Porsche 911 GT3 RS Takes On Tesla-Powered VW Beetle
In a recent CarWow video, we join Mat Watson as he races a Porsche 911 GT3 RS against a Tesla-swapped Volkswagen Beatle.
The lineage of Porsche 911 can be traced back to the original Volkswagen Beatle. Porsche 956 was loosely related to the VW Beatle, and both cars were propelled by air-cooled motors that were mounted at the rear. So, it was quite poetic to see Mat Watson from CarWow racing a Porsche 911 GT3 RS against a Volkswagen Beatle.
To make it a fair fight, Watson chose to race against a Tesla-powered Beatle with an electric motor turning its rear wheels. The all-electric powertrain of the Beatle produces 450 HP of maximum power and 498 lb-ft of peak torque. The electric Beatle also ditches its original bodywork in favor of lightweight carbon fiber panels. As a result of this, the Tesla-powered VW Beatle only weighs 2,315 lbs and has almost seven times its original power.
Powered by a naturally-aspirated 4-liter engine, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3 seconds. The flat-six motor produces 520 HP of power and 346 lb-ft of torque. So, the 911 GT3 RS has fewer torques than the all-electric Beatle, and at 3,153 lbs, the sports car also weighs more than the EV. This is the reason why we were surprised to see the 911 GT3 RS beat the electric Bug in the first drag race.
As it turns out, the reason behind the Beatle’s defeat was its cold tires, which is why it managed to win the second drag race. Even Watson was impressed by the performance of the electric Beatle after he switched rides with Richard Morgan, who built the Tesla-swapped VW bug.
”Great launch, so close between the two of us, but as he (Morgan) changed from either first to second, or second to second to third, this just has constant power. I (Watson) took you, but then you were coming back at the end,” Watson told Morgan.
The two cars were neck and neck as they covered the quarter-mile. The Beatle took the lead at 11 seconds flat, followed by GT3 RS with a time of 11.1 seconds. The 911 GT3 RS managed to redeem itself by winning the rolling races and performing better than the Beatle in the final brake test.
“The pickup on this thing (GT3 RS) for an internal combustion engine is good. The throttle response is amazing, and we take off pretty much identical, but you (Morgan) just have the more torque that pushes you ahead, and then I slowly start reeling you in” said Watson.
Image Source: CarWow