In continuation of Tesla referencing the movie ‘Spaceballs’ for its performance modes, like ‘Ludicrous mode’, CEO Elon Musk said that the automaker is reserving the ‘Maximum Plaid’ mode for the next generation Tesla Roadster.
Now Musk is hinting at just how quick Maximum Plaid could be right off the production line.
Tesla already has the ‘Quickest Production Car in the World’ title with the Model S P100D Ludicrous.
The company is listing it with a 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds, but several owners managed to achieve a 2.3 second time.
That’s with a large 4-door sedan weighing over 4,500 lbs. Now imagine what Tesla could do using a similar electric powertrain technology, but in a much smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic 2-door sports car? That’s the next generation Tesla Roadster – or ‘Tesla Roadster 4.0’.
Last night on Twitter, Musk said that Tesla could be targeting a 0 to 60 mph acceleration quicker than 2-second for the vehicle:
That would an interesting target. Would, of course, only count if capable of doing so right off the production line with street legal tires.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 13, 2017
Not only that, but he is talking about “right off the production line with street legal tires” – meaning that there should be ways to make the vehicle even faster with aftermarket components?
The next generation Roadster was announced 3 years ago, just a few years after Tesla discontinued Roadster production in 2012. But the vehicle’s future was unclear after it was surprisingly left out of Musk’s product plan last year.
Fortunately for sports car fans, Musk confirmed earlier this year that the vehicle is still planned, but it’s “a few years away”.
At a meeting with Tesla owners earlier this month, Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen was asked about the upcoming vehicle and while he didn’t want to confirm anything, he mentioned that his 3 favorite cars of all-time are sports cars (not his) and he seemed to be eager to design another one.
He came to Tesla after the launch of the Roadster and therefore, he had nothing to do with its design – not that Tesla had that much freedom with it anyway since it was built on a Lotus Elise.
Though Franz did design sports cars that made it to production before: the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky:
He also designed concept sports cars: The Mazda Kabura and the Mazda Furai
Featured Image: Tesla next-gen Roadster: unofficial render tries to envision Tesla’s next top-of-the-line model – by Jan Peisert
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