After delivering ultimate performance in straight-line drag racing — Tesla is giving Model S Plaid the ability to navigate the racetrack like a track racing car. By providing a free over-the-air (OTA) update, Tesla Model S Plaid owners are now able to upgrade their cars with the new Track Mode software.
Tesla had first introduced Track Mode for Model 3 Performance cars back in 2018. Later on, Tesla also rolled out a V2 update for this software that further fine-tuned the handling, suspension, and track performance of Model 3 Performance.
Model 3 Performance is a dual-motor car but Model S Plaid has three motors (2x rear, 1x front). The new Track Mode software is specially developed for the Tri-Motor Plaid Model S.
With Plaid Track Mode, Tesla aims to give Model S Plaid luxury sedan the cornering ability of a sports car on the race track. Tesla released a blog post with the launch of the Plaid Track Mode, “With Plaid Track Mode, our goals were simple: achieve the quickest lap time for a production electric vehicle at Germany’s Nürburgring and allow individual adjustability of stability control, handling balance, and regenerative braking to give drivers more authority over vehicle control at the racetrack,” the official post stated.
Last year, Tesla made a new EV lap record at the Nurburgring with the Model S Plaid. It is only now revealed that Tesla had already made the Track Mode software for the Plaid S back in September 2021.
Plaid Track Mode Release Notes
Tesla also released the following Plaid Track Mode in-car release notes to let the owners get to know the feature and how to enable it.
Optimize your Plaid configuration for dynamic driving exclusively on closed courses and experience the unmatched performance at many different venues. To enable, tap Controls > Pedals & Steering > Track Mode.
Thermals: The heat pump system cools more agressively, maximizing powertrain endurance and performance. Enable post-drive cooling to shorten wait times between sessions.
Drive Systems: Torque vectoring authority is increased across three motors, elevating the vehicle’s agility and cornering capability.
When enabled, the Plaid Model S instrument cluster shows the Track Mode icon where it displays the Drag Strip Mode icon. After going into Track Mode, the Plaid S conditions the car’s batteries for peak performance. It usually takes around 10 minutes but might differ due to weather conditions and other factors.
Model S Plaid owners who have already received this OTA update are reporting the top speed increases from 163 mph to 175 mph while the car is in Track Mode). According to the automaker’s specs, Model S Plaid’s max top speed is 200 mph but it is software limited for now until the proper tires and wheels are launched this year.
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