Funny thing is, Tesla Model S isn't your best value for money as a track car either.
Its 4500lbs minimum, the P85D is even heavier (larger batteries I guess?). Its got a skidpad turn of .85g, while the good high-performance cars are .95g or higher.
A $25,000 Subaru WRX achieves 5-star safety rating and gets 1:45 Laguna Seca lap time.
The Tesla Model S "Performance Edition" gets a 1:48 Laguna Seca lap time.
I think its weight forces the Tesla S to take slower and wider turns, while the more nimble cars manage to beat it on the Track.
Once you leave the 30k price range and into the cars that are ACTUALLY competing against the Tesla Model S, you start getting to Cadelac CTS-V and faster cars.
Speaking of heat, I hear that Tesla's motors and brakes heat up a lot more on a track. To the point where the brakes and engine start throttling the car down a bit after a lap or two.
Which is fine. My personal car of choice apparently overheats its brakes on the Laguna Seca under stock settings (Ford Focus, although the recent "RS" edition looks to have significantly better specs for a track). Its a challenging track. So the Tesla Model S isn't the only car that is unable to sustain high-performance throughout an entire course.
But lets not pretend that the Model S is a real performance car or anything, not until it starts placing somewhere impressive on a track somewhere (Laguna Seca, Nürburgring, or whatever)
> "The lap itself was around 10 minutes Bridge to Gantry (in heavy traffic) but unfortunately the car went into a reduced power mode about 3 minutes in due to excess battery heat (at least, that's my guess)."
So there's probably some heat issue with regards to Tesla Model S on serious test tracks.
All in all, the Tesla isn't a "performance" car, although it "isn't slow" by any stretch of the imagination.
Its 4500lbs minimum, the P85D is even heavier (larger batteries I guess?). Its got a skidpad turn of .85g, while the good high-performance cars are .95g or higher.
A $25,000 Subaru WRX achieves 5-star safety rating and gets 1:45 Laguna Seca lap time.
The Tesla Model S "Performance Edition" gets a 1:48 Laguna Seca lap time.
https://forums.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/model-s-laguna-s...
I think its weight forces the Tesla S to take slower and wider turns, while the more nimble cars manage to beat it on the Track.
Once you leave the 30k price range and into the cars that are ACTUALLY competing against the Tesla Model S, you start getting to Cadelac CTS-V and faster cars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la6BZ89Z6bs
1:38 on the CTS-V.
And yes, the CTS-V is a large 4000lb luxury 4-door sedan. Its price, size, and weight-competitive against the Model S.