Ultra-rare hypercar faces off against a family-sized EV and barely escapes embarrassment in a surprising quarter-mile showdown.
In a matchup few would have predicted, a $4.5 million Koenigsegg Agera RST hypercar went head-to-head with a Tesla Model X Plaid SUV — and the results were far from predictable.
The race, organized by the carwow YouTube channel, featured automotive journalist Mat Watson squaring off against collector Tom Beardsmore, who brought his ultra-exclusive, right-hand-drive Agera RST to the line. The Swedish exotic is no slouch on paper, boasting a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 pumping out 1,360 horsepower and 1,158 lb-ft of torque, capable of 278 mph in full attack mode.
But for all its firepower, the rear-wheel-drive, 3,000-pound Koenigsegg struggled to put it down in a straight line against Tesla’s electric grocery-hauler, the 5,400-pound Model X Plaid. Despite being a two-and-a-half-ton family car, the Tesla tri-motor setup offers instant torque, all-wheel traction, and a zero-to-60 mph sprint in under three seconds.
In the first race, the Koenigsegg appeared to stumble — so much so that engineers had to diagnose an issue remotely mid-event. While Beardsmore eventually coaxed a 10.2-second quarter-mile from the Agera, the Tesla delivered the exact same time, and later rounds saw the Plaid consistently edging ahead.
“There’s no shame in losing to a Tesla,” Watson joked, “unless your car costs $4 million more.”
Beardsmore, unfazed, explained he hadn’t yet fully unleashed the Agera’s ferocity. “It’s got way more in it,” he said, noting his 9,000-mile experience with the car over the past 18 months. In one late run, with perfect timing and max boost, the Koenigsegg finally pulled clear — proving that while electric torque is relentless, combustion still has its day.
But the fact remains: the quickest car on this drag strip might just be the one with the car seats in the back.
