Autobahn Tune - Higher Top Speed!

[fiksegts]

Autobahn Tune - Higher Top Speed?

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"Model S was built to be the best car in any country in the world, and in Germany this requires the highest caliber performance on the Autobahn. So Tesla’s third announcement is that there will be free optional high speed tuning for Model S in Germany to optimize it for driving on the Autobahn. This custom tuning will be available to all customers in Germany, including retrofitting Model S that have already been delivered and are on the road."

 

[NielsChr]

High top speed comes at a price...not dollar but other price.

I guess they can only marginally raise the horsepower by software, so this brings in another solution for higher top speed - gear ration.
Raising the gear ration in the fixed transmission will make it possible to give it a higher top speed - but I also assume this will lower the acceleration (raise acc time)

Just so you know before you start dreaming

For me en Denmark, the current top speed is all I need - I have never been near that, and doesn’t plan to do so in the near future.
We don’t need higher top speed, but things like factory installed "mobileye", ACC and other premium safety features - I have just watched a video about mobileye, I wonder why tesla is not offer this as a factory installed option - they could charge approx. 1500$ for it as an option and make some extra cash.

 

[brianman]

I know we have multiple threads on this but this one has the quote.

Ok, I'll bite:
"optional high speed tuning for Model S in Germany to optimize it for driving on the Autobahn"

Where are people getting that there is a higher top speed being offered with this tuning? Is it the underlined portion, or the rest of the sentence combined with it?

The subsequent sentence or two that I heard in one of the videos left me with the distinct impression that he was clarifying that driving at the (current) top speed would be "better"/"more fun" not that the top speed would be increased.


To be clear, I'd like to see them open up options for higher speeds (perhaps with lower acceleration?) for those that want it. I just don't see that he was saying that.

 

[NielsChr]

@brinman
You are right - Elon does NOT exactly mention increase in top speed, but are more talking about handling at top speed.
It could be the power steering, toe in/out, aero dynamics, suspension and other aspect witch could/should be tuned different to work better at top speed

 

[fiksegts]

interesting take, 130 MPH on the autobahn means you're getting lapped by Opels...

 

[ElSupreme]

My car cruises pretty well at 100. What would they change to make it better?

I did notice the tweet/language didn't specifically say higher top speed, and the German site still shows 210kph as the top speed for the Performance. But I assumed there would be a marginal increases in top speed.

 

[brianman]

interesting take, 130 MPH on the autobahn means you're getting lapped by Opels...

People do multiple laps on the autobahn in one "sitting"? That's a lot of fuel.

 

[L@urens]

Exactly, please don't jump to conclusions and possibly edit the Title of this topic.

My speculations:

If it will be a free options for new and existing owners, it will most likely be software, not (new/other) hardware.
They will target stability, smoothness and simplicity of driving at speed.

Change in tuning of hardware will be limited to alignment settings, which could be a good one actually.
Alignment (toe, camber, caster) make a huge difference at speed. E.g. front toe in will do alot for directional stability. Something you want when tram lining at 200km/h.

Software changes could mean:
- raised rpm (higher top speed)
- change in cooling scheme (allowing higher temperatures before cutting power)
- throttle response (smoother application of full torque)
- (less) engine braking at high speed, or more progressive application
- power steering firming at speed
- auto head lights on at >160kmh
- tuning of audio volume auto leveling at speed
- etc.

 

[brianman]

Exactly, please don't jump to conclusions and possibly edit the Title of this topic.

I think with a question mark your title is fine. But I think you might be the one jumping to conclusions.

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My speculations:
If it will be a free options for new and existing owners, it will most likely be software, not (new/other) hardware.
They will target stability, smoothness and simplicity of driving at speed.

I wasn't reading it this way -- as purely software. Not new/different parts necessarily, but maybe things like using different physical tuning (like tightening bolts, changing gear ratios, etc.).

Perhaps it's a terminology thing. When I hear "free optional high speed tuning", to me it sounds like something you do at a Service Center. If it was a pure software thing, I would expect it to just show up as a new (set of) setting(s) in a future firmware (like Creep).

 

[babyrocket]

We don’t need higher top speed, but things like factory installed "mobileye", ACC and other premium safety features - I have just watched a video about mobileye, I wonder why tesla is not offer this as a factory installed option - they could charge approx. 1500$ for it as an option and make some extra cash.

I have Mobileye installed in my Model S as an aftermarket accessory in the U.S. and it works flawlessly - highly recommended.

