Tesla has stolen the record for the fastest electric car around the Nurburgring Nordschleife from Porsche.
The brand posted on Twitter confirming a Model S equipped with the Track Pack – which has a higher top speed, better brakes, and stickier tyres than stock – has lapped the 20.832km circuit in 7:25.231.
That’s more than eight seconds faster than the Porsche Taycan Turbo S managed, and around 10 seconds faster than the Model S managed on its first attempt.
The Track Pack is priced from between US$15,000 to $20,000 (A$22,127 to $29,503), and is designed to address a number of criticisms of the fastest Tesla on the track.
Tesla says the package is designed to improve high-speed stability, cornering force, and repeatable stopping power, and it includes upgraded brakes, tyres and other tweaks.
The Track Package adds a carbon ceramic brake kit, with 410 x 40mm carbon-silicon carbide rotors and six-piston forged calipers up front and 410 x 32mm rotors and four-piston forged calipers at the rear.
There are also two integrated, caliper-mounted parking brakes, plus “track-ready” brake fluid.
The package also adds 20X10J Zero-G wheels wrapped in Goodyear Supercar 3R high-performance summer tyres – 285/35R20 up front, 305/30R20 at the back – which are optimised for track use. They aren’t recommended for winter use.
The top speed is bumped up to 322km/h.
Tesla confirmed last month the Model S, along with the Model X, won’t be returning to Australia.
Our market had yet to receive the tri-motor Plaid flagship variants of both, and the company has said the Model S and Model X won’t be offered in right-hand drive anymore “due to changes to the vehicle program”.
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