Watch Tesla Model S smash Laguna Seca record with new “Plaid” advanced tech

A souped up, new version of the Tesla Model S has smashed all 4-door records at the Laguna Seca track, and you can now see it happen in a video posted today.

On Wednesday (Australian time), CEO and founder Elon Musk announced that even before the Tesla Model S takes to the track at Nürburgring with Nico Rosberg behind the wheel, it had already set a new time for the 3.6 kilometre long Californian road racing mecca.

That video has now been released, showing the Model S with an advanced drivetrain now known as “Plaid” that will be made available in the future for premium versions of the Model S, Model X and Roadster.

The time – 1:36:555 – is a second faster that than the previous four-door sedan record that was, incidentally, held by a privately owned Tesla Model 3.

But what is this new technology? According to subsequent tweets by Elon Musk, it is a new mode that uses not one, not two, but THREE motors.

It’s a level up from the recently released “Raven” upgrade of the Model S and Model X that was first announced in April with longer range, improved adaptive suspension and a reworked Model 3 motor on the front axle.

This is the new tech that we reported must be the reason behind Musk’s announcement to take the Model S to the infamous 20.8 kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany this week.

At first it was believed that Musk was challenging the Porsche Taycan’s record-setting lap at the gruelling track, however confirmation from the track organisers indicated that Tesla had in fact booked in to take part in the annual Industry Pool laps where vehicles are but through their paces to test and tweak developments.

This has since been further confirmed by Musk, who said that the EV maker already has a Model S on the ground in Germany and would not be trying for a lap record – yet.

With a lot of speculation as to whether or not the Model S is up to smashing Porsche’s electrifying record with its recently launched Taycan sportscar, it could just be that any niggling doubts are now overcome.

In typical Musk fashion, the new name for the upcoming souped-up Tesla tech is something of a tongue-in-cheek downplay on Tesla’s fully-charged Ludicrous mode: “The only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid”.