 

[mep]

I also think that Elon was referring to making the top speed travel a more pleasant experience. So, is it not pleasant? To be frank, no, not in my book. Going 100 mph in Germany is like driving 65 over here. That's nothing. Any of the latest midsize cars sold in Germany drive very quiet at that speed. Once you move to the direct competitors to the MS then 200 km/h (125 mph) feels like driving 80 mph over here. Take a Mercedes S class to 155 mph (and only because it is electronically limited) and you barely feel it. You can have a normal quiet conversation. Not so in my Model S. Initially I brought it in because of too much noise at around 65mph and they replaced the converter. While it is now much quieter, being used to a much different speed it does not feel comfortable for me at 80 mph. It is still pretty noisy. I am fine with that over here because I barely ever reach that kind of speed but in Germany I always wondered how the MS would be received because a high speed drive (>100 mph) is part of any good test drive in Germany. From my experience as a German I would not be pleased. My feeling is that this is what Elon was talking about. Making a real high speed drive a more pleasant experience.

 

[brianman]

Take a Mercedes S class to 155 mph (and only because it is electronically limited) and you barely feel it. You can have a normal quiet conversation. Not so in my Model S. Initially I brought it in because of too much noise at around 65mph and they replaced the converter. While it is now much quieter, being used to a much different speed it does not feel comfortable for me at 80 mph. It is still pretty noisy.

If you were Tesla and could wave your magic wand with no cost to owners, what kind of changes would you make? Sound dampening? LRR tires? Make it even more aerodynamic? Add "counter-noise" based on microphone sampling and feeding reverse frequencies through the stereo? Something else? Thanks.

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I think with a question mark your title is fine. But I think you might be the one jumping to conclusions.

I stand corrected (by myself!).

I think your OP has a valid title (with the ?) while the thread title has an overreach title (with the !). Cute what you did there with the bait and switch.

 

[mep]

If you were Tesla and could wave your magic wand with no cost to owners, what kind of changes would you make? Sound dampening? LRR tires? Make it even more aerodynamic? Add "counter-noise" based on microphone sampling and feeding reverse frequencies through the stereo? Something else? Thanks.

You are right. I do not know what Tesla is planning. I was just stating what Germans have come to expect from a car in that price range and this may be one of the reasons why sales in Germany are behind those of let's say the Netherlands. Germany is a tough market. On the bright side, Germans are a bit unusual. While they drive expensive cars they shop at so called discounters for groceries (i.e. at the biggest German discounter Aldi). So, once supercharging stations are supplying the country with free charging they will come around. For now Elon seems to have recognized one of the areas specific for Germany that require improvement. We will see what Tesla is planning to increase the high speed experience of the MS.

 

[Puyallup Bill]

My son frequently travels to Germany, and reports that those Autobahn speeds of years ago are no longer all that common. But, perhaps a German will chime in and set us straight.

 

[brianman]

You are right. I do not know what Tesla is planning. I was just stating what Germans have come to expect ...

I think you misread me. I wasn't disagreeing. I was curious what kind of stuff you think might help. Thanks.

 

[mep]

My son frequently travels to Germany, and reports that those Autobahn speeds of years ago are no longer all that common. But, perhaps a German will chime in and set us straight.

My browser froze but I managed to take a screenshot so I would not have to type it again (sorry this ended up at the bottom of this thread):

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I think you misread me. I wasn't disagreeing. I was curious what kind of stuff you think might help. Thanks.

Yes, I know but I am not an engineer. No idea what Tesla is planning. Any of the suggestions you had sound unlikely to me. They would all be too expensive or require a redesign of the car. All I could imagine is a special tuning package similar to the performance plus package. As an alternative, maybe Tesla has investigated the reason for the humming noise that some are experiencing at higher speeds and found a away to reduce or eliminate it. Without the noise the car would be competitive, still not as quiet as some of the competitors in the luxury car segment but as we were told, that is not the goal. The emphasis is on performance. However, I would like to be able to listen to the radio (and enjoy it) if I were to drive the MS in Germany at a (sustained) speed of 120 mph. Just drive at night from Munich to Nuremberg or from Darmstadt to Frankfurt, 4 lanes of public race track.

 

[mnx]

I hope they don't restrict the high speed tuning to only Model S's in Germany. The car does feel very "light" when at speeds of 180km/h. (I was at the dragstrip

 

[Doug_G]

Funny, I thought it was just fine at 203 kph.

 

[mnx]

Funny, I thought it was just fine at 203 kph.

Maybe I'm not used to driving that fast.
I usually don't get over 170km/h at the road course, and I spend less time at speed.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

And... anything that makes the car more pleasurable to drive at 130 MPH must, surely, also be good for those of us who drive at 75 MPH?