Tesla Model S Plaid priced from £110,980 – 1006bhp saloon takes on Porsche Taycan Turbo
Details of the long-awaited Tesla Model S Plaid have finally surfaced ahead of first UK deliveries in 2022
Alongside news of a hot Model X, Tesla has also revealed all about its range-topping Model S Plaid. Sitting above the entry-level Long Range in the model lineup, the Plaid and Plaid+ boast significant performance advantages and will cost from £110,980 and £130,980 respectively. First UK deliveries are expected in 2022.
1006bhp is the headline figure for the Plaid, delivered by a trio of ‘high-performance’ motors for a claimed 1.99sec 0-60mph time and a 200mph top speed. Despite the incredible performance, Tesla claims the Plaid will still cover around 390 miles on a single charge.
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Stepping up the ladder a notch is the Plaid+. Though details on how it’s extracted the additional performance haven't been disclosed, the brand claims the ‘+’ will produce in excess of 1084bhp for a sub-1.99sec 0-60mph time and a mind-boggling 9sec ¼-mile time at 155mph – that would make it the world’s fastest production car to 60mph and over the quarter mile. Perhaps an indicator as to where this extra performance originates is its ‘520+’ mile claimed range, likely the result of a larger battery pack.
Both models feature torque vectoring which might go some way to counter their hefty kerb weights, with adaptive air suspension also standard. Although not confirmed, the configurator appears to reveal the use of larger brakes on the Plaid models 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 and 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 £4400 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 an £8000 premium over the Model S Plaid+, but is quite some way down on straight-line performance and range. The Tesla is said to reach 60mph six tenths sooner than the Porsche and boasts a top speed 38mph higher. Range is also on the Tesla’s side, with Tesla claiming that the Plaid+ will travel around 200 miles further than the Porsche on a single charge.
The Tesla Model S Plaid will start from £110,980 in the UK, with first deliveries scheduled to begin in 2022.
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