The stage? Pikes Peak. The car? The Tesla Model S Plaid. Two things that sound perfect together. The newest and most exciting Model S ever built, the Tesla Model S Plaid taking on the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb will only generate fun. It is one of the most difficult and technical hill climbs versus one of the fastest cars in the world. Talk about an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
Tesla Model S Plaid is already making headlines before this. The car is one of the, if not the biggest launch from Tesla. While it is not always good press, the Plaid is generating headlines almost as fast as it accelerates. Although there are a fair few criticisms of the car, the crazy bits always stay crazy. The sub-2 second 0-60 mph time stays crazy, the stunning power delivery stays crazy and on top of all this, the package as a whole stays crazy.
Randy Pobst strapped into a Tesla Model S Plaid and took on the Pikes Peak hill climb event. A fresh Model S Plaid, adaptable suspension, slick tyres, a fast driver, and Pikes Peak. It sounds less like an information guide and more like an EV lover’s wet dream. While the Plaid has consistently outperformed cars in a straight line, Pikes Peak is different. However quick a car is in a straight line doesn’t necessarily matter. But it does help to dart from one corner that can kill you into another one that can kill you. This car is at its best when it is driven hard. And Pikes Peak is rewarding when the driver drives hard. Just a perfect match.
Why is this Model S Plaid the best performing version
The Model S Plaid in its factory guise is one of the most enthralling automotive experiences on offer right now. But this specific Model S takes things further. The car is equipped with a roll cage and an intelligent adaptive suspension. The roll cage is for safety and the suspension is there to tackle Pikes Peak’s bumps. The winding, undulating hill climb is a fairly bumpy one. Although the stock setup could make it work, this adaptive suspension takes the cake. It is an intelligent system that sets up the whole car according to the surface of the road that it will pass over next. It works hard to ensure that the suspension of the car is at the right level of stiffness to ensure that the car is not unsettled through any bumps.
An unsettled car at Pikes Peak can result in the death of the driver. While pushing through the climb, if the car is unsettled or it catches some air time, it could ruin the driver’s life in multiple ways. To ensure that that doesn’t happen, the Unlimited team has fitted the intelligent, adaptive suspension on the car. This makes the car feel settled across the whole of the climb.
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak is one of the most legendary hill climbs in the world. It is also known as the Race to the Clouds. Considered to be among the most dangerous tracks in the world, Pikes Peak tests the abilities of the very best drivers. The difficulty in putting together perfect lap increases due to the bumpy nature of the track and the high altitude at which it is located. Pikes Peak makes the best of drivers doubt their abilities and is among those tracks that can determine whether a car’s racing credentials are of any substance. The hallowed hill climb event tests the mettle of the very best cars and drivers.
The current Pikes Peak record is held by an EV. A Volkswagen I.D. R. set the fastest time around the mountain in 2018. The Model S Plaid could go for that record if possible. The biggest advantage that EVs have over ICE cars at Pikes Peak is the altitude. The high altitude means that the air at Pikes Peak is quite thin. This means that many times, cars cannot generate the same level of energy from combustion engines. However, with EVs not requiring airflow to generate power, the car can perform at its peak without any problems. This gives EVs a massive boost at Pikes Peak.
All in all, an EV that is bloody quick and Pikes Peak are a match made in heaven. This should be very exciting.
