“According to local Nurburgring experts, the two Model S prototypes lapping the Nurburgring are nothing like the EVs you can buy from Tesla today. Our inside source describes the cars as being “stripped to the gunwales,” the interiors fully gutted of anything apart from the necessary seats, harnesses, and driver controls—hence the dark-tinted windows, it seems. And we’re nearly certain these prototypes are sporting a brand-new, three-motor ultra-high-performance drivetrain—one motor for each rear wheel, and one powering the front axle. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says this ultra-high-performance drivetrain—nicknamed “Plaid,” the logical conclusion to the automaker’s many Spaceballs references—will be available on production Model S, Model X and Roadster sometime next year.
The cars are also running on huge, wide aftermarket wheels wearing unusual tires—Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport RS, a brand-new track-oriented (but still street legal) tire just introduced this year. Currently, those tires are not available on any Tesla model, and the Nurburgring prototypes wear add-on fender flares to cover the extra-wide wheel-and-tire setup. Our eyewitness also noted that the Teslas have huge carbon-ceramic brakes, possibly Brembo SGLs, the type used on top-spec performance cars from Lamborghini, Mercedes and more. And as we mentioned previously, the Teslas seen at the ‘Ring also feature aggressive aerodynamic mods including a substantial rear Gurney flap”
He’s clearly having them pull out all the stops, shooting for the most ridiculous number they can manage, regardless of how far from a production car they get. And still talking out of his ass:
“It’s a start. We expect these track times to be beaten by the actual production 7 seat Model S Plaid variant that goes into production around Oct/Nov next year.”