So what makes a Plaid + worth $30k more than a Plaid? [Update: Plaid+ canceled]

[PV4EV]

So what am I paying $30k more for? Just how much faster will a Plaid + be?

Another way of looking at it is that the ordinary cooking version of the MS Plaid is a whopping $3.1 Million cheaper than a Bugatti Chiron Sport, beating it with a world record standing quarter of 9.3 seconds.

And the MS has additional advantages like 4 doors, room for the family, can run on solar, can put a wardrobe in the back, doesn’t look out of place in a parking lot, has cupholders, etc etc etc …

Gawd knows how much quicker the 4680 Plaid+ will be !


https://driveteslacanada.ca/model-s/tesla-model-s-plaid-new-record-quarter-mile-time-production-car/


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[aerodyne]

And, it has a spoiler, apparently...

 

[jbcarioca]

I have had a plaid + on order at about 30 secs after it was announced back in Sept 2020. I was wondering the same things.
Here's my take:
1.) For me less than 9.0 ET means the car will be in the 8's. I've been drag racing my whole life and the thought of a reliable 8 sec car is too good to pass up.
2.) 520+ sounds great for road trips. (this was my main selling point to my wife)
3.) I STRONGLY suspect the new battery tech will allow MUCH faster charging at SC's.
4.) With that I suspect stronger regen, since the batteries will be able to take more amps in.
5.) I also suspect there will be some suspension/wheel/tire difference to support the crazy Laguna Seca time. (not critical for me)
6.) Having the latest battery tech is also appealing, cause I'm hoping this will be my last car for 10 yrs. at least.
I've been saying that since my 1st model S in 2014, and since then I've purchased 4 teslas.

That was my logic, especially the range. However there are a handful of Refresh features that might make me willing to downgrade. Specifically, active noise cancellation, BDM (OK that is a feature fo all Model S and X there days) and those new batteries, which ought to also have reduced weight, and that has many benefits. I know I'll never come close to using all the high performance, so if there were less performance that would still have the 4680's and triple motors (because torque vectoring certainly should help in all types of bad weather)...

But that will not happen any time soon. FWIW, I have said "this will be my last really fast car", according to my chief enabler and spouse for: 2 Ferrari, 3 Maserati, 2 Porsche, plus three Teslae. When adding a few airplanes to the mix it becomes absurd. She has said several times that she just ignores me if I say 'never again'.
I tell myself I'll not buy a new Roadster. We'll see when the time comes, I suppose.

Really, no more ridiculous vehicles! How can I preserve my Green credential with only solar on houses? OTOH, what is Green about a Plaid+ anyway?
I'm lucky. My Green credentials are genetic.

 

[jbcarioca]

Another way of looking at it is that the ordinary cooking version of the MS Plaid is a whopping $3.1 Million cheaper than a Bugatti Chiron Sport, beating it with a world record standing quarter of 9.3 seconds.

And the MS has additional advantages like 4 doors, room for the family, can run on solar, can put a wardrobe in the back, doesn’t look out of place in a parking lot, has cupholders, etc etc etc …

Gawd knows how much quicker the 4680 Plaid+ will be !

Thank you very much!! I shall immediately tell my spouse I'm saving nearly Three Million US dollars! That even does not mention losing sixteen cylinders and four turbochargers. Just imagine how much maintenance will be saved! Just imagine how much easier it will be to park...
There are sooo many advantages, I feel quite virtuous now.

After all," a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds" according to RW Emerson IIRC.

 

[Ohmster]

My wish list

For all S variants:

• Matrix Headlights
• New tailights w/ updated LEDs/diffusers

And selfishly specific to Plaid+

• Upgraded brakes
• Cross drilled brake rotors
• Suspension enhancements
• Faster charging
• Subtle but substantial visual body differences
• HUD
• More paint color choices
• Body color trim and door handles
• + Branded seats
• Ventilated rear seats
• Power doors (our X has me spoiled and waiting for my S doors to open)
• Rear steering

I had active spoiler on my mind but forgot to add before I could no longer edit this list! Nice to see it might indeed be part of the ‘subtle but substantial’ visual body differences.

 

[lolachampcar]

abcarioca,
I tell my wife the cars and planes keeps me out of the bars and from chasing women. She seems fine with the planes and cars

 

[Darmie]

Tesla testing Model S Plaid prototypes at Laguna Seca with new adjustable rear wing - Drive Tesla Canada


View attachment 662481

Wow, look at that suspension crunch on the outside turn. They're determine to make the Model S a new track car. Hope it comes with track mode.

