In September 2019, Elon Musk unveiled the Plaid Mode Model S. Tesla’s flagship sedan had received a “revamp,” or even a “rejuvenation” if you will. The Tri-Motor setup with a slightly wider body, front lip spoiler, rear diffuser, spoiler, and large front air intake was poised to become Tesla’s fastest and most aerodynamically superior vehicle to date.
The car hit the track at the Nürburgring in Germany, speeding around the “Green Hell” at speeds that are rumored to be a track record. However, we as Tesla fanatics never got a verified track time, and maybe, in a way, it is better that we didn’t. Elon knows something we don’t, and perhaps that the best is yet to come.
Here we are, around eight months after the Plaid’s initial announcement, and Elon drops another bomb on us: The Plaid Cybertruck. Of course, it is what he’ll drive around in, as he announced to the world on Twitter that the fastest and most polarizing truck will be his daily driver.
But to the average consumer who is looking for speed, efficiency, sustainability, and a unique look, the Plaid Cybertruck could be the perfect option. In my personal opinion, it is the ideal option.
I have several reasons for this: For car enthusiasts who love a good bit of speed, the Plaid Cybertruck will be the solution. It’s already got the Tri-Motor setup with a 0-60 MPH of 2.9 seconds, but the additional aerodynamics package that could come along with extra power from a bigger battery pack will give drivers even more of a punch when the accelerator hits the floorboards. Could the Plaid Cybertruck offer 2.5 seconds, or even less, from 0-60? Could this new truck be faster than some of the quickest performance vehicles in the world? It seems incredibly likely.
Next, the Tri-Motor variant of the Cybertruck already offers 14,000 pounds of towing capacity. Could the Plaid Cybertruck provide more? This would be more incentive for those owners who may be using their Cybertruck for utility, including construction. With a bigger battery pack and more horsepower, it could possibly offer 15,000 or 16,000 pounds of towing capability. While the Cybertruck is considered a large pickup, its Tri-Motor configuration is already capable of 14,000 pounds, 800 pounds more than the 2020 Ford F-150, which offers a class-leading 13,200 pounds of towing capacity.
Finally, the unique aesthetics of the Cybertruck are something that cannot be matched. We use the word polarizing a lot, and for a good reason: there is nothing like the Cybertruck on the market. Not only on the outside but the inside, too. The truck’s recycled dash, expansive and bright dash screen, interior LED bars, all are features no other vehicle can match. It truly is polarizing, unique, and individualized in every sense of the word.
The question is: How will legacy automakers compete with the Plaid Cybertruck?
We see companies everyday adapting Tesla’s minimalistic interior style. Cars that once were equipped with enough bells, whistles, and knobs for everyone in the car to play with have opted for simpler designs because the Tesla look simply makes sense and allows for more effortless operation. With that tidbit of information, we know Tesla has an impact on other automakers.
One thing other manufacturers can’t compete with is the speed and performance of Teslas because their vehicles are not powered by batteries. Most of us know that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) offer instant torque, which is why Teslas are notorious for knocking off some of the fastest cars on a drag strip.
The problem for legacy is some of their customers have left them for Tesla. Why? The design. The speed. The engineering. The innovation.
More people will leave their leases and bought out F-150s and Raptors. GMC Sierras, Toyota Tundras and Tacomas for Cybertrucks. And the reasons are all there.
While legacy automakers are stuck with the same general designs for their vehicles year in and year out, Tesla’s cars and SUVs continuously change. While the design stays the same somewhat, the cars are updated through the internet on what is becoming a weekly basis. The cars continuously improve, and you cannot do that with a legacy vehicle. To have the newest technology, you have to have the latest car, and that is not an affordable strategy for many of us.
There are, of course, going to be a few owners who have driven vehicles built by legacy automakers for their whole lives, and they will not stray away from that. And that is perfectly fine. After all, competition is what drives the economy, right?
However, legacy automakers will be forced to adapt to Tesla’s business model in order to compete with the Elon Musk-led company. Many pickup owners will seek speed, engineering, and towing capacity so they can have the most powerful and fastest truck on the market. The Plaid Cybertruck will offer that, and other trucks will not. Plain and simple.
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Lifestyle
Tesla Model S Plaid battles China’s 1500 hp monster Nurburgring monster, with surprising results
There is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing.

