Power output of 1,100+ bhp. Acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 2 seconds. Top speed of over 200+ miles per hour (322+ km/h). Quarter mile from standstill in under 9 seconds with trap speed of 155 mph (249 km/h) or more. Tesla Model S is officially first hypercar sedan in the world since those are the specs of just revealed Tesla Model S Plaid+.
To put things in perspective Lamborghini Aventador SVJ does quarter mile in 10.3 seconds. The engineering master piece Bugatti Chiron – in 9.4 seconds. And a simple family sedan obliterates them while costing significantly less.
It performs on track too. Tesla Model S Plaid, which is less capable model than Plaid+, completed a lap around Laguna Seca in 1 minute and 30.3 seconds – almost half a second faster than McLaren P1 hypercar which did a lap around Laguna Seca in 1 minute and 30.71 seconds. Granted P1 struggled with traction due to power being driven only to rear wheels whereas Tesla is All Wheel Drive as well Tesla might have used grippier tires.
It didn’t get production car record as some super/hyper cars with internal combustion engine have lapped tracked faster (Lamborghini Huracan Performante: 1:30.00; Porsche 918 Spyder – 1:29.89; McLaren 720S – 1:29.78; Dodge Viper ACR – 1:28.65; Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991) – 1:28.30; McLaren Senna P15 – 1:27.62.)
- Lamborghini Huracan Performante: 1:30.00
- Porsche 918 Spyder – 1:29.89
- McLaren 720S – 1:29.78
- Dodge Viper ACR – 1:28.65
- Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991) – 1:28.30
- McLaren Senna P15 – 1:27.62
The more powerful Tesla Model S Plaid+ will likely be able to complete a lap around Laguna faster even faster but the difference probably won’t be large enough to beat Senna to win the production car record.
Still, ability to keep up with and beat some of the fastest cars around the track is crazy impressive feat when you are driving a comfortable, luxurious, roomy sedan that fits 5 people.
We knew it was coming. When Tesla Model S P85D came out in 2014 and was capable of doing 0-60 in 2.8 seconds it was obvious that soon internal combustion engines won’t be able to compete. With top of the range hypercars unable to do 0-60 in less than 2.4 seconds or 1/4 mile in under 9.4 it’s ridiculous when less expensive sedan destroys them in those figures.
If you asked me if I could own only 1 car which would it be and I would either choose BMW M5 F90 or BMW M8 F93. They both do 0-60 mph in about 2.5 seconds and 1/4 mile in 10.7 seconds @ ~129 mph – significantly slower than the Plaid+. Considering M8 costs similarly to Plaid+ almost no one would understand why would I choose BMW over the Tesla. People would think I’m an idiot. What do you mean it’s more fun to drive? Why would you want to go sideways in a corner – only a stupid, crazy lunatic would do that since it’s super dangerous (ironically said by people who drive in a straight line worse than me sideways). Tesla is faster and therefore better they would think.
It’s a sad day for me. I love combustion engines. They have a character electric motors will likely never be able to match. But electric motors are more efficient, are more environmentally friendly (you could argue that when you factor in emissions of producing electric car they are not but electric cars don’t emit fumes so they don’t pollute populated areas which means they overall do have significantly reduced negative impact on us) and better performing which is why they will drive combustion engines extinct. And yet I find myself wanting to own Model S Plaid+. And weirdly enough I also kinda hate it for that.