Enthusiasts have been modding their cars for more performance basically since the dawn of the automobile's inception. For most of the history of four-wheeled vehicles, the only ways to cut a few tenths of a second off a 0-60 time involved some time with a wrench — wider or grippier tires, a free-flowing exhaust, a swap to a rear axle with shorter gearing, etc. More recently, it may have involved downloading a new ECU tune, connecting a bunch of cables and hitting some buttons. But today, at least in Tesla Land, an over-the-air software update could bless the driveway with a car that improved its claimed 0-60 time from 2.5 seconds to 2.3 seconds without its owner ever lifting a finger.
Up until very recently, Tesla's website quoted a 0-60 time of 2.5 seconds for the Model S Performance with all-wheel drive and Ludicrous mode. Today, a glance at the automaker's official site shows a 2.3-second time and an estimated range of 348 miles. It's important to note that Tesla introduces hardware and software changes and updates to its cars as they become available, and these performance statistics apply to the most recent variants with the so-called Raven powertrain.
A recent software update included what Tesla calls "Cheetah Stance," which lowers the front of the car and reportedly improves traction. It's unclear if these are the modifications that resulted in the improved acceleration claims, or if there are other subtle changes are also in play. Regardless, since the software update comes with zero costs attached, we don't think owners are going to ask too many questions.
Related Video:
Sign in to post
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Continue