The Tesla Model S Plaid has been around for some time. Today, it is no longer the world’s quickest four-door electric sedan, nor is it the most powerful. As per a recent video from motoring YouTube channel Carwow, however, it seems like the Model S Plaid is still more than a match for some of its newer and more powerful rivals.
The monster from China
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is nothing short of a monster. Just like the Model S Plaid, it features three motors. It also has 1,548 hp and 1,770 Nm of torque. It’s All Wheel Drive and weighs a hefty 2,360 kg. The vehicle, which costs just about the equivalent of £55,000, has been recorded setting an insane 7:04.957 at the Nurburgring, surpassing the previous record held by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
For all intents and purposes, the Model S Plaid looked outgunned in Carwow’s test. The Model S Plaid is no slouch with its three motors that produce 1,020 hp and 1,420 Nm of torque. It’s also a bit lighter at 2,190 kg despite its larger size. However, as the Carwow host pointed out, the Model S Plaid holds a 7:25.231 record in the Nurburgring. Compared to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s record, the Model S Plaid’s lap time is notably slower.
Real-world tests
As could be seen in Carwow’s drag races, however, Tesla’s tech wizardry with the Model S Plaid is still hard to beat. The two vehicles competed in nine races, and the older Model S Plaid actually beat its newer, more powerful counterpart from China several times. At one point in the race, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra hit its power limit due to its battery’s temperature, but the Model S Plaid was still going strong.
The Model S Plaid was first teased five years ago, in September 2020 during Tesla’s Battery Day. Since then, cars like the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra have been released, surpassing its specs. But just like the Model Y ended up being the better all-rounder compared to the BYD Sealion 7 and the MG IM6, there is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing.
Check out Carwow’s Model S Plaid vs Xiaomi SU7 drag race video below.
Lifestyle
500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe
On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y.

BYD is seeing a lot of momentum in Europe, so much so that mainstream media has taken every opportunity to argue that the Chinese automaker has beaten Tesla in the region. But while BYD sales this year in Europe are rising and Tesla’s registrations remain challenged, the raw capabilities of vehicles like the Model Y are difficult to deny.
This was highlighted in a 500-mile challenge by What Car? magazine, which showed that the new Tesla Model Y is more efficient, cheaper to run, and more reliable than rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, and even the nearly 400 KW-charging MG IM6.
Range and charging promises
On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y. The Sealion 7 had more estimated range and the IM6 promised significantly faster charging. When faced with real-world conditions, however, it was still the Model Y that proved superior.
During the 500-mile test, the BYD nearly failed to reach a charging stop, arriving with less range than its display projected, as noted in a CarUp report. MG fared better, but its charging speeds never reached its promised nearly-400 kW charging speed. Tesla’s Model Y, by comparison, managed energy calculations precisely and arrived at each stop without issue.
Tesla leads in areas that matter
Charging times from 25% to 80% showed that the MG was the fastest at 17 minutes, while Tesla and BYD were close at 28 and 29 minutes, respectively. Overall efficiency and cost told a different story, however. The Model Y consumed 19.4 kWh per 100 km, compared to 22.2 for MG and 23.9 for BYD. Over the full trip, Tesla’s charging costs totaled just £82 thanks to its supercharger network, far below BYD’s £130 and MG’s £119.
What Car? Magazine’s testers concluded that despite BYD’s rapid sales growth and the MG IM6’s seriously impressive charging speeds, Tesla remains the more compelling real-world choice. The Model Y just offers stability, efficiency, and a proven charging infrastructure through its Supercharging network. And as per the magazine’s hosts, the Model Y is even the cheapest car to own among the three that were tested.
Watch What Car? Magazine’s 500-mile test in the video below.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck slapped with world’s least intimidating ticket, and it’s pure cringe
One cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of these babies.

A Cybertruck parked at Stanford Shopping Center in California was recently hit with what might be the most try-hard piece of paper ever slipped under a wiper blade: a “fake citation” accusing the driver of supporting a “fascist car.”
The note, shared on X by Tesla staff program manager Ryan Torres, quickly made the rounds on X, where it quickly gained attention as an example of how not to protest.
The world’s least intimidating ticket
According to the citation, the supposed “violation” was “driving a fascist car.” The remedial action? Take the bus, call an Uber, or ride a bike. The note also dubbed Elon Musk a “chainsaw-wielding Nazi billionaire.” Now, protests against Tesla and Elon Musk have become commonplace this year, but one cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of fake anti-Tesla/Musk citations.
Torres pointed out the irony himself in his post on X. Tesla currently employs over 140,000 Americans, and SpaceX has put the U.S. firmly back at the top of space technology. As Torres put it, maybe the person behind the world’s least intimidating ticket should “read a book on innovation before vandalizing” other people’s property.
Peak performative clownery
Not to mention that the fake ticket’s logic collapses under its own weight. EVs like the Cybertruck are literally designed to reduce emissions, not “destroy the economy.” If anything, Tesla has bolstered the United States’ economy by fueling jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and clean energy. It’s not the first time a Tesla has been the target of vandalism or politically charged notes, but this one stands out for sheer cringe value.
Torres summed it up neatly: “Peak clownery.” On that point, at least, the citation earns full marks. In a way, though, perhaps cringe fake tickets are not as bad as the literal firebombs that were being thrown at Tesla stores and cars earlier this year because some critics were gleefully misinformed about Elon Musk.
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