Tesla's Model S may be labeled as a performance sedan, especially in the P85 guise we drove, but, for some, it could sound silly to try to bake donuts in an EV, even in an overgrown one. Nonetheless, knowing that the electric powertrain was more than ready to do this, we gave it a try. We are now bringing you the results, which come in a 1280 x 720 px or in a 1920 x 1080 px form.
Not only can the Model S pull a burnout, but it does this in a way we had never seen before, at least not with a street car. The thing can melt its tires in an instant, releasing enough smoke to cover an entire dragstrip in the process.
The key lies in its electric powertrain. Remember, while the 416 hp arrive at 8,600 rpm, the 443 lb-ft of torque are here from 0 rpm. Just as important, there are no gears to shift, so once those tires break traction, the Tesla has no shame in spinning them up to its 16,000 rpm redline. Better watch that throttle dose!
The experience is pretty different to your average Mustang burnout. First of all, the tire torture is the only noise you'll hear. Pay close attention to the rubber's feelings though - like we said, the Tesla Model S can burn its tires rather quickly, so your right foot should be much, much less heavy than usual.
We don't recommend drifting the Tesla Model S at high speeds. The creature is just too violent for that. Nonetheless, some moderate drifts are rather fun. The massive torque and the good steering make up for one happy marriage.
Let us all take a moment of silence for the Continental Extreme Contact DW rubber on our tester. They weren't actually killed during our stint on the wrong side of grip, but they got a pretty good bashing. As for the more peaceful bits of our Tesla Model S story, you can check out our Full HD photo gallery.
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