Tesla Model S Plaid breaks all the records in first independent test, but 0-60 mph has a caveat

Tesla Model S Plaid has broken several production car records in its first independent tests with MotorTrend, but the insane 0-60 mph in less than 2 seconds needs an asterisk next to it.

When Tesla unveiled the new Model S Plaid, the automaker announced that it’s going to break the record for quickest production car with a 0-60 mph in 1.99 seconds and quarter-mile in 9.2 seconds.

The automaker had MotorTrend perform the first independent tests of the new Model S Plaid.

Before they could do that, though, Tesla had them test the new performance sedan on a drag strip with a VHT-prepped surface, basically sticky asphalt, at the Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, California.

On that surface, the new Model S Plaid was able to achieve an even faster-than-advertised 1.98 seconds 0 to 60 mph acceleration and a quarter-mile in 9.25 seconds at 152.6 mph using its drag strip launch mode, which takes a little while to activate and get into its “cheetah stance.”

That’s with the first foot of rollout subtracted, which is how MotorTrend tests all vehicles.

But the 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 2 seconds comes with the caveat that it needs to be achieved on a VHT-prepped surface at a drag strip.

Tesla reportedly told MotorTrend that they believe “most customers” will run the Model S Plaid at dragstrips, but many dragstrips will require a bunch of additional safety measures before a vehicle as fast as the new Model S Plaid can race, which could discourage many owners.

But the good news is that it doesn’t actually make a massive difference when testing on an unprepared surface.

MotorTrend‘s independent tests showed a 0 to 60 mph acceleration in just 2.07 seconds and a quarter-mile run in 9.34 seconds at 152.2 mph.

Those stats are now the new records for production vehicles, including beating the quarter-mile of the Ferrari LaFerrari.

The only vehicle that could potentially take away the throne from Tesla is Rimac’s new Nevera, but it depends on your definition of a “production car” since it’s a limited-production vehicle that starts at $2 million.

The Model S Plaid starts at $130,000 and Tesla is likely going to make more of them in a few days than the number of Nevera hypercars Rimac will make over several years.

And you know what? The Nevera also happens to be all-electric, so if one thing is clear, the highest-performance vehicles in the world are now all-electric, and the scary thing is that they are still getting better.