Porsche 911 Turbo S Races Ferrari 488 Pista In AWD Vs RWD Battle

Ferrari and Porsche built their pedigrees producing some of the world’s best performance machines, even if the two took different approaches. A new video from the Daniel Abt YouTube channel shows how those differences shake out on the drag strip, pitting the 911 Turbo S 992 against the 488 Pista in a series of drag races in this unusual and unequal pairing.

The Ferrari is more powerful and lighter, making 710 horsepower (529 kilowatts) and 567 pound-feet (770 Newton-meters) of torque. It tips the scales at 3,053 pounds (1,385 kilograms) while the power routes to the rear wheels. The Porsche makes 641 hp (447 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque from its flat-six engine, but it weighs 3,770 lbs (1,710 kg). Its advantage is the all-wheel-drive system power the wheels, but that adds to the weight, too.

Gallery: Ferrari 488 Pista

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The first two races began from a standing start. In both, the Porsche’s all-wheel-drive allowed it to get a lead off the line that was so large the Ferrari couldn’t catch up. Porsche won the two races, completing the first quarter-mile race in 10.36 seconds at 161.89 miles per hour (260.53 kilometers per hour). The Ferrari did it in 10.92 seconds at 168.08 mph (270.50). The second race was a closer competition between the two, though the Ferrari still lost.

Let’s Race:

The only race the Ferrari won was the rolling start race. The Ferrari’s twin-turbocharged V8 was able to crush the Porsche. Eliminating the need for traction allowed the Ferrari to put all of its power to the pavement, easily winning the final race between the two. The Porsche was heavier and down on power, but its all-wheel-drive compensated for those demerits. However, as the final race reveals, it’s not a lifesaver in every situation, especially against the potent 488 Pista.

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