Nürburgring: Tesla Model S clocked as faster than Porsche Taycan

Elon Musk might not be able to have Nico Rosberg drive an officially-timed lap of the Nürburgring in a Tesla Model S, but that hasn’t stopped trackside viewers from hand-timing a lap of the modified S.

According to reports from Germany, the Tesla (which, again, is heavily modified) is faster than Porsche’s impressive electric Taycan by a wide margin.

4

The modified Model S, dubbed ‘Plaid’, has three motors instead of two, a feature which is expected to become part of Tesla’s production car arsenal. It's also reportedly sporting a distinct lack on interior fitout and is wearing rather sticky Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport RS tyres.

The name is a reference to the same film as Tesla’s ‘Ludicrous Mode’ – Mel Brooks’ cult sci-fi parody Spaceballs – in which ludicrous speed is faster than light speed, but can result in a ship ‘going to plaid’.

So, with Elon’s faster Model S on track, spectators were bound to show up. According to a report from Auto Motor und Sport,they showed up with the intention of timing the Tesla despite it not being production-spec or running during a sanctioned lap-timing session.

The result? A lap time of roughly 7 minutes and 23 seconds, according Auto Motor und Sport, putting it almost 20 seconds ahead of the Porsche Taycan.

4

Now, as previously reported by MOTOR, it’s unlikely Tesla will be able to lay down an official lap time soon, with the American brand not having booked a specific day to do so, and the calendar for the Nürburgring “fully booked through the season.”

Furthermore, despite a casual agreement to do so, Nico Rosberg is unlikely to be able to help with a lap time in the near future due to his current unaccredited status at the ‘Ring, which requires a three-day course to change.