Gary Zhou 
The Tesla Model Y Performance is far from a sluggish vehicle. The Model Y Performance is quick on its feet, reaching highway speeds in just 3.5 seconds. The top-of-the-line all-electric crossover is a bit tame in comparison to its peers, such as the Model 3 Performance, Model S Plaid, and Model X Plaid.
But, if a recent Edmunds video is any indicator, even Tesla’s slowest Performance-branded car appears to be enough to humble a 2020 Ford Shelby GT500, a vehicle that, for all intents and purposes, could sweep the all-electric crossover under the rug. Edmunds’ long-term fleet included both the Model Y and the GT500. Carlos Lago, one of the company’s YouTube hosts, who is familiar with both vehicles, noted that the GT500 is notoriously difficult to launch.
One of the reasons for pitting the Shelby GT500 against the Model Y Performance was because of this. The GT500 should have the advantage over the other two, thanks to its 760 horsepower supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine. The Shelby ran the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds at 129.9 mph on Edmunds’ test track, half a second faster than the Model Y. However, in real-life situations, the story could not be more different.
Although the Ford Shelby GT500 is infamous for being difficult to launch, the Model Y Performance could not be more straightforward. The family-oriented Performance-branded Tesla accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds with just a press of the accelerator. Edmunds showed this by bringing the two cars through a series of five races, including a rolling run. The GT500 and Model Y Performance drivers also swapped cars at one point to see if the Shelby would perform better.
It didn’t work. Every race, the 760-horsepower sports car struggled to find its footing, resulting in a resounding loss to the Model Y Performance. Tesla’s slowest Performance-branded vehicle stayed on top of the roaring Shelby GT500 even after the drivers were swapped.
The hosts of Edmunds, on the other hand, claimed that if they had to choose between the two cars, they would choose the GT500 simply because it was more thrilling and satisfying. Regardless of this, the Tesla Model Y Performance is deserving of a lot of praise. After all, only a few crossovers in its price range could go toe-to-toe with a GT500 and win five times in a row.
Watch the Tesla Model Y Performance battle the Ford Shelby GT500 in the video below.
