There are few cars on the market as old as the Tesla Model S, which launched in 2012. While it may not look like it, Tesla’s biggest sedan has been constantly updated over the years, including a facelift in 2016.
But probably the most significant update came in 2021 with the arrival of the 1,020-hp Model S Plaid performance variant. This was a pivotal moment for the brand and for the EV market in general, because it showed the world that a $100,000 sedan could humiliate supercars and hypercars costing ten times as much on the drag strip.
It also gave Tesla enormous clout on social media, with the Model S Plaid gaining massive global attention for its “quickest production car claim” (0-60 mph in under 2 seconds) and drag race videos where it demolished the competition.
Like it or not, the Tesla Model S Plaid has made EVs cool for many people, and the electric performance sedan has just received significant updates that make it better than ever before. Those are not our words. That’s what Tesla’s chief designer Franz von Holzhausen and chief of engineering Lars Moravy told Jay Leno when they brought the updated Model S Plaid over to California’s most famous garage.
The interesting discussion involves three car guys who all own Teslas – if you didn’t know, Jay Leno also has a Model S Plaid in which he famously broke the quarter-mile record for a production four-door car with a run of 9.247 seconds in May 2021.
So what’s new for the Model S Plaid? Well, the power stays the same at 1,020 hp because who would need more in a four-door sedan, right? As always, Tesla makes incremental changes to its cars, and that’s also the case with the updated Model S Plaid.
Right off the bat, Jay Leno notices the carbon ceramic brakes, which are now standard on the Plaid. The car that Jay got to sample came with the available 21-inch Velarium wheels (a $4,500 option) that feature detachable caps for improved aerodynamic performance and extra range. The wheels and ceramic brakes shave about 35 pounds off the Model S Plaid’s weight, contributing to slightly improved acceleration (by about 0.1 seconds).
The new version also gets styling and aerodynamic updates, such as a new Frost Blue body color, a Plaid-exclusive front fascia, a new front splitter, as well as a new rear spoiler and splitter. As for the cabin, it receives all-new sports seats with bigger bolsters for improved lateral support and comfort during cornering, ambient lighting and an updated stitch pattern for the steering yoke to reduce wear.
Under the skin, the new Model S Plaid features updated thermal management that results in more efficient cooling and heating of the overall powertrain system, therefore improving the overall real-world range – the official EPA range gain is 8 miles over the previous version for a total of 368 miles.
So what’s the new Model S Plaid like to drive? Jay found it as quick as ever, but also more comfortable and refined. Tesla has worked to improve comfort, with Lars Moravy noting that the updated Model S and X are the quietest Teslas ever built, by a margin. In addition, an update to the air suspension has made the ride smoother and the car more reactive to road conditions – for example, the ride height increases when the suspension detects big bumps in the road.
You can learn a lot more about the updated Model S Plaid from the video and about Tesla in general. For example, Lars Moravy says he’s bought himself a new Model S Plaid because it’s simply the best Tesla ever made, something Franz von Holzhausen agrees with. At the end, Jay asked the two execs when the new Tesla Roadster was coming out, and the answer included one of the vaguest words in the English language: it’s coming “soon.” That’s as specific as things got.
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