Can a 1990s Ferrari Take On An All-electric KIA?

It’s crazy to think that a modern-day crossover can keep up with a 1990s Ferrari. That said, the Kia EV6 with its two electric motors, boasts a power output of 325 horsepower (239 kilowatts) and 446 pound-feet (605 Nm). The Korean EV also has all-wheel drive and can rocket from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.9 seconds. In case you are wondering, the Kia EV6 has a range of 315 miles (506 km), which is probably more than what the Ferrari F355 can cover before it needs to refuel.The Korean crossover has a hot version, called the Kia EV6 GT, which our colleagues from Hotcars praise a lot, but in the interest of having a fair race, a lesser version was featured here.

Although the Ferrari F355 has a 3.5-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 with 380 horsepower (280 kilowatts) and 265 pound-feet (360 Nm), it has a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels only. The Kia EV6 has a single-speed automatic, which means constant acceleration, backed up by the immediate torque of the electric motors. In a quarter-mile drag race, the Ferrari would need to shift gears at least four times. Even its weight of 2,976 pounds (1,350 kg) may not be enough to keep the 4,607-pound (2,090 kg) EV6 at bay.

In defense of the internal combustion engine, if you get it right, the Ferrari F355 could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) from a standstill in 4.5 seconds, although that’s easier said than done in a rear-wheel-drive, manual-equipped sports car. Still, the drag race answers an interesting question: is a non-performance-oriented EV like the Kia EV6 capable enough to defeat a mid-engine sports car from the 1990s?

We have seen a Tesla Model S Plaid humiliate various high-performance vehicles, but it’s interesting to see what will happen if we go further down the automotive food chain, which is what the video below showcases. We will say that in some disciplines, the two vehicles were quite close while in others, it wasn’t even a contest. And that Italian, flat-plane V-8 soundtrack is something else.