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The world's fastest-accelerating car is about to get even faster.
Tesla's high-end Model S will soon be able to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 2.4 seconds, following a software enhancement next month that shaves off a 10th of a second. That's a new threshold that distinguishes it from any other production car on the road.
Tesla Motors Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk teased the update in a tweet on Wednesday—but there's a twist. When the changes are delivered wirelessly next month to all P100D Model S vehicles, the owners will have to figure out how to enable it. It's what's known in the tech industry as an "Easter Egg"—a hidden feature that requires a specific series of gestures to unlock.
From Tesla's blog:
The Model S P100D with Ludicrous mode is the third fastest accelerating production car ever produced, with a 0-60 mph time of 2.5* seconds. However, both the LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder were limited run, million dollar vehicles and cannot be bought new. While those cars are small two seaters with very little luggage space, the pure electric, all-wheel drive Model S P100D has four doors, seats up to 5 adults plus 2 children and has exceptional cargo capacity.
The 100 kWh battery also increases range substantially to an estimated 315 miles on the EPA cycle and 613 km on the NEDC cycle, making it the first to go beyond 300 miles and the longest range production electric vehicle by far.
The horizontal acceleration is greater than the vertical acceleration of gravity — in other words it can accelerate faster on pavement than it could fall off a cliff.
For comparison, see Wikipedia's list of fastest production cars by acceleration.
[Updated to add quote from Tesla's blog. -Ed.]
(Score: 2) by Some call me Tim on Friday November 18 2016, @12:46AM
Get your car up to 60 Mph then slam the gearshift into R, which we all know stands for RACE CAR!
/maybe not.
Questioning science is how you do science!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 18 2016, @01:43AM
No no no, it's rockets! FSSHHWWWOOOSHHH KABOOOOM!!! And the emergency brake makes a great "drop da bomb" lever too!
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 18 2016, @01:50AM
The secret code is... Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 18 2016, @03:47AM
Only on this board could that get moderated informative. Never change!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 18 2016, @01:49PM
Uh... Because we're all geeks and/or nerds?