 

[buckets0fun]

Wow, look at that suspension crunch on the outside turn. They're determine to make the Model S a new track car. Hope it comes with track mode.

When the brakes on the + are formally announced, there will be no question about the car being a track car.

 

[dark cloud]

Wow, look at that suspension crunch on the outside turn. They're determine to make the Model S a new track car. Hope it comes with track mode.

getting close to the bump stop Maybe in excess of -2 degrees of camber at the rear to maximize contact patch, and I wonder what it feels like to have the outside rear motor turning faster than the inside one to help her turn through the corner (ie: torque vectoring).

Now what I don't know is does that torque vectoring cause a little more squat/downward force on the outside wheel, which further increases the traction?

That is the point of the rear spoiler of course: downward force = traction. I wonder how quickly it extends itself after hitting the brakes. And does it retract after simply hitting the accelerator? or is it smart enough to retract only after a certain steering angle is reduced? (or by analyzing the outer vs. inner wheel rotation) hmmm...

 

[lolachampcar]

Pretty much just like it feels when the inside caliper corrects the rear just with acceleration

 

[dark cloud]

Pretty much just like it feels when the inside caliper corrects the rear just with acceleration

Okay; wish I could comment, but I haven't driven a car that does either steering correction method.

I assume it would be hard to tell without being on proper corners on a track anyway.

 

[Darmie]

getting close to the bump stop Maybe in excess of -2 degrees of camber at the rear to maximize contact patch, and I wonder what it feels like to have the outside rear motor turning faster than the inside one to help her turn through the corner (ie: torque vectoring).

Pure sex appeal here. You should write for hustler magazine.

 

[The Duke]

For brakes I am hoping Plaid+ goes two piece. Carbon still has problems in the rain, so aluminum hats and slotted, drilled rotors are my choice. For wheels, they need to up the ante substantially with some really light forged rims. This would save many buyers $10K in aftermarket upgrades.

 

[Cal1]

I feel like you guys are overthinking this. Clearly the price difference will be based on ENHANCED software unavailable to the general plebeian MS population. Of course there will be advance fart menu additions. Maybe even the actual ability to exude odor thru strategically located nozzles. Much better than ejecting passengers that piss you off. There's going to be mini fans in the middle and rear pillars to insure said bomb clouds are directed to an specific seat location. This menu will include different scent options e.g. rhino, hippopotamus, chicken, pig and others! All superchargers will have scent charging added and you can choose your poison. I can't wait to see what I get!

I'll probably be flagged by Tesla for this post and moved all the way to the back of the reservation list.

 

[Muzzman1]

I Got a call/and message yesterday from Tesla to give me a more accurate timeline for my Plaid +. He mentioned that since I put a deposit on battery day I would be one of the 1st to get the car (whoo hoo).
He also wanted to let me know that the timeline would be June/July 2022, in case I did not know.
He went on to tell me about the "Plaid" how it broke the record etc and if I wanted to move my timeline up I could get the plaid next week.
I let him know that my selling point to the wife was the 520 mi range part, so without the + I would get in trouble.

 

[TorqueMonster]

So is the official quarter mile trap speed now 152 MPH (per Leno reports) or is it still the 155 MPH on the web site?

 

[lolachampcar]

Yep, sales seems to be reaching out to make the pitch to us + order holders. My concern is in getting a similarly responsive suspension as that of my P85D with the increased bump and rebound damping used in the first few months of production. The sales guy provided the marketing pitch for the "fully adjustable" Raven suspension. Set aside that my idea of fully adjustable is probably not a good match for the sales side of the house, I'm hopeful I can find a newer Raven equipped S to see what the suspension is all about. There are no sales demos of the previous Model S available (no surprise) and I've been told the demo/loaner pool does not have any of the newer S'. I'll check with the West Palm Service Center this week to make sure.

Anyone in the WPB area with a Raven?

I do miss the ole days when you could drop an email to Tesla engineering and ask about things like the suspension. I got assurances prior to ordering that my P85D would not disappoint with a BMW M series as a reference and they were spot on (thank you Mr. Mees). My S was a tad softer but well within the usable range. All good things must come to an end and I suspect I'd have zero chance of talking to a Porsche engineer about the Tycan suspension before it shipped

 

[dark cloud]

Well so much for the Plaid +

edit: discussion here:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1401641625500229632

 

[lolachampcar]

Kinda makes the decision for all of us.

 

[Muzzman1]

Kinda makes the decision for all of us.

Yep, exactly. Now we dont have to wait a yr. (Silver Lining) Too bad we won't get the range bump and newer tech batteries.