Tesla's Model S Plaid broke the production electric sedan vehicle speed record at the 20.6-kilometer Nurburgring Nordschleife track in Germany. It recorded a time of 7:30.909 at 166.320 kilometers per hour (103.35 miles per hour), CEO Elon Musk announced in a tweet on Friday.
Tesla Model S Plaid just set official world speed record for a production electric car at Nurburgring. Completely unmodified, directly from factory. pic.twitter.com/AaiFtfW5Ht
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2021
Musk revealed the Plaid S that set the track record was unmodified and came straight from Tesla's Fremont factory. In his tweet, the Tesla boss presented the Nurburgring receipt showing the Model S Plaid breaking the record. The vehicle first took the tracks at Nurburgring in 2019 after being in development for years.
Tesla rolled out the Model S Plaid last June, Teslarati reported.
Elon Musk Announces More Improvements Coming for Model S Plaid
In a subsequent tweet, Musk emphasized that the Model S will be altered with aerodynamic enhancements, carbon brakes, and track tires--factors that will further improve performance and could break further records at Nurburgring.
Next will be modified Plaid with added aero surfaces, carbon brakes & track tires (all things that can be done without Tesla being in the loop)
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2021
The previous EV record was held by Porsche with the Taycan Turbo in 2019 before its launch, clocking 7:42.3 at the German track called the "Green Hell," Jalopnik.com noted.
Tesla's triumph comes after a prototype Plaid model whizzed past Nurburgring in 2019 with a time of 7:13, Inside EVs added. During this stint on the track for over a week, the Model S Plaid was heavily modified using sticky tires, wide-wheel arches, carbon-ceramic brakes and large rear lip spoilers. However, the Plaid had encountered some setbacks in the German track during that time after one of its vehicles crashed, indicating that the car was indeed pushed to insane limits.
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There were other overall production sedans that proved quicker in the circuit, notably the four-seat Mercedes-AMG GT63 S (7:27.8) or the two-seat Jaguar XE SV Project 8 (7:23.164), Inside EVs further noted. But the Model S Plaid's Nürburgring feat for electric sedans is significant to make it reach the iconic speedster level.
Model S Plaid Speed Record Achieved With Unmodified, Conservative Setup
Since its 2019 appearance at the "Ring" in production form, the Model S Plaid changed its splitters, crude lip spoilers, fixed wings, and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires with a more conservative setup, including the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S widely available today, Drive revealed.
Three electric motors power the Model S Plaid, generating a combined 761 kilowatts deployed to all four wheels for a 9.23-second quarter-mile time and a 2.1-second claimed 0-100km/h time, Drive added.
After the 2019 test, Tesla stated on Twitter that it was confident based on its own track tests that the Model S Plaid "can achieve 7:20 at Nurburgring." The automaker then put out all the stops in succeeding attempts, with prototypes carrying massive rear spoilers, high-downforce diffusers and wheel-arch cooling vents.
Yet, in its 2021 run, Tesla's performance proved more remarkable with Musk's claim of a purely unmodified production vehicle running roughshod over the competition in the grueling circuit.
