Tesla Model S Plaid achieves new record 8.56-sec quarter mile

A Tesla Model S Plaid has achieved a new record quarter-mile run in a remarkable 8.56 seconds – though it appears to have been gutted quite a bit.

Depending on your definition of a production car, the Model S Plaid is arguably the fastest-accelerating production vehicle in the world.

Some will consider the Rimac Nevara to fit that bill, but we are talking about a $2 million vehicle in very limited production compared to a $90,000 vehicle produced in fairly significant volume.

The Lucid Air Saphire can also be thrown into the mix with its impressive 9-second quarter mile and it has beaten the Model S Plaid on the drag strip before.

But it hasn’t beaten this Model S Plaid:

This particular Model S Plaid was able to achieve an 8.56-second record quarter-mile run, but as you can see, the owner implemented some weight reduction by gutting the interior of the vehicle.

To be fair, virtually all quarter-mile records are achieved through particular optimization, whether it has to do with weight, tire temperature, or track stickiness.

Regardless, it’s impressive to see a virtually stock $90,000 vehicle, or at the very least, no powertrain modification, achieving an 8.56s quarter-mile.