This is such a shame. It's so obnoxious when car mags perform disingenuous testing like this ( I expect more out of Automobile
). The M5 and Model S are a very, very interesting comparison. Name an electric sedan that could even come *close* to M5 level performance prior to the Model S? This is a huge deal.
Instead of talking about that, we're all hung up on the fact that the Model S driver jumped the gun on the M5 driver by 0.3 to 0.5 seconds in what amounts to a street race. When performance is almost identical, RT makes a difference.
Having said all that, the Model S still gets out of the hole better than the M5. I think there are a handful of reasons for this:
* The M5 driver didn't use launch control; DUMB!
* The output of an electric motor is a lot easier to control and reacts much faster to "throttle" changes; this makes launch control systems more effective
* The torque output of an electric motor from a full stop is very close to linear, which means it can apply all its available force from a full stop; pretty amazing
I think that even with a dead even start, the Model S would get out of the hole more quickly. From a tuner's perspective, electric cars could be a lot of fun. Anyone who isn't excited about electric cars isn't a "real" enthusiast (no true scotsman, holla!). I love the sound of an ICE, but I can find plenty of things to love about electrics as well.