The Tesla Model S Plaid dethroned the Porsche Taycan Turbo on the world’s most famous race track, the Nürburgring, clocking a time of 7:35.
Ever since Tesla unveiled the Model S Plaid to the world, there has been no shortage of headline stories about it. And for a good reason—the ultra-quick EV packs three electric motors producing 1,020 hp, allowing it to breach the 0-60 mph mark in 2 seconds and run the ¼ mile in less than 9.3 seconds.
By now, it should be no surprise that the Plaid is undoubtedly the drag king, beating many tuned supercars and purpose-built drag racers like the Dodge Demon. The Plaid has enjoyed success at the track, too, including Laguna Seca and the Pikes Peak, although it had been stripped to the bones and upgraded with aftermarket parts. Still, it speaks volumes of the stock powertrain.
Clocking a record at the Nordschleife is not an easy feat. The 12.9-mile track is filled with elevation changes, twists, bumps, and short run-off areas. Hence, getting a clean lap around the ring requires bravery and significant skill.
This time, Tesla summoned Swedish driver Andreas Simonsen who managed to run the Nürburgring in 7:30.9 around the shorter 12.6-mile circuit and a 7:35 around the complete 12.9-mile loop. These times are 7 seconds faster than the Porsche Taycan Turbo, which took 7:42 mins to do the same. And even more impressive, Elon Musk said that the Plaid was bone stock out of the factory, with no changes in equipment.
Of course, we expect Porsche to turn up with its crown jewel, the Taycan Turbo S, to challenge the record, and Musk recently added in a tweet that the Plaid would go out for another lap with carbon-ceramic brakes, tires, and an optional suspension setup soon.
Let the EV wars begin!
