Is Plaid+ still in development?
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, tweeted this summer that the Model S Plaid+ had been canceled. Although the rumored trim was meant to be the pinnacle in Tesla performance, the Plaid+ powertrain made its way into the regular ModelS Plaid. New spy photos suggest that the company may be working on something else. The test vehicle features an articulated rear wing.
Spy shots of the sedan at the Nurburgring with a pair Model S Plaid models show it without any camouflage. However, there are some noticeable differences. The spy shots show the sedan with a large wing at its back and a low front spoiler. A lower ride height is also featured on the sedan.
Although the Model S has 1,020 horsepower (761kilowatts) it is certainly powerful enough to tackle the Ring. However, it’s not clear if the vehicle that was captured here has been modified. The car can reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 1.99 seconds, while completing the quarter-mile in 9.23 seconds. The car’s top speed is 200 mph (321 km/h), which is enough to handle the race track well and keep plenty of rivals at bay.
Tesla Model S sedans have been seen at Nurburgring multiple times, sometimes to test and other times to set lap records. Although it’s not clear what Tesla is testing, we know that the company continually refines their vehicles and the software they use. Tesla might need to ensure its products feel fresher now that mainstream automakers are rolling out their own EVs. The articulating rear wings could be in production within the next few years.