It may sound like a cliché, but records are indeed meant to be broken. In 2019, the McLaren Senna became the fastest production car to lap Laguna Seca by completing a lap in 1 minute and 27.62 seconds. It now appears that the record is in danger as a Tesla Model S Plaid, quite likely the Plaid+ version, has been caught doing high-speed runs at the famous American track.
According to a tweet from The Kilowatts, the Model S in question has so far managed to lap the circuit in central California in 1 minute and 30.xx seconds. That’s far off from the official lap record set by the 789-horsepower hybrid machine from Woking, but Tesla is apparently not done in its quest to shave off seconds from the lap time.
BREAKING: Tesla is CURRENTLY attempting lap records in a couple of Model S Plaid (possibly a Plaid+) prototypes at Laguna Seca Raceway!
They just secured a 1:30:XX (unconfirmed time)
This is a developing story – more photos and videos to follow. pic.twitter.com/BqxPdK4k43— The Kilowatts 🚗⚡️ (@klwtts) May 14, 2021
The low-slung electric machine featured an electrically deployable rear spoiler built into the trunk lid for added downforce at the rear axle. Logic tells us it was indeed the Plaid+, the flagship version of the Model S with an eye-watering starting price of $149,990 and a monstrous output of more than 1,100 horsepower.
Tesla claims the new crown jewel of the Model S lineup is the quickest-accelerating production car ever by hitting 60 mph in less than two seconds and completing the quarter mile in under nine seconds. The Plaid+ boasts all-wheel drive and utilizes three high-performance electric motors to enable a respectable top speed of 200 mph.
The red one has an adjustable wing built into the trunk!#Tesla #ModelSRefresh #Plaid #LagunaSeca #LapRecord pic.twitter.com/5kZNIXzgeG
— The Kilowatts 🚗⚡️ (@klwtts) May 14, 2021
Speaking of the quarter mile, Driver Tesla Canada cites an anonymous source saying the Model S has set a new ¼ mile record of 9.23 seconds at the Autoclub Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California. Crossing the line, the car was doing 152.16 mph if the report is to be believed. The jury is still out on whether that was a regular production Plaid+ or a special specification created just for the record-breaking attempt.
The first Plaid+ customer deliveries are expected to commence in June, but if you order one today, Tesla’s website shows an estimated delivery time of mid-2022.
