Seeing the nomenclature of “Plaid” stamped on anything is peculiar. As we know, Elon Musk is an eccentric man, so while it is peculiar, the “Plaid” stamp actually makes some sense. Explained briefly, in the movie “Spaceballs” “ludicrous” speed is succeeded by Plaid speed.

What does Plaid mean beyond what’s inside Musk’s head? The Tesla Model S Plaid priced at $131,100 MSRP features a tri-motor setup. One engine placed on the front axle and two situated on the rear axle. This is the distinction between the Plaid model and any other Model S. This allows the Tesla to hit a ludicrous acceleration time of 0-60 mph of 2 seconds (1.98 to be a bigger saint than The Pope) which is fair seeing that it packs over 1,020 horsepower under the hood.

If we choose to compare the Tesla Model S Plaid to the regular P100d model, the older version does a 0-60 time in 2.3 seconds (according to Tesla that is) with a power of 503 hp. An impressive upgrade, albeit apparently insignificant seeing double the amount of horsepower. The Plaid weighs 4,766 lbs, while the regular P100d weighs in at 4,941lbs. So, the newer model actually has a touch lighter.

As all things go, a proper sports car must be tested on the Nordschleife to see how it competes against other cars. The Model S Plaid managed to lap the Nordschleife in 7:35.579, which is indeed quite brisk. The Porsche Taycan Turbo got a 7:42.34 with their pre-production model so it is indeed a bit quicker. It’s even fast when we’re comparing it to regular ICE cars. The Panamera Turbo lapped the northern loop of the Nürburgring in 7:29.81, so Tesla Model S Plaid is indeed potent.