Tesla Model S Plaid Humiliates Porsche Taycan Turbo S at Virginia International Raceway

The Plaid model, with its three-motor configuration and more than 1,000 horsepower, needed a lot of time to hone its skills. The performance version of the Model S was fined tuned on the “Green Hell” of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. It's been the laugh of the crowd more than once, too. But Tesla learned quickly and Plaid is now one of the best sportscars out there.

With the right driver behind the wheel yoke, the Model S Plaid can beat anything on a technical racetrack. The large sedan just demonstrated this on the Virginia International Raceway when it became the fastest EV ever after covering the 4.1-mile distance in an astonishing 2:50.7. This is four-and-a-half seconds quicker than the record holder, a Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Who’s laughing now?

Well, the jury is still out, as the Model S Plaid that broke the record was a modified car. More specifically, it was fitted with Unplugged Performance's carbon-ceramic front brake kit, although the car rode on the stock Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Nevertheless, Tesla’s performance is solid, considering the car kept the battery and electric motors cool during each 20-minute racing session. According to the car owner Carmine Cupani, Tesla Model S Plaid’s Track Mode has made this possible, while also making the car’s power easier to manage during the race.

It wasn’t only the electronics that facilitated the record, but also the skills of the driver, Cupani’s friend and pro driver Johan Schwartz. As you can see in the video below, Schwartz does a masterful job at driving the Model S Plaid around the Grand Course. If you look at the video, you’ll see at the minute 1:03 how he almost loses control at nearly 120 mph. Despite the famous impracticality of the yoke steering, Schwartz frantically rotates the thing and manages to regain control and save the car and the lap.