Chip-tuned Tesla Model S Plaid hits record 216 mph top speed surpassing its own specs

Tesla's most premium and performance-oriented electric car, the Model S Plaid, was able to finally live up to its top speed promises of 200 miles per hour thanks to an Ingenext chip mod. Tesla recently sent a Track Mode update that unlocked its top speed abilities up to 175 mph (282 km/h), as the first deliveries last year were limited to 163 mph (262 km/h). The car, however, is advertised as having "the quickest acceleration of any vehicle in production" and capable of 200 mph (322 km/h) top speed right front and center on its order web page.

Tucked in the small print, however, Tesla warns that the top 200 mph speed of the Model S Plaid is only available "when equipped with paid hardware upgrades," most ikely the Ceramic Brake Kit that costs extra US$20,000 to the already exorbitant starting price tag of US$135,900. Granted, this buys you a 1,002 HP car with three powerful electric motors that accelerate it in under two seconds with a big performance battery that can propel it for 348 miles on a charge, according to the EPA estimates. It may also buy you a creaky interior assembly and a disgruntled Model S customer experience, yet the drivetrain's virtues are unsurpassed. 

In any case, the Ingenext team from Quebec got its CEO Guillaume André in a modded Model S Plaid that got its software circuit breaker lifted, and tried to check of the fastest production car can really break the 200 mph barrier as Tesla advertises. The car was equipped with better brakes and tires - Mountainpass Performance and Michelin Pilot Super Sport - than the stock ones, and the landing strip of the Trois-Rivières airport near Quebec was cleared for the top speed attempt to take place.

Not only did Guillaume reach the 200 mph threshold that Tesla promises, but actually surpassed it to hit a new Model S Plaid speed record of  216 mph (348 km/h) before he had to decelerate on the 1.8-mile (3 km) long track using the rest of the length almost entirely in order to stop. This explains why Tesla insists on "paid hardware upgrades" in the 200 mph top speed small print. The folks from Ingenext had made several attempts to reach Tesla's promised Model S Plaid speed before, but simply ran out of track before they decided to try the airport stunt you can see a video of below.

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