A YouTube channel with the name of Tesla Racing Channel has posted a video showing a Model S breaking into the 10-second range at a quarter-mile drag strip.
The car is a Model S P90D with Ludicrous Mode and the revised front end. In the video, you can see the car run a 10.8 with a trap speed of 121 miles per hour. This is fast enough to qualify for a new production class electric car world record.
According to Autoblog, however, there are some unique circumstances surrounding this run. It stems from quarter-mile testing that Motor Trend conducted awhile back, when they were able to rip off a 10.9-second run. Owners have tried to replicate that time and have so far been unsuccessful.
It seems some owners believe that Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has quietly upgraded some of the 90-kwh battery packs on the latest Model S sedans. This could be proof of that, as this car has gone faster than others who've been trying to break into the 10-second range.
Still, others believe that the Model S in the video above doesn't have a few of the options that would otherwise add decent heft to the curb weight. There's no panoramic roof, and the car has a smaller front trunk. That lower weight paired with a potentially more aerodynamic front end could be the reason behind the faster track time.
The one thing we're most surprised about? A quarter-mile track that doesn't require helmets for a vehicle going under 14 seconds.
