15 photos

Photo: Wheels Plus / YouTube

That means there's enough confidence that all things will go smoothly, and we will finally see the first examples of the model designed to brawl with the GMC Hummer EV, Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado plus GMC Sierra EV, and Ram 1500 REV in action on the streets. But before that happens, let us remember there are other superheroes in the lineup, such as the Plaid models.

Meanwhile, over at camp General Motors, things aren't too rosy – there are signs that Chevrolet and GMC won't have too many Silverado and Sierra EV trucks at hand to fight the Cybertruck because their planned production in Detroit was just delayed. Additionally, the pony and muscle car fans might shed a tear of sadness for the 2024 Camaro as the rumor mill also reports that production will be halted earlier than January 2024 – this November for the Convertible and early December for the coupe.

Now, suppose you want to add insult to injury. In that case, all you have to do is go to a North American quarter-mile dragstrip and check out an ICE-powered versus EV skirmish, especially if it is one involving a Tesla and the unpopular sixth-generation Camaro. Here, let us give you a proper example. So, the videographer behind the Wheels Plus channel on YouTube is a big fan of Bandimere Speedway and The Strip, but he also loves MRP for its feisty ICE vs. EV brawls.

As opposed to the other two, and also dubbed 'Thunder by the River' in the NHRA, Mission Raceway Park is located in Mission, British Columbia, Canada. But that doesn't mean they don't love feisty skirmishes when something as tasty as an all-black Chevy Camaro, allegedly an SS version equipped with the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine and a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed auto, met with a bulky Tesla Model X electric mid-size luxury crossover SUV.

The latter, according to the description, was of the 1,020-hp Plaid variety, which makes things 'a bit' tough for the 455-hp Camaro, especially when thinking about the hp differences and the RWD to instant torque with AWD separation between the two of them. However, we always go with an open mind and fresh heart to see these quarter-mile encounters as we like to expect the unexpected.

Well, it wasn't the case here, as the Plaid owner had a stellar reaction time, and it soon felt like the Camaro was left standing still even after its mighty V8 roared and the muscle car started rolling. In the end, the Tesla snatched victory with a 10.05s to 13.46s pass, but it sure felt like the gap was even more sizeable – especially if we also consider the trap speeds: 142 mph versus 110 mph!