The Tesla Model S P85 D will be sold with a new Ludicrous Mode, which offers enhanced performance that will allow the car to pull 1.1G of acceleration and cover 0-60mph in 2.8secs, company boss Elon Musk has revealed.
The P85 D, which is the highest performance Tesla Model S available, was previously sold with an Insane Mode. However, the 0-60mph time in Ludicrous Mode is enhanced by 10% and the 0-155mph time by 20%. The quarter-mile time for the P85 D in Ludicrous Mode is 10.8sec.
The performance enhancement has been achieved by raising the electric car's maximum amperage from 1300amps to 1500amps.
Tesla is offering US-based Tesla P85 D owners the chance to have their cars upgraded to run Ludicrous Mode for $5000 plus the cost of installation. New buyers can add it as an option for $10,000. No UK prices have been revealed. The upgrade has a cost attached to it as it involves a hardware change, rather than just a software update; the car is fitted with a more advanced fuse to ensure it can handle the extra electric power.
Musk also revealed upgrades to battery performance for the Tesla Model S 85kWH model, taking it to 90kWH, adding around 7% more range. He also claimed that Tesla expects to find 5% battery range improvements per year for the forseeable future. A cheaper, single electric motor Model S 70KwH edition was also announced.
In addition, Musk confirmed that the Tesla Model X crossover will go on sale in the next few months, and will also be sold with a Ludicrous Mode option. He estimated the Model X's 0-60mph performance in "ludicrous" mode to be around 3.3sec because the car is around 10% heavier than the Model S P85 D.
Musk also confirmed the BMW 3 Series rival, the Tesla Model 3, will go on sale within three years.
Get the latest car news, reviews and galleries from Autocar direct to your inbox every week. Enter your email address below:
Join the debate
Add your comment
I think this is good advertisment for Tesla...
Need a Model X with 110KWH battery announced ASAP
Ho hum........