The long-awaited Tesla Model S Plaid is finally coming to fruition, but the range-topping Plaid+ has now been ditched entirely…
Just a few days before the launch of the Model S Plaid, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the extreme Plaid+ has been cancelled. The model was due to sit above the entry-level Long Range and Plaid models, boasting a boost in performance and a significant increase in range.
An official announcement is yet to be made, but Musk took to Twitter to say: ‘Plaid+ is canceled. No need, as Plaid is just so good’. The news comes just days ahead of the Model S Plaid launch event on June 10. Referring to the incoming Model S Plaid, Musk went on to say: ‘0 to 100kph in under 2 secs. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed.’
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1006bhp is the headline figure for the Plaid, delivered by a trio of ‘high-performance’ motors for a claimed 1.99sec 0-100kph time and a 322kph top speed. Despite the incredible performance, Tesla claims it will still cover around 628 kilometers on a single charge.
Details on how the now-canned Plaid+ was set to achieve its additional performance were never disclosed, but a 1084bhp output was set to help it along to a sub-1.99sec 0-100kph time and a 9sec 0.4-kilometer time. Perhaps an indicator as to where this extra performance originates is its ‘840+’ kilometer claimed range, likely the result of a larger battery pack.
The Plaid will feature torque vectoring which might go some way to counter its hefty kerb weight, with adaptive air suspension also standard. Although not confirmed, the configurator appears to reveal the use of larger brakes too, probably handy given their four-figure power outputs.
Announced as part of the 2021 facelift for the Tesla Model S, the Plaid will also come with a new interior, swapping its predecessor’s portrait display for a 17-inch landscape unit. Unlike in the Model 3, the driver is also treated to a new 12.3-inch display behind the steering wheel, with an 8-inch unit making an appearance in the back for rear seat entertainment. Both the new yoke-style steering wheel and lack of improved seat bolstering are questionable, but the Plaid does appear to feature seat perforations for improved grip. The wood trim of the Long Range is also swapped for carbon fibre.
Exterior design on the Plaid is identical to the Long Range, with only minor tweaks made to the front and rear bumpers for improved cooling – the only way to tell a Plaid apart from the Long Range is its red brake calipers and Plaid badging. 19-inch aero-centric wheels come as standard, however 21-inch ‘Arachnid’ items can be fitted at a $6200 premium.
Stacked up against its arch-rival, the Porsche Taycan, it seems a rather attractive offering on paper. The range-topping Taycan Turbo S comes at a $39,230 premium over the Model S Plaid, but is quite some way down on straight-line performance and range. The Tesla is said to reach 100kph six tenths sooner than the Porsche and boasts a top speed 61kph higher. Range is also on the Plaid’s side, with Tesla claiming it will travel around 160 kilometers further than the Porsche on a single charge.
The Tesla Model S Plaid will start from $156,328 with first deliveries scheduled to begin in 2022.
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
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