Hybrid. Electric. Gas. Which one is quicker? It’s a rivalry that’s nearly as old as the iPhone, and one that comes to a head in the latest installment of Cammisa Ultimate Drag Race Replay. This episode finds our eponymous host conducting a showdown in the sports sedan market. And there’s some seriously heavy hitters: the BMW M3 CS, Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance, and Tesla Model 3 Performance go head-to-head. The M3 is firmly middle-of-the-pack, making 543 horsepower compared to the Tesla’s 510 and AMG’s whopping 671. But the results may tell a different story.
Predictably, the Tesla Model 3 Performance launches with no drama but plenty of motivation. It covers the zero-to-60 spread in a – frankly, ridiculous – 2.8 seconds. The quarter-mile race gets dispatched in just 11 seconds flat, and the car reaches 122 mph.
The most powerful car here, the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, puts up quite a fight but can’t quite keep up. That’s partially due to its heft. The sedan weighs in at 4,750 pounds, which is around 700 pounds more than the Model 3 Performance and 850 more than the BMW. Cammisa also talks a little bit about the hybrid system, which only allows the electric motors to contribute full power for ten seconds at a time. That said, the big Benz is still plenty quick. It crosses the line in 11.2 seconds at 120 mph. Zero to 60? Just 2.9 seconds.
Finally – our personal favorite – comes the M3 CS. It ran a 10.9-second quarter mile, achieving 126 mph and rocketing from zero to 60 mph in a Tesla-matching 2.8 seconds. With all-wheel drive and a bit of a diet compared to more pedestrian M3 models, it’s the fastest M3 to date. It’s also the most expensive model here – and the most expensive M3 you can buy.
With both the Mercedes-Benz and M3 benefiting from Launch Control, Cammisa then decides to run the trio without Launch Control. Simply foot-to-the-floor acceleration. The results get shook up considerably – and it’s worth checking out. As with most Cammisa-hosted entertainment.