In July, Tesla announced that had made a notable improvement to its top-of-the-line car, the Model S P85D. The P85D features "Insane Mode," a performance setting that serves up 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds, according to Tesla. But an upgraded battery pack and some drivetrain improvements enabled Tesla to introduce "Ludicrous Mode": 0-60 in a claimed 2.8 seconds.
In testing the P85D, Consumer Reports found that Insane Mode led to slower 0-60 times and expressed skepticism about Ludicrous Mode. However, if Ludicrous — it's a reference to Mel Brooks' "Star Wars" spoof, "Spaceballs" — does check out, the sub-3-second 0-60 speed is highly symbolic. It means that a four-door, all-electric car with seating for up to 7 can produce supercar-grade acceleration, outrunning some Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
In a twist of luck, Tesla had a Ludicrous Mode Model S — a P90D, so-classified because the battery pack is 90 kWh, versus the merely Insane P85D's 85 kWh version — in New York, and I took it out for a spin.
Outwardly, the P90D looks a lot a P85D, although the one I sampled had some aggressive-looking carbon-fiber accents, inside and out. I drove a P85D last year, and for the most part the P90D felt about the same.
But Ludicrous Mode certainly feels different. And I'll explain why.
Ludicrous Mode is basically acceleration advertising for engineering.
Technically speaking, Ludicrous Mode is enabled by a battery pack and electronics upgrade that effectively extends the acceleration of the P85D past a 30 mph threshold. Once you get to 30 mph, the P85D can't boost the power it's extracting from its batteries to bust through the 3-second barrier without melting a fuse. With the P90D's upgrade — which will cost $10,000 for new Model S buyers and, through the end of the year, $5,000 for existing P85D owners — the car can maintain Insane Mode power up to 60 mph and beyond.
It's effectively an acceleration extender for Insane Mode, for those customers who might suffer from acceleration anxiety. It's double Insane, and as we all know, Insane plus Insane equals Ludicrous.
Putting the P90D is Ludicrous Mode is simple: you just swipe the setting on by using the car's massive central touchscreen, which controls most vehicle and infotainment settings.
Then it's a matter of finding a place where you can legally get up to speed. To be sure, I didn't conduct an official speed run — that should only be done under controlled, safe conditions, off the public roads. But I did punch it to merge on the Henry Hudson Parkway, observing the speed limit, and I'm here to tell you that Ludicrous Mode delivers on its technical promise.
The thing just goes. There's a discernible sense that power is actually flowing to the wheels in continuous fashion. With the P85D, you feel like you've launched a missile when you step on the accelerator. But with the P90D in Ludicrous Mode, it's almost like you have, for around 3 seconds, a sense that's there's an endless supply of power — and that if you keep the pedal down, you could get to Warp factor 10.
Then you realize that you're having this experience in a car that's roomy, comfortable, and relatively luxurious. You're not bolstered into some supercar seat with all kinds of wild bodywork angles around you and an engine screaming behind your head. You've got a back seat, for Pete's sake!
I have to say that I like the P90D a lot more than I liked the P85D. Ludicrous Mode is astonishing. Sure, it's just a few tenths of a second difference, but Wow! It adds a sort of madness to the P90D than the P85D doesn't have. That was my issue with the P85D: it's so stable and planted, due to the all-wheel-drive, dual-electric-motor drivetrain, that it doesn't feel as exciting as the rear-wheel-drive Model S. But then again, rear-wheel-drive cars are generally more thrilling than their AWD counterparts.
These are all great versions of the car, by the way. I'm talking about subtle distinctions — as subtle as distinctions can be when you're dealing with a scorching 0-60 speed and $100,000-plus price tag.
Tesla started out with a fast car, the Roadster. The company could have dialed it back with the Model S sedan. But speed is in Tesla's DNA. Ludicrous mode is ludicrous, indeed. And don't expect the forthcoming Model X SUV to be a slug. It can be equipped with Ludicrous Mode, too.
The bottom line is that Tesla doesn't seem capable of building a slow car.
