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Tesla Model S vs Porsche Taycan Turbo S real road race proves mainstream tests were a joke
The Tesla Model S Performance and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S may not exactly belong to the same segment, but both flagship EVs are bound to be considered as rivals thanks to their equally-impressive specs. Unfortunately, real-world races featuring the two vehicles are incredibly rare, and results from previous mainstream tests have proven questionable.
On paper, the Tesla Model S Performance and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S’s acceleration and top speed are comparable. The Tesla holds an edge in range and tech, and it costs just over half of the Porsche, but the Taycan leads the Model S in classic build quality and track performance. In a lot of ways, races between the two vehicles should be nail-biting rounds, but so far, this has not been the case.
The Tesla Model S Performance and Porsche Taycan Turbo S have been raced against each other by mainstream motoring outlets in the past, such as Top Gear and Car and Driver. However, in both cases, the results of the races have been very strange. In Top Gear’s case, for example, the Taycan dominated, but videos of the race showed that the Model S was in Range Mode and launch control was not enabled. The publication also admitted to using old Model S results from a previous test against a Mercedes-AMG E63S.
Car and Driver’s race results were also a bit strange. The Taycan also soundly beat the Model S, but the publication stated that the Tesla’s 0-60 mph dropped to over 4.0 seconds by the third consecutive race. This was an observation that was contested strongly by some owners of the flagship sedan, several of whom have raced their vehicles consecutively. Fortunately for the electric car community, a real race between the two vehicles has finally been shared online, thanks to the efforts of veteran drag racer Brooks Weisblat of YouTube’s DragTimes.
In a recent video, the DragTimes host was able to get his hands on both a Tesla Model S Raven Performance with the latest Cheetah Stance update, as well as a $206,000 Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The two vehicles could not be tested on an actual drag strip due to the ongoing pandemic, but the two flagship EVs were able to lock horns in a series of road races nonetheless.
The races between the two vehicles played out precisely as their specs would suggest. In the first round, the Taycan got the jump on the launch, and it beat the Model S. The second race went to the Tesla, with the Model S Performance pulling hard enough to snatch the win. Two rolling races followed, and the results were pretty much the same. Overall, two things became very evident. One, the Porsche Taycan definitely holds an advantage in higher speeds thanks to its two-speed gearbox, and two, the Tesla Model S Performance is not a car that could be toyed around by the German-made EV.
Ultimately, Weisblat noted that the results of a real Tesla Model S Performance vs. Porsche Taycan Turbo S drag race would likely depend on the capabilities and reaction times of the two vehicles’ drivers. Both cars are insanely quick, and both are definitely at the top of their class. Ultimately, the Tesla Model S Performance and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S’ rivalry may just be beginning, considering the upcoming release of the Plaid Model S, which will be capable of track driving.
Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.
Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.
However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.
The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.
Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:
20+ Cybercabs spotted near Miami international airport. pic.twitter.com/ORLsw8yFhf
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.
Cybercab at the Devon location in PA has multiplied over the weekend. Seeing a few more test vehicles in the lot 👀 pic.twitter.com/DhJT4P1EkU
— Billy (@billykyle) August 22, 2026
Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.
Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.
The Tesla Model Y L is arguably the most hyped trim of the all-electric crossover, other than the Performance configuration that comes with white-knuckle speed and sports car-level handling.
However, it is not all perfect. Tesla owners in China who took delivery of the Model Y L, denoted with an L to highlight its longer wheelbase, are experiencing what they are referring to as “collapsing” of the rear wheels, as suspension issues appear to be an issue with some of the builds.
🚨 Model Y L owners in China report rear suspension sag
• Six-seat long-wheelbase Y. Shanghai. On sale since August 2025
• Owners say the rear tire-to-arch gap shrinks after mileage or a full load. Some cases after about 9,000 km loaded. Others near 30,000 km
• Tesla service… pic.twitter.com/Lr6i5Tbi07— Joe Hansen (@joehansen) September 1, 2026
The gap between the wheel arch and tire has narrowed to the point that “not even a single finger” could fit, according to a report from Car News China. The failures are not tied to a specific mileage, as one owner said that after just 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles), they noticed the suspension issue when their car was fully loaded.
Another one had the issue at 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) and noticed that the wheel gap shrank to two fingers, so not as drastic as the person who reported a similar issue at 9,000 km.
Tesla Model Y L is gaining momentum in China’s premium segment
Along with the visual recognition of the issue, others are saying the sagging is causing abnormal wear on the inside of the tires. Extra weight and instant torque already provide additional stress on the tires in electric vehicles during normal operation, so it is no surprise that this is another complaint.
There has been no recall issued by Tesla, and the company has not yet publicly acknowledged the issue.
Some are suggesting that owners use a “finger test” to self-diagnose whether there is an issue with the suspension. There should be four fingers between the tire and the wheel well; anything less than that starts to get dicey.
Tesla is starting to truly tease and hype its groundbreaking Cybercab event, which takes place tomorrow in Austin, Texas. It will be the first time members of the public will be able to ride in a Cybercab, a vehicle without any manual controls, on public roads.
Tesla has been dropping some hype on X over the past several days, but this morning, the excitement has truly started to build up for the event. Although Cybercab has been unveiled before, this is truly Tesla’s announcement that it is ready to start offering autonomous rides for public passengers in its new ride-hailing-geared vehicle for the first time.
The hype has started with a variety of different social media posts that are a true indication that Tesla is preparing for something big. Teasing so much of the potential of Cybercab, including its ability to truly revolutionize how people hail rides for local travel, is what the big idea for the event entails. The time that many Tesla owners, fans, and investors have been waiting for is potentially here:
— Tesla (@Tesla) September 2, 2026
The event has remained slim on details. Even invitees are still awaiting true details about what the event will entail, where they’ll go, and what is in store for the evening. This is pretty typical for an event run by Tesla; they keep things under wraps for the most part until the very last minute.
However, there is no secret about what the real intention of Tesla is for this event: it is going to be a huge reveal party for a vehicle that has no steering wheel and no pedals. It is a truly massive step for the company moving forward.
No steering wheel, no pedals
— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) September 2, 2026
Speculation persists as to whether this is going to be an event that simply announces that rides will begin with the Cybercab, or it will be something more substantial. Tesla has said in the past that they plan to sell the Cybercab to the general public in what could become a great way to earn passive income by adding it to a more global fleet of Robotaxi-geared vehicles.
Tomorrow, the show begins in Austin, and the Cybercab goes live at some capacity; we just don’t know exactly how quite yet.
Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus
Tesla Model Y L gets suspension complaints in over odd issue China
