Tesla Model S 'Plaid' With 1,100HP Goes Up For Preorder

As part of Tesla's Battery Day, Elon Musk officially showed off the rumored 'Plaid' Model S, a version of the sedan that packs insane performance and that will hit the market next year. During the Battery Day presentation, viewers were given a look at the 'Plaid' version of the vehicle in a video clip, with Musk stating that the Model S packs 1,100HP and is able to go from zero to 60MPH in less than two seconds, among many other things.

Tesla isn't shy about showing off its Model S capabilities; we've seen it on the race track before, pitted against a number of other models. In 2019, the 'Plaid' prototype version of the Model S packing three motors set a new Laguna Seca lap record with a time of 1:36.555 time. For Tesla fans, that was the latest appearance in the long-teased 'Plaid' powertrain, which first popped up as a small detail way back in 2016.

In September 2019, Musk said on his Twitter account that the Plaid powertrain was 'about a year away' from hitting production and that it would apply to the Model S, Model X, and Roadster vehicles, but not the Model Y or Model 3. In the update during Battery Day, it was revealed that the Model S 'Plaid' version will be available starting in late 2021.

According to Musk, the Tesla team got the Plaid to beat its own record with a new lap time of only 1:30.3 — something Musk claims could be reduced by another three seconds to break the record for the fastest production vehicle. As promised, the Plaid powertrain goes beyond the already high-speed Ludicrous mode; this model will offer a top speed of 200MPH and owners can expect to squeeze at least 520 miles of range out of the vehicle per charge.

If you head over to the online Tesla shop, you can now view and preorder the Model S 'Plaid,' which starts at a hefty $134,490 USD.