Tesla announces major Model S upgrades, including the Plaid+Supercar

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Tesla used a quarterly earnings call to drop blockbuster announcements about its updates for the Model S, including some bizarre interior upgrades and a monster Plaid+ version that’s the fastest accelerating production car ever.

The three new models are already on sale; at the bottom end there’s a long-range dual motor starting at US$79,990, and in the middle there’s a 1,020 horsepower Plaid tri-motor at US$119,990. But the one that’s really got jaws on the floor is the new Plaid+.

Have a look at the raw specs on this thing. For US$139,990, you get yourself a 4-door family hyper-sedan with more than 1,100 horsepower. That accelerates from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in less than 1.99 seconds. That rips out sub-9 second quarter miles, leaving Koenigseggs, Bugattis, LaFerraris and Dodge Demons sucking your tire dust. That tops out at a supercar-level 200 mph (322 km/h). And that delivers these unbelievable performance figures while carrying enough battery for a massive range over 520 miles (837 km).

The Palid+ is a supercar that leaves other, more expensive supercars, in the dust

As well as this shot of steroids for the powertrain, there are some minor exterior updates, and a complete interior overhaul for both the Model S and Model X, which cleans things up considerably to match the sparse design language of the Model 3.

Thus, there’s now a massive 17-inch horizontal infotainment touchscreen to go with the 12-inch dash display and an 8-inch display in the back of the center console for the kids to enjoy.

New interior and front screen
Rear entertainment system
New Battery Pack
New dash, steering wheel and info screen