The full onboard lap of Tesla’s storming 1:30.3 lap of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with the Model S Plaid has been released.
This clip was posted to YouTube by a user named Sebastian Vittel (clearly an alias) who is said to have been the individual driving the car. He says the Model S Plaid prototype was sitting on a set of custom Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires that will be standard equipment on the car when it hits the market in late 2021. The prototype was also fitted with a bucket seat and a racing dash, but apart from that, is said to have been representative of the final production car.
A time of 1:30.3 is nothing short of extraordinary for a vehicle as big and heavy as the Model S. To put the time into perspective, the Laguna Seca production car lap record was set by Motor Trend last year while behind the wheel of a McLaren Senna and it sits at 1:27.62.
It’s not just on-track performance where the Model S Plaid is impressive. Tesla claims its trio of electric motors combine to produce over 1,100 hp, allowing the EV to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in less than 2 seconds, achieve a quarter-mile time below 9 seconds, and hit a 200 mph (320 km/h) top speed. What’s more, it will have a claimed range of 520 miles (836 km), although this figure has yet to be officially verified.
Tesla has confirmed that pricing for the Model S Plaid kicks off at $139,990 – and while that’s a lot of money, it’s fairly reasonable considering the performance you get.