Friday 5th May 2023

Tesla launches Model S Plaid Track Pack

200mph potential of 1,020hp Tesla finally unlocked - watch out, world

---

The 200mph Model S has been a little while coming, which is situation normal in Tesla world. First, the Plaid and its double-ton potential were announced back in 2020 when those prototypes were lapping the Nordschleife; the lap record there followed a few months later, now taken by Porsche. A 175mph update was launched last year alongside a Track Mode as we waited for Tesla to get better brakes to contain an enormous EV that could do almost 3.5 miles a minute. Now it’s here: a Model S Track Package means the 200mph, road-going EV is now a reality. Yikes.

It's a cool spec, no doubt (pictured below in blue) Tesla promising ‘the ultimate track experience’ from new (and quite smart) 20-inch Zero-G forged wheels, Goodyear Supercar 3R tyres and, of course, the substantially upgraded ceramic brake kit, seen here on the blue car. Both axles get huge 410mm carbon-silicon carbide discs (the fronts a little thicker than the rears), with track-sped fluid and six-piston calipers up front. Once buyers have the brakes, the 200mph possibility is opened up; they are available as a standalone option separate to the Track Pack, though Tesla advises that customers fit ‘proper wheels and tyres for those speeds’. You don’t say.

All this can be fitted to any Model S Plaid produced from 2021 onwards, the Track Pack on sale from June in the US and priced at $20,000. There isn’t a UK price or availability just yet, but it’d be a surprise if we aren’t far behind. Especially as it might spur Porsche into offering the Tequipment performance package that made the Taycan Turbo S a record breaker to markets other than Germany. And that’s a track battle we’d all like to see…

---

• Porsche Taycan Turbo S sets new ‘ring EV record
• 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport | PH Review

[greggy50]

Glad they have finally fitted proper brakes to them.

Every review I have seen states how poor the standard ones are for a 1000+bhp car.

[_ppan]

Ok. Cool. But is it actually fun to drive? Imho fun driving depends on more than neck-breaking g-forces. My MX5 with 170hp is great fun to drive. When I rev it to the redline but even when the engine is cold I really enjoy the lower speed driving because it still feels fun to corner. I can imagine the Porsche would be more fun to drive, wether it's faster or slower. But I haven't driven both so haven't got an opinion on that

[dpop]

10 seconds of the nurburgring track record video was enough for me to know that this thing could have a million HP and 2,000mph top speed and it would still have zero track day appeal.

[cheese]

The CC's on Tesla's are produced by Surface transforms (https://www.surfacetransforms.com/). A UK company based in Liverpool. Fantastic stoppers which are also on the Lucid.

[Hairymonster]

dpop said:

10 seconds of the nurburgring track record video was enough for me to know that this thing could have a million HP and 2,000mph top speed and it would still have zero appeal.

Fixed!

[Randy Winkman]

greggy50 said:

Glad they have finally fitted proper brakes to them.

Every review I have seen states how poor the standard ones are for a 1000+bhp car.

16 inch brakes. I never thought I'd see the day. Actually, I've just found out that the Urus has 17.3 inch front brakes.

[anonymous-user]

Power and fancy bits aside, is this fundamentally the same car that was introduced 11 years ago?

[Pixelpeep Electric]

JackJarvis said:

Power and fancy bits aside, is this fundamentally the same car that was introduced 11 years ago?

'Power and fancy bits' aside, ALL cars are the same that were introduced over 100 years ago?

[Robertb]

cheese said:

The CC's on Tesla's are produced by Surface transforms (https://www.surfacetransforms.com/). A UK company based in Liverpool. Fantastic stoppers which are also on the Lucid.

You can buy shares in Surface Transforms too, if you want to participate in their future success.

[Rod200SX]

_ppan said:

Ok. Cool. But is it actually fun to drive? Imho fun driving depends on more than neck-breaking g-forces. My MX5 with 170hp is great fun to drive. When I rev it to the redline but even when the engine is cold I really enjoy the lower speed driving because it still feels fun to corner. I can imagine the Porsche would be more fun to drive, wether it's faster or slower. But I haven't driven both so haven't got an opinion on that

Probably is in the same way that any large AMG/M5 type car is.

Can't imagine a new M5 is overly fun driving round at low speed unless you're accelerating hard or having a cheeky skid.

I can take or leave most Tesla cars but I certainly would love a shot.

[EdT]

dpop said:

10 seconds of the nurburgring track record video was enough for me to know that this thing could have a million HP and 2,000mph top speed and it would still have zero track day appeal.

yup same

[Terminator X]

"There isn’t a UK price or availability just yet"

Can you even buy^ a standard Plaid in the UK?

^and I mean buy as in it will be delivered some time soon vs 3 years time

TX.

[Robertb]

JackJarvis said:

Power and fancy bits aside, is this fundamentally the same car that was introduced 11 years ago?

Still looks good though, IMO. Its aged very well.

[dvs_dave]

How long for a full house this time around?

[LotusOmega375D]

Why is it called “Plaid”? That means blanket or chequered/tartan cloth. Or political Party in Welsh, as in Plaid Cymru.

[Om]

LotusOmega375D said:

Why is it called “Plaid”? That means blanket or chequered/tartan cloth. Or political Party in Welsh, as in Plaid Cymru.

Geek joke: https://spaceballs.fandom.com/wiki/Ludicrous_Speed

[TheOctaneAddict]

Glad they've finally fit proper brakes, the standard ones were interesting...

https://twitter.com/MintySnep/status/1651626156301...

[slevin911]

LotusOmega375D said:

Why is it called “Plaid”? That means blanket or chequered/tartan cloth. Or political Party in Welsh, as in Plaid Cymru.

Plaid is a reference from the film space balls.

[re33]

Robertb said:

JackJarvis said:

Power and fancy bits aside, is this fundamentally the same car that was introduced 11 years ago?

Still looks good though, IMO. Its aged very well.

It still looks like a blander 2002 mondeo. I don't get how anyone can like it. Be unoffended by it, sure.

[RacerMike]

Interesting that the rear spoiler that the Laguna Seca record car had (and unconfirmed on the N'Ring car) still isn't present. And this car seemingly has totally different tyres to the car that did the lap.

So basically, the car they did the lap time with wasn't in anyway production at all....despite what all the insane Tesla fan boys said...