In a surprise drag race, the UK-based Carwow pitted the all-electric Kia EV6 GT against the high-dollar, high-horsepower Ferrari Purosangue. On paper, the Ferrari would be the easy choice, with a more powerful naturally aspirated V12 power plant, a massive 715 horsepower, and a cost well above $395,000. In the meantime, the Kia EV6 GT is the underdog, coming to the ring at a starting price of only $65,275, but has a point to make.
Performance-Busting Specs
The Ferrari Purosangue packs a 6.5-liter V12 with a 715 hp engine and can accelerate 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.3 seconds. It is, however, weighed down, with Ferrari citing a dry weight of 4,482 lbs, but in the real world, the car weighs approximately 4,850 lbs.
The Kia EV6 GT has, in its turn, a dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration that delivers 641horsepowers (with overboost), and 568 lb-ft of torque. Official numbers put a 3.5-second time in the 0-60 mph, but even through independent tests conducted, it is even faster than this, which is the main reason it beats the Ferrari over and over again.
Immediate Torque Against Raw Energy
The V12 used in the Ferrari provides the power in big and dramatic ways, but the electric engine of the Kia is more efficient and immediate. The electric motors provide full torque at zero RPM, providing an unrivaled launching advantage to the EV6 GT.
In several drag races, the Kia was not only jumping out of the starting line faster but also continuing to increase its gap, with the Ferrari racing behind it.
Weight and Balance
Weight usually matters a lot in the performance business, but, surprisingly, both cars are massively proportional. Although the curb weight of the Ferrari in real life is approximately 4,850 lbs, it almost matches that of the EV6 GT (4,884 lbs). Although the power-to-weight ratio is slightly lower, the Kia has a superior balance of torque and excellent distribution on all wheels by virtue of all-wheel drive.
Price and Prestige
The first and most noticeable difference between these two cars lies in price. It nearly takes half a decade of saving to afford the Ferrari Purosangue compared to the Kia EV6 GT. Although the Ferrari has an unsurpassed badge, a hand-stitched interior, and the unmistakable Italian look, the Kia shows that you no longer need a supercar budget to do straight-line speed.
The Only Win for the Ferrari
During a single run, the host of Car Wow, Mat Watson, placed the Kia into a mode that simulates gear shifts to make it sound like the power delivery of a combustion engine is happening. This mode puts the EV6 GT at a pace slow enough to lose to the Ferrari. This, however, was not the real test of the potential of the Kia, and in the full-performance mode, the EV 6 GT retained supremacy.
A Paradigm Shift in Performance Landscape
It is not just any strange YouTube event; it is the sign of a new age in automobile performance. Electrification has also played equalizer and allowed mainstream car manufacturers to give legendary brands like Ferrari a run in some performance categories and even outdo them.
The possibility that a Kia, a car that used to strike as an economy car, could embarrass a Ferrari in a drag competition would have been unfathomable ten years ago. There is also a similar video where $95K Tesla Model X Plaid beats a $2.5M Koenigsegg Agera RS in a drag race.
