Tesla unveiled the Model S Plaid a week back, and a couple of days after that, Unplugged Performance revealed a race-spec version of this car. Mind you, this is the world’s fastest production car that takes just 1.99 seconds to sprint to 60 mph from rest. And, Unplugged Performance has gone a step ahead and created a race-spec version of this EV to take part in this year’s Pikes Peak race.
Randy Pobst, the pro racing driver from Motor Trend, will be behind the wheel. Last year, Randy piloted the Model 3 at the event, also spec’d by Unplugged Performance, but it went off the course. But, past is the past, and he’s back again to pilot another car, which is arguably much quicker, and take on the Pikes Peak challenge.
What’s So Special About The Tesla Model S Plaid by Unplugged Performance?
Unplugged Performance laid its hands on the Tesla Model S Plaid and has given it a few changes. It was unveiled at the Hypercar Invitational that took place earlier this week at the Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. It managed to hit over 150 mph there. Of course, it has gone through several changes, but it has mainly got to do with high-speed stability and weight-saving measures.
On the outside, the stock body is retained, but it receives a front splitter and an adjustable rear wing; both of them pretty huge. It continues on the same air springs that Tesla has provided from the factory, but Bilstein dampers and an anti-roll bar have been equipped. A set of fully adjustable upper control arms will be installed before the car reaches the event. It rides on Yokohama Adven tires wrapped around forged aluminum wheels.
It makes use of the stock powertrain, but a lot of weight-reduction measures have been taken.
Will It Perform Better Than Last Year’s Model 3?
The founder of Unplugged Performance, Ben Schaffer, told MotorTrend, "Power is the big one. This is more than four times the power we ended up racing last year. Unintentionally so,". The model S is much heavier than the Model 3, but, "the battery pack and the cooling systems are much better."
He even compared the power delivery between the two cars. In the Model 3, "the power would go down in ratio to some degree." However, that’s not the case with this Model S Plaid. Ben said that Randy rolled into the pits at Laguna Seca with a 34-percent charge remaining, but the car felt as quick as it does on a full charge, and "That's a big difference."
What’s The Tesla Model S Plaid All About?
The recently-unveiled Tesla Model S Plaid comes with a tri-motor setup that cranks 1,020 horses, combined. These motors come with carbon-sleeved rotors that help maintain peak power output all the way to its top speed. Tesla noted that the power output doesn’t taper down as the car approaches its top speed, thus allowing all the 1,000+ horses to work till the very end. This will play a big role in an event like this.
Speaking of the performance specs, the Tesla Model S Plaid can sprint to 60 mph from rest in just 1.99 seconds, making it the world’s fastest production car! The top speed is rated at 200 mph. The car can do quarter-mile runs in just 9.23 seconds with a trap speed of 155 mph.
Conclusion
The 2021 Pikes Peak event will take place on June 27. Do you think the Randy Pobst-piloted Model S Plaid by Unplugged Performance will set some new records? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.