Here’s a question that will instantly spark a debate: how relevant is a vehicle’s Nurburgring lap time? We’re not here to take sides, but we can remind you how many carmakers fight for these bragging rights, as is the case with Tesla and Porsche. And with the owner of a Tesla Model S Plaid Track Pack having recently hit the Nurburgring independently, we can now compare the experience to Tesla’s record lap from earlier this month.
On June 2, a Model S Plaid featuring the Track Package, which can be retrofited to 2021 and newer Plaid units, set a Nurburgring lap time of 7:25.231, recapturing the production EV record from the Porsche Taycan thanks to an advantage of over 8 seconds.
We’re looking at the 12.94-mile (20.832 km) version of the Green Hell here and keep in mind that the Taycan had set its record (7:33) in August 2022, having beaten the Model S Plaid’s (non-Track Pack) 2021 record by over 2 seconds.
Nevertheless, with the upcoming 2024 Porsche Taycan facelift rumored to bring a more powerful version with around 1,000, Porsche may once again one-up Tesla.
The Track Pack adds carbon-ceramic brakes (16.1-inch carbon-silicon carbide rotors all-round with six-piston forged front calipers and four-piston forged rear calipers), plus performance brake fluid.
The upgrade addresses previous criticism of the Model S Plaid’s brakes experiencing fade quickly. However, the Track Pack also includes new firmware for the suspension, being offered for $15.000 as a separate option.
In addition, you can get 20-inch forged wheels shod in Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tires coming in a 285/35 R20 size up front and a 305/30 R20 size at the rear. This brings the total cost of the Model S Plaid Track Pack to $20,000 or EUR18,000 on the Old Continent.
However while the Goodyear tires were street legal in the US at the time of press, the homologation is still pending in the EU. And this is why the model being tested independently here features Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, which is the recommended rubber for Old Continent drivers until the said homologation is completed.
Indepdent Nurburgring test saw Misha Charoudin driving
For this independent Green Hell test, the owner handed the Model S Plaid over to the Ring’s resident YouTuber, Misha Charoudin-here he is pushing a Dodge Charger Hellcat hard on the infamous German circuit.
It’s worth noting that Misha also tested a non-Track Pack Model S Plaid on the Nurburgring earlier this year and was surprised by the suspension making the car feel rather unpredictable, especially at high speeds.
Throughout the lap, the vlogger constantly pushes the 1,020 hp EV hard (the Track Pack doesn’t change the output of the three electric motors) and has quite a bit of overtaking to do.
This was done during a tourist session, where timing is not allowed and the main straight is off limits. However, we’re not here for a lap time, so we’ll move on to the conclusions of the test.
As stated by Misha, the Track Pack allows the Tesla Model S to feel predictable at any speed—he didn’t hit the Track Pack-unlocked top speed of 200 mph due to traffic, but climbed way past 155 mph.
While the 4,766 lbs weight of the Model S Plaid can’t be disquised, the Track Pack makes the vehicle feel playful—there was four-wheel drifting and countersteering involved—and offer predictable behavior. Of course, the driver has to become accustomed to how the torque vectoring helps put the power down first.
Tesla’s record car came with a normal steering wheel, but this example featured a yoke. And Misha found this suitable for track driving, with two exceptions: sweaty hands and (rare) situations that would require full opposite lock.
Despite Tesla only announcing a firmware update for the Track Pack suspension, the handling difference is remarkable, offering at least as much confidence as the improved fading resistance of the carbon ceramic brakes.
Nevertheless, the folks over at the Autogefuhl YouTube channel had a mixed experience, spinning on the Circuit Paul Ricard while testing the Model S Plaid Track Pack last month.
Battery heating is the limiting factor for Model S Plaid Track Pack lap times
Despite Misha’s lap including two yellow flags, which gave the car brief cooling opportunities, the vehicle went into reduced power mode at a certain point (11:35 timestamp). However, we can see that the battery cools off rather quickly, with normal operation being restored at the 14:34 point.
Of course, the Model S Plaid offers a special cooling procedure, which wasn’t applied before this lap. Bedies, the owner doing some supercharging prior to arriving at the Ring (he came with the battery at 87%), as well as the hot weather of the day certainly didn’t help.
However, as Misha aptly points out, Tesla’s Nurburgring record run saw the driver coasting at times, in a bid to keep battery temperature and therefore the output in check.
So we can’t help but wonder how quick the Model S Plaid Track Pack would be around the Ring if its battery could be kept cooler. Speaking of which, back in Septmeber 2019, Tesla’s Tweeted that “data track tests indicated the Model S Plaid can achieve 7:20 at the Nurburgring” and that “with some improvements, 7:05 may be possible,”
In addition, Misha feels that this independent test proves the Model S Plaid Track Pack used for the Nurburgring record run was a stock car, comparing this to the Honda Civic Type R—in his experience, the hot hatch overheated much more than the record car.
Then again, now that used Porsche Taycan prices are falling, we’d love to see somebody challenging Misha on the Nurburgring, even though not that many owners of these EVs actually take their cars to the track.
