F10 M5 (Stage 1) vs Tesla Model S P100D (Ludicrous Plus Mode)

[1320racer]

My 3rd pass was side-by-side racing, BMW vs Tesla. (see blue text below)

A friend of mine who drives a Tesla Model S P100D and I went to Mason Dixion Dragway’s Test and Tune recently. We arrived a little late due to heavy traffic and some rain as we drove from Silver Spring to Boonsboro, Maryland.

While at the track the sky was full of gray clouds. The temperature varied from 78 to 85 degrees and the DA varied from just below to just above 2000 feet.

We paid our $60 admission fees and got in line for Tech. After Tech, my buddy drove his Tesla immediately to staging lanes 5 and 6, which typically are the streetcar lanes at this track. I drove to a grassy area and unloaded my Coleman camping chairs, cooler w/ food and beverages, golf clubs, and removed the “beauty” cover from the top of the motor. I often remove the cover to allow the engine to cool more quickly while sitting in the staging lanes.

The Tesla was 5th in line in the staging lanes, I ended up 12th. As we waited for the other race classes to be run through, we used my tire gauge to lower our tire pressures:
(Tesla’s front/rear tires originally were ~50 PSI, lowered to 32 PSI)
(BMW M5’s rear tires originally were ~38 PSI, lowered to 25 PSI)

Tesla Model S w/ Ludicrous Plus Mode
The Tesla made at least 13 passes down 1/4 mile. Most passes used 2 to 3 percent of the battery’s State Of Charge (SOC). I looked at all his time slips and here are some of the highs and lows…
Tesla’s initial pass was 11.1 sec at 116 mph, ~90% SOC. After his first pass, it began to rain very lightly and they temporarily suspended racing. I suggested he visit a nearby supercharging station — he recharged to ~98%. The Tesla’s best pass of the evening was when it raced me (see my third pass below). The final passes of the evening, after many many runs, the Tesla was trapping at 111 mph with an elapsed time of around 12 seconds.

BMW F10 M5 w/ Stage 1 by Frank Smith, Founder of Tuning Tech
(Pass 1) 7:11 pm
60’ 2.0354
330’ 5.0928
1/8 mile 7.5626
1/8 mph 98.92
1000’ 9.7126
1/4 mile 11.5234
1/4 mph 124.79

(Pass 2) 8:02 pm
60’ 2.0006
330’ 5.2209
1/8 mile 7.7130
1/8 mph 98.49
1000’ 9.8654
1/4 mile 11.6761
1/4 mph 124.97

(Pass 3) 8:35 pm
BMW vs | Tesla 96% SOC
60’ 2.0230 | 1.6491
330’ 5.0937 | 4.4875
1/8 mile 7.5686 | 6.9270
1/8 mph 98.84 | 101.06
1000’ 9.7201 | 9.1030
1/4 mile 11.5352 | 11.0120
1/4 mph 124.58 | 119.02

(Pass 4) 9:22 pm
60’ 2.0081
330’ 5.0478
1/8 mile 7.5101
1/8 mph 99.36
1000’ 9.6492
1/4 mile 11.4527
1/4 mph 125.49
note: BEST ET and MPH

(Pass 5) 9:34 pm
60’ 2.0250
330’ 5.4837
1/8 mile 8.0937
1/8 mph 95.87
1000’ 10.2951
1/4 mile 12.1366
1/4 mph 123.19
note: spun twice as I launched


I have used many words and numbers to say what we all already knew. Don’t mess with certain Tesla Model S vehicles unless you are at a high speed roll It is well documented that this specific Tesla Model S can run an ET of 10.8 seconds in the 1/4 mile. The Tesla and my M5 were having traction issues all evening. This was because the track operators forced all racers through the launch waterbox. Nothing but motorcycles, have enough room to drive around the water. Oh well, we had fun anyway.

Take care and be safe EVERYONE

[KurtsM5]

Curious, were you using launch control?

[1320racer]

Unfortunately, from my experience, the factory launch control system on the F10 M5s does not provide a fast/good launch in most instances. Especially if the F10 M5 is tuned.