A Tesla Model S Has Smashed The Taycan's 'Ring Time, But It's Far From Standard
Elon Musk’s mission to beat the Porsche Taycan at the Nurburgring looks to have claimed its first victory. According to Road and Track, an eye-witness has clocked a Model S setting a 07:23 lap, making it nearly 20 seconds faster than the Porsche EV.
This was during an industry pool session during which manufacturer timing is banned, on a track layout that doesn’t allow for flying laps. But Tesla is thought to have a private session booked this Saturday, and there’s no reason to doubt a repeat of that stunning lap.
As with most manufacturer Nurburgring lap times, there are caveats, but in the case of this Model S, they are big ones. The car is running a prototype ‘Plaid Mode’ powertrain, and while this three-motor setup (two motors at the rear, one at the front) will make production eventually, the Model S has other modifications we’re much less likely to see on the configurator.
According to people on the ground, it’s been fully stripped out, and as seen in YouTube footage and spy shots, it’s sporting also sorts of aerodynamic additions including a big rear spoiler. Road & Track’s eyewitness reported seeing big carbon ceramic brakes sitting under wider wheels, the latter wearing extreme Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport RS tyres.
Speaking to our friendly neighbourhood rubber expert Jon Benson at TyreReviews.co.uk, we’re told that judging by the tread pattern, they’re more likely to be Eagle F1 Supercar 3Rs. This is important, as the Porsche - while also a prototype - ran the Pirelli P Zeroes the production car is fitted with from the factory. Both of the aforementioned Goodyear options are semi-slick, track-focused boots that you’d never normally see on a Model S. The 3R will give the car a big leg up compared to the Taycan, while the RS would help the Tesla take huge chunks out of Porsche’s time.
However, Elon Musk has bullishly claimed that the reported lap time is “just a start,” and that a production version of the Plaid Model S - said to arrive September/October next year - will actually go faster. If Tesla can do that with normal summer tyres, it’ll be a huge achievement.
The Nordschleife exploits of the Model S thus far are impressive, particularly as Tesla seems to have nailed battery heat management. It’s just a shame there might have to be an asterisk on the end of the eventual time this prototype sets.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
This aged well.
well, the 919 is even faster
i mean if a stripped out version can beat it by 20 seconds, i’d bet a normal production version would beat by probably 10-12 seconds
Don’t forget the tyres, though - they’ll make a huge difference on their own. Not that tyre trickery is anything new at the ‘Ring - the FK8 Type R’s FWD record was set on Cup 2s that never appeared on the options menu…
Then why don’t they do just that? Oh yes, private Model S already proved they can’t even finish one lap on full power.
it doesn’t deserve a record if it’s not factory against factory or modified against modified
Exactly
Totally agree
The Taycan was a pre-production too. The + is more than likely a triple motor setup as Tesla has probably reached the limits for dual motor performance. And like the post said this wasn’t during a private track day or anything it was just a test pool. I reckon that once we get closer to production it’ll put the Taycan in it’s place
The Taycan only had a rollcage for the driver’s safety.
Not one motor more and stripped interior, or carbon ceramics that aren’t even available on the production model
yeah elon, you dont impress me with those soulless boxes on wheels
I’m guessing they’ve just removed limp mode, as opposed to actually improving heat management.
Hm.. you are supposed to be in to cars and post shit like this? There is a reason they did not send a stock S turdsla to beat the Taycan.
And no mention of 19km of the lap for the TMS and 20.6km for the Taycan? Same shit huh CT?
Tesla had to modify their car in order to beet Porsche lmao
But the model S is also an older design…
How is this even a thing? Their target audience who are interested in lap times obviously know thing or two about cars and easily understand how irreverent this time is with all those non production upgrades
It has modifications. Impressive, but it doesn’t take the Taycan off its record. Its like the GT2 RS MR, yes it may be faster than the Aventador SVJ, but it was modded and tuned, so the SVJ still holds its record
Umm the Taycan was also a prototype, they need to do it again with a production car