--- title: "Tesla’s Model S Plaid Breaks the Quarter-Mile Record at 152 MPH" description: "Tesla's ludicrously fast Model S Plaid just set a new production car record, covering a quarter mile in just 9.247 at the Famoso Raceway in California." date: "2021-06-03" modified: "2021-06-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-quarter-mile-record" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "model s" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla’s Model S Plaid Breaks the Quarter-Mile Record at 152 MPH ![Tesla's ludicrously fast Model S Plaid just set a new production car record, covering a quarter mile in just 9.247 at the Famoso Raceway in California.]() *\Image: Tesla/Futurism\* ## Going Plaid Tesla's ludicrously fast Model S Plaid just set a new production car record, [*Teslarati* reports](), covering a quarter mile in just 9.247 seconds at the Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California*.* The previous record was held by the Bugatti Chiron Sport, covering the quarter mile in [just 9.4 seconds](). Those shaved milliseconds were confirmed by none other than retired show host and automotive enthusiast Jay Leno, who attended the record-beating sprint. According to Leno, who spoke about the event during a [recent episode]() of the podcast "Spike's Car Radio," the new Model S variant reached a blistering 152 mph. The event more or less confirms what we've suspected: Tesla's upcoming tri-motor performance variant of its best selling electric sedan [will be lightning fast]() — and is poised to prove that for raw performance, nothing can beat an electric car. ## Ludicrous Speed According to the company, the Model S Plaid can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.99 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 mph. The quarter-mile record is also in the ballpark of Tesla's own claims. The company claims it can cover the distance in 9.23 seconds — which seems slightly optimistic after Bakersfield, but not by much. The Plaid variant is also rumored to come with a [huge rear diffuser]() and a low-to-the-ground body kit, according to sightings near the Nürburgring motorsports complex in Germany, as *Teslarati* reports. Tesla will start delivering the Model S Plaid on June 10, an event that will be commemorated with a special delivery event at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California. If the Model S Plaid doesn't do it for you, Tesla is planning to further crush records with its upcoming second-generation Roadster. Thanks to a possibly-facetious "SpaceX package," Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims that rocket-style thrusters will boost the hypercar from 0 to 60 mph [in just 1.1 seconds](). **READ MORE:** [Tesla Model S Plaid broke the 1/4-mile record, Jay Leno says]() \[*Teslarati*\] **More on the Plaid:** *[New Tesla Prototype Has Retractable Spoiler]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()