PRE FLIGHT BRIEFING TESLA MODEL S

Why is it here?

Because it’s the battery-electric benchmark against which the Taycan must be judged. The Model S showed that an all-electric car from a cocky start-up could be fast, sophisticated and good to drive. The Model S blends a huge battery with front and rear e-motors, all-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension, big boots and a clean, modern interior – a game-changing combination.

Any clever stu ?

Our test car doesn’t have the latest software update, released in late April, which allows the battery to run hotter and therefore facilitate repeated hard acceleration runs in Ludicrous mode without power fade – a Model S issue highlighted in this test. The update also includes the Cheetah Stance setting for Launch Control starts, whereby the front air suspension squats down, the rear stays high and the damping is adjusted for optimum traction. Tesla claims a standing quartermile time of 10.4sec – the same as Lamborghini’s Aventador SV.

Which version is this?

Tesla endlessly fiddles with its line-up, sometimes beaming over-the-air software updates to owners unannounced, sometimes changing model names. This is the Performance version (previously P100D) of the Model S, as distinct from the Long Range version. It benefits from spring 2019’s hardware upgrades, known as Raven, which included fitting a new adaptive suspension system, installing more comfortable seats and providing a longer range between charges. This was done not by changing the batteries but by replacing the front electric motor with the more e cient motor previously found in the rear of the smaller, more a ordable and newer Model 3.