Tesla has confirmed that the long-awaited Model S Plaid, the newest and most powerful version of its larger electric saloon, will go into production late next year.
Announced at the company's Battery Day, the Plaid will use three motors to produce around 1100bhp. It will be capable of 0-60mph in less than 2.0sec and have a top speed of 200mph, which Tesla claims will make it the most powerful and quickest-accelerating production car in the world.
A higher-capacity battery, likely using the improved battery technology also announced during the event, promises to deliver as much as 520 miles on a single charge.
Prices are set to start from £130,980 in the UK, with pre-orders now being accepted. Deliveries are exptected to begin in late 2021.
During the car's unveiling, Tesla showed a video clip of a Model S Plaid lapping the Laguna Seca racew track in 1min 30.3sec – a 6sec improvement over the prototype it tested there in 2019.
The only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid
— Tesla (@Tesla) September 23, 2020
The company has yet to fully reveal the car's exterior design, offering only short glimpses in a teaser video. Plaid prototypes had previously been spotted testing at the Nürburgring with a dramatic aerodynamic package, but this latest footage suggests the design will be toned down for production, with a more modest rear spoiler and higher ride height.
Tweets from the official Tesla account suggest the American company is planning to return to the German circuit later this year to challenge the lap time set by the Porsche Taycan Turbo S.
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The quality issues were
1:30 around Laguna Seca is the same as a McLaren P1, the 1:27 goal is the same as a Senna.
I don't think this is going to have any issues doing a 6:45 or fast around the ring. That is about a minute faster than a Taycan.
Teslas are very easy to drive
All very well.
Your piece makes the Tesla sound like a one trick Pony, it's like VW's Pikes Peak record breaking car,it's way faster than just about any four wheeled car, but, its range is only 12 miles, well, Tesla's weakness is fit and finish.
When is something too fast?
Why Tesla feel the need to make this car so fast is quesionable. After all, the current car is hardly an old Routemaster when it comes to performance. I'll put my hand up and say that if I were a passenger in a car that can do 0-60 mph in less than 2 seconds, I would literally c*ap myself if the driver decided to put his foot down. I would just feel safe at all. The proposed increased battery range on the other hand would be great
Turinbrakes wrote:
Strange
196mph Porsche Panamera gets no comments regarding it's top speed but when a Model S gets to 200 it becomes unacceptable.
Sub two seconds.
No, the Tesla doesn't get under this, but also, the Panamera can beat that time either.
No comment
If only I could understand this comment.
But your only comment on the 2200kg 190 mph Panamera was about the dash, no mention of unacceptable high speeds and getting into the wrong hands
xxxx wrote:
Agree, as I said in my post, Impressive and unnecessary but would anyone complain about the German execs similar performance, I doubt it.