Tesla has spent a lot of time making the Model S accelerate faster than almost anything else. Now, it’s put some time into making sure it stops just as quickly.
The Tesla USA shop now has a Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit option for the fastest Model S, the Plaid. Priced at US$20,000 ($27,800), the kit is described as a “complete hardware package that delivers maximum, repeatable stopping power during high-performance driving”.
It brings 410 x 40mm front and 410 x 32mm rear silicon carbide brake rotors, with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers. Tesla says the kit also includes high-performance pads and high-temperature brake fluid.
That would make the brakes 10mm larger than those of the Bentley Bentayga, although the 440mm units on the Lamborghini Urus are still slightly bigger than the Model S kit.
In the USA, the kit is only offered with the 22-inch alloy wheel option, and will be delivered in “mid-2022”. It’s not listed as an option on the Tesla Australia configurator.
The brake kit is another step in Tesla’s push into the world of track driving. The Model S recently beat the Porsche Taycan’s time around the Nurburgring Nordschleife, earning it the title of fastest production electric car around the Green Hell.
Mr Musk has previously told Joe Rogan the Model S could “bust seven minutes” around the Nordschleife, but he didn’t detail what specification the car that could do it would be.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at the time “added aero surfaces, carbon brakes & track tyres” are all in the works.
What the Plaid doesn’t need is more power. is powered by a tri-motor powertrain good for a claimed 0-60mph (97km/h) time of 1.99 seconds. The quarter mile takes a claimed 9.23 seconds, and claimed peak power is 761kW.
Tesla was planning to go faster again with a Plaid Plus, but it was axed at the last minute by Elon Musk because the regular Plaid is “just so good”.
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