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First Reactions to the Tesla P90D with Ludicrous Mode

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Tesla Model S P90D with Ludicrous mode [Source: Electrek.co]

The new Tesla Model S P90D with Ludicrous mode is beginning to find its way onto the nation’s streets and the lucky few who have experienced driving one are posting their reactions online.

The old “king of the hill”, the P85D in Insane mode, could hit 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. But the general feeling was that the car was insane with notable acceleration only up to about 30 miles per hour. After that, the acceleration was only stunning. Ho hum.

[WATCH] Tesla Model S P90D Ludicrous Mode Launch Reactions

No such worries driving the P90D with Ludicrous mode, which blasts its way to 60 mph in a mind numbing 2.8 seconds. As Elon Musk likes to say, the car accelerates faster than if you dropped it nose down out of an airplane. Here’s what one lucky P90D owner enzo32ferrari has to say about his experience with Ludicrous mode:

This was at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Tesla showroom. I noticed a slight difference between the P85D’s Insane Mode and P90D’s Ludicrous Mode; while both definitely pin you to your seat at launch, the P85D’s effect seems to taper off before you get to 60 mph and the whole sensation of being pushed back in your seat is negligible as it hits and passes 60 mph.

 

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Ludicrous mode, the sensation of being pinned to your seat is stronger; I was in the passenger seat when the Tesla rep launched it; my stomach felt as if I was going on a straight drop on a roller coaster and my vision seemed to grey out for a bit …

 

Not only are you pinned at the initial launch, you are still pinned to your seat as the speed approaches near 60, at 60, and well into the ~70 mph range …

Ludicrous-enabled Model S P90D [Source: USAFsparky via TMC]

Ludicrous-enabled Model S P90D [Source: USAFsparky via TMC]

Here’s another report on the Tesla Motors Club forum from USAFsparky:

The P85D is definitely INSANE 0-30 MPH then the pull drops off considerably…..It’s still unlike any Sedan on the road today…..EXCEPT the P90D. I wasn’t sure what the difference would be or if one could really quantify it – BUT you can.

 

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The pull off the line is greater than 1G now and its all the way through 60 MPH. Seriously, its all you can do to hang on to the wheel and keep your eyes open. I recommend making sure your seat is where you want it because that force will push you back in the cracks of your seat. The first time I hit 75 MPH, I had to let off and just pull over and think about what just happened. I should have eaten breakfast first because I was a little nauseous after the first run and the fact that I was still getting the blood circulation back to my face said a lot.

 

I can only compare the feeling to a very serious amusement park ride where you just have to sit for a minute and get yourself back together. I think the passenger’s perspective will be different since they are just along for the ride and wont know what to expect and that is what is just LUDICROUSLY going to be the fun part. Going to get a few friends together for a trip to the store……LOL

Several reports mention the blurred vision syndrome. Owners might need to get a clean bill of health from their cardiologist before strapping into one of these things. Notice that only cars equipped with Ludicrous mode have the bar under the logo on the rear.

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Look for a flood of videos featuring the P90D with Ludicrous mode to start appearing very soon — probably by the time you read this!

"I write about technology and the coming zero emissions revolution."

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Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E

When ordering a new Ford Mustang Mach-E, you’ll now be hit with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.

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Credit: Ford Motor Company

Ford is charging an additional fee for a basic EV feature on its Mustang Mach-E, its most popular electric vehicle offering.

Ford has shuttered its initial Model e program, but is venturing into a more controlled and refined effort, and it is abandoning the F-150 Lightning in favor of a new pickup that is currently under design, but appears to have some favorable features.

However, ordering a new Mustang Mach-E now comes with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.

The frunk is the front trunk, and due to the lack of a large engine in the front of an electric vehicle, OEMs are able to offer additional storage space under the hood. There’s one problem, though, and that is that companies appear to be recognizing that they can remove it for free while offering the function for a fee.

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Ford is charging $495 for the frunk.

Interestingly, the frunk size varies by vehicle, but the Mustang Mach-E features a 4.7 to 4.8 cubic-foot-sized frunk, which measures approximately 9 inches deep, 26 inches wide, and 14 inches high.

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When the vehicle was first released, Ford marketed the frunk as the ultimate tailgating feature, showing it off as a perfect place to store and serve cold shrimp cocktail.

Ford Mach-E frunk is perfect for chowders and chicken wings, and we’re not even joking

It appears the decision to charge for what is a simple advantage of an EV is not going over well, as even Ford loyal customers say the frunk is a “basic expectation” of an EV. Without it, it seems as if fans feel the company is nickel-and-diming its customers.

It will be pretty interesting to see the Mach-E without a frunk, and while it should not be enough to turn people away from potentially buying the vehicle, it seems the decision to add an additional charge to include one will definitely annoy some customers.

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Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows

According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.

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Credit: @jojje167 on X

Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.

The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.

Here’s what they look like in action:

As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.

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There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:

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According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.

Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.

Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.

This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.

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xAI’s Grok approved for Pentagon classified systems: report

Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations. 

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Credit: xAI

Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to allow Grok to be used in classified military systems.

Previously, Anthropic’s Claude had been the only AI system approved for the most sensitive military work, but a dispute over usage safeguards has reportedly prompted the Pentagon to broaden its options, as noted in a report from Axios.

Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations. 

The publication reported that xAI agreed to the Pentagon’s requirement that its technology be usable for “all lawful purposes,” a standard Anthropic has reportedly resisted due to alleged ethical restrictions tied to mass surveillance and autonomous weapons use.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in what sources expect to be a tense meeting, with the publication hinting that the Pentagon could designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” if the company does not lift its safeguards. 

Axios stated that replacing Claude fully might be technically challenging even if xAI or other alternative AI systems take its place. That being said, other AI systems are already in use by the DoD. 

Grok already operates in the Pentagon’s unclassified systems alongside Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google is reportedly close to an agreement that will result in Gemini being used for classified use, while OpenAI’s progress toward classified deployment is described as slower but still feasible. 

The publication noted that the Pentagon continues talks with several AI companies as it prepares for potential changes in classified AI sourcing.

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