

Lifestyle
Tesla Model S Plaid comes in last against Lucid Air Sapphire, Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport in drag race
The stakes in the electric vehicle war have just been raised. Following a drag race against a frighteningly quick all-electric champion and the pinnacle of the internal combustion engine — both in four and two wheels — the Lucid Air Sapphire proved that it has what it takes to be at the top of the drag race summit.
YouTube channel Hagerty gathered some of the world’s fastest vehicles in a recent video. Among the vehicles was the Tesla Model S Plaid, the $136,000 supercar killer that has slain countless performance vehicles on the drag strip, including those that were several times its price. Another was the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, a limited edition, $4 million, 1500-horsepower, 8-liter, 16-cylinder, four-turbocharged hypercar.
The Lucid Air Sapphire is — similar to the Model S Plaid — fitted with three electric motors. Its horsepower is listed at over 1,200, which is not that far from the Plaid’s 1,020 horsepower. The Sapphire is notably more expensive than its Tesla counterpart, however, with Lucid’s configurator pricing the car at $250,000 to start.
The Results
Hagerty conducted a couple of drag race tests featuring the Lucid Air Sapphire, one against the Tesla Model S Plaid and Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, and another against the Ducati Panigale V4 SP2, one of the quickest superbikes in the market today. In both races, the Lucid Air Sapphire won. This was particularly notable when the vehicle raced against the Model S Plaid and the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport.
As noted by the motoring channel, the Lucid Air Sapphire was able to complete the quarter mile in an extremely impressive 9.1 seconds at 156 mph. The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, despite being left behind by the all-electric duo at the initial stages of the race, ended up completing the run in 9.3 seconds while traveling at 156 mph. The Tesla Model S Plaid, the cheapest car in the race, completed the run in 9.3 seconds at 152 mph. The Ducati Panigale V4 SP2, during its race with the Sapphire, completed the race in 9.3 seconds while traveling at 157 mph.
A Win With an Asterisk
While the Lucid Air Sapphire truly dominated Hagerty‘s tests, it should be noted that the vehicle used in the drag races was not exactly a car that was just pulled from someone’s garage. Instead, it was an engineering prototype expected to be identical to the Lucid Air Sapphire that would eventually be delivered to customers. So far, Lucid’s website notes that the flagship car should start deliveries in the first half of 2023.
Tesla, for its part, would likely not take this loss lying down. While an argument could be made about the race since the Sapphire was an engineering prototype and the Plaid is a notably more affordable car, the fact remains that the fastest Model S in production today lost the race. But Tesla is an incredibly competitive company. One would remember how hard Tesla worked to set a record at the Nurburgring. The Model S Plaid, in its current state, has not been unlocked to its full potential either. As noted by Tesla, the Model S Plaid’s 200 mph top speed would be unlocked later when the company releases the vehicle’s Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit and its highly-anticipated Track Pack.
Watch Hagerty‘s video below.
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Lifestyle
Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update
Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.
The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.
Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video
With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:
Turn your Tesla into a rave cave with the new Light Sync feature 🎶
Rolling out now in software update 2025.26+ pic.twitter.com/IIsQxZ9jDP
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 29, 2025
To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”
Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.
Elon Musk
xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site
Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area.
Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.
xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs
Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.
In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.
“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.
Musk Foundation donation
Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students.
The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”
“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.
The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”
Lifestyle
EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.
The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry.
A strategic fit
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.
That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.
“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”
Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”
Enabling the next wave
Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.
“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.
The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.
Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.
In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”
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