Tesla has said that the price of the Model S Plaid will go up shortly. This is because the update for the Track Pack will make one of the fastest EVs in the world even faster. In a short 10-second video posted on Twitter, Tesla hinted at the choice. The footage showed the car being tested at the Circuit Paul Ricard, where the Formula One French Grand Prix is held. Before offering a shot of the gauge cluster, the car is only shown in a faraway overhead shot along the back straight and in a quick flyby through the fog. There are no specifics about the vehicle. Before the screen goes black, the number 322 can be seen. Even though the Peek leaves out a lot of information on purpose, we can still learn a few things from it. First, the Tesla race cars before the test vehicle didn’t have the new yoke. Instead, they had a spherical turning wheel. Even though the numbers on the speedometer are hard to understand, they are almost undoubtedly metric. When adjusted to miles per hour, these units have a top speed of 200, which is within what we know the Plaid can do. No matter the changes, they still needed to change how fast the car could go. They don’t have a big back wing, but their front end is dropped, and they have a prominent splitter. A minor rear spoiler may still help them stay stable. Overall, the Plaid Track Pack might end up looking like the changes made to the Tesla that was used to try to break the record at the Nürburgring. The 1,020 hap EV doesn’t need more cooling because it has better handling, carbon brakes, and performance tires. Even though the Model S has had a track mode for over a year, new technology will make the about 5,000-pound car much better for use on a track. But, as usual, when Tesla makes a big reveal, you have to wonder if the Shiny New Thing is just a distraction from something terrible. Or, to be more precise, what Tesla means when he says “coming soon.” After all, everyone knows by now that Elon Musk’s idea of “next year” isn’t apparent.
