The fastest Tesla Model S is about to get faster.

    Elon Musk has confirmed deliveries for the tri-motor Model S Plaid will start late in 2021, and revealed the car’s eye-popping performance figures.

    The Model S Plaid will do the 60mph (97km/h) sprint in less than two seconds, and the quarter mile sprint in less than nine seconds thanks to its tri-motor all-wheel drive system.

    Claimed top speed is north of 320km/h, and the powertrain lays down 820kW of power. Despite the wild performance, Tesla is promising a range of 835km between charges.

    Mr Musk says the Plaid lapped Laguna Seca in 1:30.3, making it faster than the Lucid Air that stole the electric vehicle record from a Model S Plaid prototype earlier this year.

    The goal for the Plaid is to better the 1:27.62 set by Randy Pobst in a McLaren Senna at Laguna Seca.

    “We’re confident the Model S Plaid will achieve the best track time of any production vehicle ever, of any kind – two-door or otherwise,” Mr Musk said.

    “You can order it now, and it’s available basically at the end of next year.”

    The late-2021 delivery date represents a significant delay for the highest-performance Model S, which was originally meant to launch this year.

    In Australia, the Model S Plaid will be priced from $189,990 before on-road costs, making it cheaper than the entry-level Porsche Taycan 4S.

    Scott Collie

    Scott Collie is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Scott studied journalism at RMIT University and, after a lifelong obsession with everything automotive, started covering the car industry shortly afterwards. He has a passion for travel, and is an avid Melbourne Demons supporter.

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