Tesla's Model S and Model X are already among the fastest accelerating cars on the planet thanks to their P100D variants and Ludicrous+ mode, but now Tesla has developed a feature that makes the cars accelerate even quicker.
It's called Cheetah Stance, and Tesla has just started rolling it out as part of a software update (v.2020.12.5).
The feature is part of the launch control system of the Model S and Model X and designed to improve traction during off-the-line acceleration by lowering the front of the car using adaptive suspension, which Tesla refers to as Raven.
Tesla is yet to announce any official figures for acceleration using Cheetah Stance but the folks at Drag Times have already tested it and posted some initial results. A Model S tested by the YouTube channel managed to sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.41 seconds. That was 0.06 seconds better than the previous best time achieved by the channel. The car also managed a quarter-mile ET of 10.5 seconds at 128 mph—gains of approximately 0.2 seconds and 3 mph.
Drag Times also noted that the peak output being produced during the acceleration runs was 614 kilowatts (823 horsepower), up from the normal 580 kw (777 hp). And with better wheels and tires, the YouTube channel noted that the times could be improved further still.
The latest software update also makes the launch control system of the Model S and Model X easier to initiate. The driver only needs to set the suspension to Low mode and fully apply the brakes before pressing the accelerator. The system will be ready when “Launch Model enabled” appears in the instrument cluster, and will remain active for about 15 seconds before disengaging.
