile material that is easy to clean
- Steer-by-wire & Four Wheel Steering
- 6’ x 4’ composite bed
- Towing capacity of up to 7,500 lbs
- Powered frunk
Interestingly, the price offering is fairly close to what Tesla unveiled back in late 2019.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk outlines plan for first Starship tower catch attempt
Musk confirmed that Starship V3 Ship 1 (SN1) is headed for ground tests and expressed strong confidence in the updated vehicle design.
Elon Musk has clarified when SpaceX will first attempt to catch Starship’s upper stage with its launch tower. The CEO’s update provides the clearest teaser yet for the spacecraft’s recovery roadmap.
Musk shared the details in recent posts on X. In his initial post, Musk confirmed that Starship V3 Ship 1 (SN1) is headed for ground tests and expressed strong confidence in the updated vehicle design.
“Starship V3 SN1 headed for ground tests. I am highly confident that the V3 design will achieve full reusability,” Musk wrote.
In a follow-up post, Musk addressed when SpaceX would attempt to catch the upper stage using the launch tower’s robotic arms.
“Should note that SpaceX will only try to catch the ship with the tower after two perfect soft landings in the ocean. The risk of the ship breaking up over land needs to be very low,” Musk clarified.
His remarks suggest that SpaceX is deliberately reducing risk before attempting a tower catch of Starship’s upper stage. Such a milestone would mark a major step towards the full reuse of the Starship system.
SpaceX is currently targeting the first Starship V3 flight of 2026 this coming March. The spacecraft’s V3 iteration is widely viewed as a key milestone in SpaceX’s long-term strategy to make Starship fully reusable.
Starship V3 features a number of key upgrades over its previous iterations. The vehicle is equipped with SpaceX’s Raptor V3 engines, which are designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight.
The V3 design is also expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale the spacecraft’s production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Elon Musk hints Tesla investors will be rewarded heavily
Tesla drops latest hint that new Cybertruck trim is selling like hotcakes
