The fastest Tesla model in existence, the Model S Plaid, has in fact dominated the Exhibition class placing directly in first place with a time of 6.57.22 on the shortened version of the course. The closest competitor was a Honda NSX, which had to settle for a time of 7.14.704. A significant detachment that highlights how the S Plaid is truly a phenomenon on the speed front.
Obviously, the specimen staged in Colorado, like most of the cars participating in this competition, was not the model standard. But if the basic Model S Plaid already boasts a 0-100 of about 2 seconds and a top speed of 320 km / h, no major revolutions are needed to make it a more than competitive racing car, especially in terms of hillclimb.
A note of credit also goes to the rider, the same Randy Pobst who last year had to settle for second position after an accident and overheating problems. His name won't say much to the Italian and European public, but overseas he boasts over 70 motorsport victories including celebrated events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona.
As soon as he crossed the finish line Pobst was obviously thrilled with the win and has pointed out some of the most important changes made to the car this year. The brakes, for example, but also the greater stiffness and excellent performance guaranteed by Yokohama slick tires. But the aspect that most impressed him, despite his long experience, was the power unleashed by the S Plaid throughout the course.
Given the growing competition in the world of luxury electric cars, the whole event was another marketing test successfully passed by Tesla. After beating several traditional supercars in acceleration, with relative and inevitable controversy, having an S Plaid (literally) on top of Pikes Peak counts a lot on a promotional level. Although the racing version remains one and only, a special commemorative model may appear in the Tesla catalog in the coming months.