lots of people get upset by basic facts... in this case, usually those who hate EVs.

I am glad they did a lot of work to make Plaid faster, including cooling and braking.

 

Fact is that many other cars are faster modified...but nothing new. But as soon as you get away from production cars, you introduce a million variables. A stock production car takes into account the ability to drive the car for thousands of miles with reasonable maintenance and reliability and mpg. There is a reason manufacturers don't introduce 1000hp cars regularly. Also, the fastest production car is now an EV (and its not even close) which is the Rimac but that is also a couple million to own.

Finally, the braking is kinda bad on the Plaid and that is why they are offering the carbon ceramic upgrade. Price at $20k though

 

When Throttle House drove the Plaid, braking was the biggest issue. That and the steering couldn't keep up. The steering issue is probably already fixed

 

I watched that video and I wouldn't expect a street cars brakes to hold up on the track; however, on the street the brakes need to perform and they really don't inspire confidence at all based on a few brake tests at high speeds. From what I understand if you get new brake pads and rotors it makes a huge difference vs. spending $20k on carbon ceramics. That's probably the route I will go.

 

Track Mode on Plaid is rolling out. That will hopefully make the car handle better as the Nannie's can finally be defeated. Let us know if you get! Time to do a drift video

 

Its downloading the update right now so we will see how it is after. Unfortunately it’s icy/snowy here and is supposed to snow more in the next few days so it may be a while before I can try it out.

 

thanks for the review and sharing on your on-going experience! time to update your signature i agree with you on the tail lights as well. they need to be updated (as most folks will be seeing them as you pull away)!

funny i've never seen a plaid with 19s. usually the ones around here are all 21s. other than wheels and the badge, is there anything else on the exterior that tells me this is a plaid?

 

Just the spoiler
The wheels don't indicate it's a Plaid as you can option the LR with the same wheels.

 

https://www.tesla.com/blog/introducing-plaid-track-mode?s=09


Since Track Mode was launched in 2018 on Model 3 Performance, we have taken advantage of instant motor torque to make cornering on the track feel as natural as forward acceleration.

This week, Plaid Track Mode is rolling out to Model S Plaid vehicles across North America. 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.

Plaid Track Mode was developed to take full advantage of our tri-motor platform and more than 1,000 horsepower on tap, with features including:

• Optimized Powertrain Cooling
  Track driving generates an enormous amount of heat in the battery, motors, and brakes. Maximum track endurance is achieved by managing this heat to keep these components as cool as possible.
  
• When Plaid Track Mode is engaged, we drop the temperature of the battery pack and motors to create a significant amount of chilled thermal mass. Once track driving begins and heat is generated, shared coolant loops between the battery and motors keep the entire system cooler for longer.
  
• We also increase regenerative braking power, which has three major benefits: re-capture more energy during deceleration, reduce load on the friction brakes for better thermal management, and give the driver better modulation and controllability with a single pedal.
  
• Lateral Torque Vectoring
  Using the same foundation as Model 3 Track Mode, Plaid Track Mode relies heavily on front and rear motors to command rotation: additional torque applied to the rear axle helps turn the nose of the car into a corner; torque applied to the front axle arrests rotation to pull the car straight.
  
• Building on this principle, Model S Plaid’s dual rear motors enable full lateral torque vectoring. With Track Mode activated, Plaid automatically adjusts torque split across the rear wheels, independently, which applies a torque bias to rotate the car through turns; this increases turn-in response, improves on-center steering feel, and delivers even greater yaw control throughout a corner.
  
• Compared to traditional open- and limited-slip differentials, which must always compete between turn-in response and maximum traction, our electric motors adjust in milliseconds to give the driver both qualities simultaneously, allowing for faster turn-in, increased cornering speeds, and harder acceleration on corner exit.
  
• Adjustable Vehicle Dynamics
  During normal road driving, our stability control systems are optimized to limit tire slippage and maximize grip to keep the driver safe.
  
• In Plaid Track Mode, stability controls enter a Race tuning to give the driver maximum control over the car’s lateral movement. With Plaid Track Mode engaged, Tesla’s Vehicle Dynamics Controller (VDC) evaluates steering angle, accelerator, and brake pedal inputs to determine where the driver wants to place the car and will permit tire slippage and automatically adjust torque split to give the driver even more authority and improved agility during high-speed cornering.
  
• For drivers who want additional additional adjustability over vehicle dynamics, handling balance, stability assist and regenerative braking can be changed independently based on their skill level and preferences.
  
• Adaptive Suspension Damping
  When Plaid Track Mode is engaged, adaptive suspension damping is optimized for track handling: reduced pitch during hard braking and fast acceleration, rebalanced damping to improve responsiveness, and faster settling of vehicle disturbances over bumpy segments to increase driver confidence. To facilitate consistent dynamic driving, ride height is set to Low on drive-off, and the suspension will no longer automatically raise to improve comfort.
  
• With Plaid Track Mode, we have added a host of new features to make Model S Plaid as quick around a racetrack as it is at the drag strip. Our approach focuses on allowing greater driver control and adjustability while promoting driver confidence, and like most aspects of Tesla vehicles, we’ll continue to improve Plaid Track Mode over time with future over-the-air updates
  
• Performance UI
  We have added a track-focused user interface to provide critical performance data, including a vehicle thermals monitor, lap timer, G-meter, dashcam video capture and vehicle telemetry, along with several other customizable options.
  

 

Some owners feedback

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/thre...mazing.253117/

I don't even know how to start this... I was honestly starting to become somewhat bored with my Plaid and was contemplating selling it. Then this latest update was dropped, I honestly had low expectations for it, wasn't really impressed with any of the other releases. But this is a game changer. Track Mode is absolutely incredibly amazing beyond anything I could have ever imagined for a software update!

When I say this, I am not saying this lightly... IT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMS THE CAR into a track weapon on rails. I'm talking, it's as if I handed $25k to a performance shop and ask them to give me a racing suspension and steering setup. It no longer wanders under hard acceleration, and the same for braking. It corners with near zero body roll now, I mean, it's like driving an M3 or a GTR now. I don't know how they did it, but even the brakes are vastly improved! Steering is so much more on point. It's like driving a go-kart now. The cornering is unbelievable. Anyone with a Plaid out there needs to seriously try this ASAP. It's like having three cars in one now. A luxury cruiser, a drag racer, and now a track car. I've never been as impressed with this car as I am now, even more than the day I picked it up, it's like a whole new car. And this is coming from a guy that's owned three McLarens and a bunch of other fast track stuff. I think all this car needs now are just some racing pads and better fluid, you may be able to get away with not needing CCBs, it's that improved.

 

Sounds like an impressive update! And moreso delivered OTA.

I wonder how many Plaid owners will go to to the track regularly and use it to its full extent? Compared to a similar track focused vehicle like a Porsche GT3

 

Almost none. It's a street / drag toy for bragging rights. GT3 is a magnificent track toy for sure but it's not winning the bigger drag races. I can appreciate both and wish I had both

 

Good to see the software update improvement.
Last time I checked the car weighs almost 5,000lbs - this is far from any type of track weapon.

Buy a Miata or BRZ - much more fun for that purpose.

Can Tesla make it make V12 Ferrari sounds- that would be best update.

 

my concern will be plaid owners using track mode on the street and becoming way overconfident.

still, very impressive update!

but yeah, driving a large sedan on a track is for grins, not serious.

 

Haha, I remember back when some people doubted me for claiming that track mode would easily fix the major braking issues of the Plaid.

No matter how close other brands come to battery efficiency and performance to Tesla, none of them match their ability to perform OTA updates to such a degree.