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Tesla Model S Plaid Pikes Peak racecar hits 136 mph in practice run at 14k feet
There are very few times where one can justify traveling 136 mph while driving on a mountain at 14,000 feet. Legendary racecar driver Randy Pobst’s recent test run at the upper section of Pikes Peak using his Unplugged Model S Plaid was certainly one of them. And as could be seen in a video of his run, the Model S Plaid is truly a remarkable, frighteningly fast machine.
Tesla aftermarket parts maker and tuning house Unplugged Performance has returned to Pikes Peak, this time with a monstrously powerful Model S Plaid racecar. Last year, the company, together with racer Randy Pobst, tried to tackle the mountain in a modified Model 3 Performance. However, misfortune struck on the second day of practice, which forced the team to rebuild the vehicle in just a couple of days.
Dark Helmet FTW! UP Tesla Model S Plaid is getting dialed in at @PPIHC and and so far has set the fastest time on this section! 2:40!!! Alien technology unleashed!
Great job @RandyPobst!
Thanks to our sponsors @bilsteinUS @YokohamaTC @BrailleBattery pic.twitter.com/pQ7AgeBwc9— UNPLUGGED PERFORMANCE (@UnpluggedTesla) June 22, 2021
The team made it to race day with a rebuilt Model 3 Performance racer, but thermal issues with the battery resulted in the vehicle throttling its power and only getting second place at the Exhibition Class. Pobst and Unplugged Performance vowed to return.
And return they did, taking Tesla’s most formidable electric car to date with them. Initial tests of the Model S Plaid at Laguna Seca Raceway showed that the vehicle was capable of overtaking hypercars like the McLaren Senna around the track. This hinted that the Unplugged Team and Randy Pobst might have a solid chance of finishing well in this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
Knight Rider.
Dark Helmet is a 140mph silent missile in the dark!
Thanks @PPIR for the memorable and surreal experience tonight! pic.twitter.com/VhtS7paafn— UNPLUGGED PERFORMANCE (@UnpluggedTesla) June 22, 2021
The Tesla tuning house shared a video of Pobst’s test at the upper section of Pikes Peak, and it is downright insane. Over the course of the video, the Model S Plaid could be seen accelerating out of corners at almost alien speed, at one point even hitting 136 mph. This is incredibly remarkable as the upper stage of Pikes Peak is at 14,000 feet, and some sections are especially nail-biting due to the absence of guard rails.
Yet during the course of the test run, Pobst pushed his Model S Plaid racecar towards the summit, and at one point, the legendary driver could be heard loudly exclaiming that the car was really fast. Such a comment is no joke, especially considering that it came from one of the fastest men in the world, and one who has driven the world’s best automobiles.
Armed with a car that’s practically built with alien technology, Randy Pobst and Unplugged Performance’s return to Pikes Peak this year is shaping up to be one amazing comeback story.
Watch the Tesla Model S Plaid rip through Pikes Peak’s upper section in the video below.
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Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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