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Nov 03, 2023

Tesla Snatches Back Production EV ‘Ring Record With Model S Plaid Track Package

The Model S's new time of 7:25.23 beat Porsche's

The Model S's new time of 7:25.23 beat Porsche's record-breaking time by over 8 seconds and the old Plaid record by over 10 seconds

After losing out to the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, the Tesla Model S Plaid has reclaimed its throne as the fastest production EV around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Thanks to the new Track Package, the Model S was able to manage a time of 7:25.23 around the 12.94-mile (20.83-km) circuit.

For reference, that's over 8 seconds faster than the Taycan‘s time of 7:33.35, and just over 10 seconds faster than the Plaid's old time of 7:35.579. What's even more impressive is that the only new mechanical components on this car were wheels, brakes, and tires, which goes to show how much those have an impact on track performance.

Read More: Tesla's New Model S Plaid Track Package Unlocks 200 MPH Top Speed From $15,000

More specifically, the $15,000+ Track Package includes a set of 20-inch Zero-G wheels wrapped in Goodyear Supercar 3R tires, which frame a set of carbon ceramic brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers at the rear.

See Also: Tesla Model S Plaid Drag Races Ferrari SF90 And Porsche 911 Turbo S

This is supplemented by a handful of software changes, such as revised battery conditioning, a cooldown mode to be used post-hot-lap, modified air suspension settings for better cornering, and more aggressive torque vectoring for improved acceleration. This all helps the Tesla sedan achieve its 200 mph (322 km/h) top speed more comfortably, though it was only able to manage 180 mph (289 km/h) during its lap.

Something else worth noting is that the Model S in the video was equipped with a round steering wheel rather than the yoke, so we’ll let you do with that information what you will. Nevertheless, you can watch the record-breaking run for yourself in the video above.

Opening Image: Tesla | Twitter