Motoring

PLAID TO THE BONE

If you’re a car nerd like me, you may have seen that infographic on YouTube that shows how the growth rate of the Tesla company is outstripping not only every other car brand but almost every other company on the planet. Looking at the way it keeps doubling in size, it’s no wonder Elon Musk is so rich.

Speaking of rich people, Tesla’s cars have equally rapidly become a major status symbol for the wealthy – already established as a worthy alternative to the Italian hypercars or German luxo-barges you’d see on the poshest pebble drives. So, if money was no object, which Tesla would you have? Surely the Model X Plaid would be a contender. There’s so much to love about it…

Falcon-wing doors Yes, really. Like the classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, just look at how those doors open. Obviously, there’s technical justification for it: better accessibility, entry in tighter spaces etc., but also, it’s just pure showing off.

Redefining the SUV They’ve kept the sports and utility bits, but it’s great to see someone doing away with the off-road pretensions that so many luxury SUVs still have. After all, this – or any giant luxury 4x4 for that matter – is never going to get used on a farm. So, we still get the ride height, headroom and space, but the two-box SUV shape has been replaced by something altogether more discreet, aero, futuristic, space-efficient and appropriate for the likely customer.

Plaid I love the fact that the fastest Teslas used to be called ‘Ludicrous’ and were genuinely capable of crushing pretty much any other production car on the planet in straight-line acceleration. Now they’ve gone even further and made a full-size family car that can rocket from 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, and they’ve named it Plaid, like the check shirts you get on outdoor dads. Brilliant.

It works Aside from the stunning styling, interiors, post-Space Age tech and the comically extreme performance, the Model X Plaid is also capable. That is, it does what you really want an electric vehicle to do. The aerodynamics make it the lowest drag SUV on the planet as well as the fastest, which means if you drive it efficiently you can get up to 348 miles of range on a single charge.

Fact file / Tesla Model X Plaid / Range: 348 miles / Acceleration: 2.5 seconds Peak power: 1,020 horsepower / Seating capacity: 5 Price: from £109,990