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Porsche Taycan win against Tesla Model S is suspicious, says veteran drag racer
Just recently, motoring publication Top Gear posted a video comparing the Porsche Taycan Turbo S to the Tesla Model S Performance. The publication featured a drag race between the two vehicles which ended with the Taycan taking the win from the Model S. The quarter-mile race seemed to be a clean win for the Porsche, but according to a veteran drag racer, there are some aspects of the race that were, to say the least, suspicious.
Brooks of DragTimes has extensive experience on the drag strip, being the owner of vehicles like the McLaren 720S and the new Ford GT. With a garage filled with high-performance cars and innumerable straight-line races under his belt, Brooks knows a thing or two about drag racing. His experiences with his Model S P100D also make him a veteran Tesla owner who knows all the quirks of the all-electric sedan inside out when launching from a straight line.
With this in mind, the veteran drag racer noted that there seems to be several things that are wrong about the results of Top Gear‘s quarter-mile race between the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Tesla Model S Performance. The motoring publication listed the Model S’ 0-60 mph time at 2.68 seconds, its 0-100 mph at 6.46 seconds, and its quarter-mile time at 11.08 seconds at 124.0 mph. The DragTimes host noted that this immediately rings some alarm bells, as the Model S Performance is known to clock 10.6-second quarter-mile times regularly.
But it gets stranger. Looking at the figures listed by Top Gear after the two vehicles’ drag race, it appears that the publication basically copy-pasted the exact same performance figures of the Model S from a race against a Mercedes AMG E63S from 2017. This, according to Brooks, is highly suspicious, since the chances of a vehicle having the exact same 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, quarter-mile time, and trap speed in two different drag races are incredibly thin.
Apart from this, the DragTimes host argued that the Model S which raced against the Taycan Turbo S did not seem to be in Launch Mode. This is because the Model S squats when Launch Mode is engaged, something that did not seem to happen in Top Gear‘s video. The motoring publication did not seem to engage the full capabilities of Ludicrous Plus Mode as well, as the graphics on the vehicle’s MCU and instrument cluster do not feature the same settings as a Model S with its maximum performance enabled.
Top Gear noted that the Porsche Taycan Turbo S completed the quarter-mile in 10.69 seconds, which is 0.39 seconds faster than the Model S’ 11.08-second quarter-mile time. Brooks noted that in drag races, a 0.39-second gap would usually correspond to about four car lengths. This is pretty odd since in the Top Gear video, the Taycan Turbo S was only one car length ahead of the Model S Performance when it crossed the quarter-mile mark.
If the DragTimes host’s observations are correct, then it means that Top Gear misrepresented the Tesla Model S in its recent comparative video against the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. This is unfortunate, as the two vehicles are actually neck-in-neck, and they do feature quarter-mile performance that can make an exciting drag race. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is a great vehicle too, and its two-speed gearbox will likely give it an advantage over the Tesla Model S Performance at high speeds.
Simply put, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is a worthy competitor that has the potential to win against a Raven Tesla Model S Performance with Launch Mode and Ludicrous Plus fair and square. Misrepresentations, whether intentional or not, only do Porsche an injustice. The Model S deserves better, and the Taycan Turbo S does too.
Watch Brook’s breakdown of Top Gear‘s Porsche Taycan Turbo S vs Tesla Model S Performance drag race in the video below.
The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.
The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:
Spotted the new semi adorned with ground truthing equipment. Haven’t seen anyone post this so figured I’d share.
The future is autonomous!!@SawyerMerritt @wholemars pic.twitter.com/qkPDHPUQZ6
— Danny (@dannywinner1) June 21, 2026
The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.
There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.
Tesla Semi gets strange-but-understandable comparison from Jay Leno
The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.
There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.
President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.
Trump stated:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”
He added:
“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”
🚨 President Trump confirmed today that the new Air Force One is equipped with Starlink:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before, it’s the highest level and including Starlink…my friend Elon is going to be very happy.” pic.twitter.com/IhkDmtr5hL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 20, 2026
The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.
Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.
The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.
President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.
Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.
The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.
Today, things were a bit different.
Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.
Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:
Tesla Cybercabs are now getting “Cybercab” logos on the side of them!
Tesla did the same with Model Ys that were given “Robotaxi” logos: https://t.co/DanANtw1m7 pic.twitter.com/FqOhH0S9Ks
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 19, 2026
Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.
The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.
Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more
The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.
It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:
Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality
We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.
Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms
President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology
