While experiencing the mind-bending acceleration of the Tesla Model S P85d, a question arises: is such extreme performance truly necessary? Perhaps not for everyone. Tesla could have easily satisfied the all-wheel-drive market with the already capable 85D, boasting 376 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds. However, the existence of the P85D is something to celebrate, especially for enthusiasts of high-performance vehicles and those who recognize electric powertrains as legitimate successors to traditional combustion engines.
Although some cars might claim faster 0-60 mph times, they often rely on gear shifts, offering brief pauses during intense acceleration. These milliseconds of respite are non-existent in the all-electric Model S P85D due to its lack of a conventional transmission. This characteristic makes the P85D a unique performance machine, delivering relentless power unlike anything else on the road, regardless of price point. The immediacy of the electric torque pins you to your seat in a way that gasoline cars simply cannot replicate.
It’s important to remember that the core purpose of this model was to introduce all-wheel drive to the Model S lineup, with performance being a secondary, albeit exhilarating, benefit. Imagine the potential if Tesla were to focus solely on creating a dedicated sports car. In terms of handling, the P85D performed commendably on snowy surfaces during testing. The all-wheel-drive system, coupled with modern traction and stability control, effectively mitigated driver errors when pushing the accelerator too aggressively. While it’s debatable whether it outperformed every other all-wheel-drive vehicle on the market, its snowy condition performance was certainly respectable. It’s worth noting that Tesla’s dual-motor system, while effective, doesn’t incorporate torque vectoring between the left and right wheels like Acura’s SH-AWD system. However, this distinction is unlikely to have a significant impact on everyday driving in challenging weather.
Furthermore, the Model S P85D includes Tesla’s autonomous driving hardware, a forward-thinking feature. While a parking lot isn’t the ideal environment to fully evaluate such technology, Tesla demonstrated the car’s ability to recognize speed limit signs, even alerting the driver to exceeding a 25 mph limit. As Elon Musk highlighted during the P85D’s launch, the necessary hardware is in place, and software advancements are continuously being rolled out. Features like dynamic cruise control have already been introduced via over-the-air updates. Tesla’s ultimate objective is to achieve “on-ramp to off-ramp” autonomous driving, aiming to minimize driver intervention during highway journeys.
