zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Tech
/
Tesla Didn't Have Laguna Seca Officiate Its Alleged Record Model S Lap Time: Report
Tesla Didn't Have Laguna Seca Officiate Its Alleged Record Model S Lap Time: Report-April 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:33

Photo: Tesla

After making a bunch of noise on Twitter about taking the to the German Nürburgring after the set a record there, Tesla instead claimed it set a record time for a sedan around . The only problem is the track reportedly did not officiate it, so their time didn’t “officially” break any record. You can’t make this stuff up.

Yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced a Model S had set a lap record around Laguna Seca, and later released a video allegedly showing the car make a time of 1:36.555.

This would beat the previous record for a production performance sedan of .

The Jag’s record was officially set by racing driver and Motor Trend contributor Randy Pobst, who holds quite a few impressive records and lap times around that track.

But Tesla’s time, , was not official, as nobody from Laguna Seca was witness to the record attempt to officiate it:

But a spokesperson for Laguna Seca wrote in an e-mail to CNBC: “We were not officiating while the Tesla was testing on the track. Official records only happen during sanctioned events where a sanctioning body is officiating.”

Tesla said it had no further information to offer about the Laguna Seca lap at this time.

So Tesla may have the claim, and the video to back up the claim, but it doesn’t have the track’s sign-off on an official time. So while the Twitter archives will remember the Model S for beating a recored lap time around Laguna Seca, the time is, in fact, not one for the record books.

It’s all kind of an odd development, Musk’s newfound quest for lap time glory. From our perspective it feels like he’s a bit threatened by the potential of the electric , said to be the fastest EV around the Nürburgring. Not long after the production Taycan dropped, Musk tweeted that a Model S would be headed to that track for a record attempt too. (Also: don’t we all already know the Model S is fast? I mean, nobody’s disputing that.)

But it’s worth noting Tesla also , instead having to sign up for the industry testing period which would mean they’d be sharing the ‘Ring with other automakers, . Apparently Tesla may have now reserved a private slot to have a shot at the ‘Ring record time with a clear course, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Before Porsche had even shown the production Taycan to the public, it had a Nürburgring lap time.…

There is a heavily modified red Model S currently at the ‘Ring—which looks pretty sweet with its aftermarket wheels, dark tinting and rolled fenders, as —but the attempt to beat the Porsche supposedly has been pushed back for further safety testing.

All of this is mostly pointless and useless information, but as my colleague David Tracy pointed out to me this morning, as electric vehicles continuously trump combustion engine vehicles in performance and the industry shifts further to battery power, companies are going to lose a lot of the tangible qualities like engine note, transmission gearing, fuel type, etc. that they can currently lean on to differentiate their vehicles from the competition.

With EVs, companies will have to turn to styling and outright performance, so we’ll likely only be getting more and more of these silly time-beating shenanigans.

More on this as we get it today.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Tech
GM's Future Of Cars As Being A 'Second Office' Sounds Pretty Unpleasant
GM's Future Of Cars As Being A 'Second Office' Sounds Pretty Unpleasant
As if enduring a long work commute to start your workweek isn’t dreadful enough, General Motors CEO Mary Barra is apparently envisioning a future where your vehicle’s equipped with self-driving technology that facilitates the environment of a “second office.” Rather than enjoy a leisurely commute at the behest of your...
Apr 10, 2026
And You Thought Car Concepts Were Wacky Before
And You Thought Car Concepts Were Wacky Before
Car concepts tend to be a stretch, sure, and they often don’t make it to the road in their full-fledged concept form. But this concept that plans to take to the Consumer Electronics Show is almost too much. Yes, you are seeing that photo correctly. That is a freaking garden...
Apr 10, 2026
Uber Is So Petty That It Won’t Pay $150 For A State Permit
Uber Is So Petty That It Won’t Pay $150 For A State Permit
In less than a day this past week, Uber launched its “self-driving” ride-hailing service on the streets of San Francisco and . And in the pettiest story development there is, the reports that Uber refuses to apply for a $150 permit in order to run the cars legally. Uber’s San...
Apr 10, 2026
Here's A First Look At Google's Self-Driving Chrysler Pacifica
Here's A First Look At Google's Self-Driving Chrysler Pacifica
In May, Fiat Chrysler partnered with (now called ) to codevelop self-driving vehicle technology. Almost immediately, the two started tearing into a Pacifica Hybrid minivan, making modifications to allow the car to accommodate Google’s long list of sensors and computers. Now, after seven months, they’re done. Here’s a first look...
Apr 10, 2026
Don't Believe The Hype About A Driverless Society Being Just A Few Years Away
Don't Believe The Hype About A Driverless Society Being Just A Few Years Away
In 2009, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman spoke to a reporter about the excessive expectations that some people draw from movies. He highlighted how some hope for a life that mirrors Hollywood, and are eventually let down by reality. In the car world, autonomy is pegged as the ideal future, but will...
Apr 10, 2026
Google's Self-Driving Unit Is Now Its Own Company Called Waymo
Google's Self-Driving Unit Is Now Its Own Company Called Waymo
Hot on the heels of a report that Google is in order to partner with existing automakers and focus on ride-sharing, we finally know what the tech giant wants to do: it’s spinning off that unit into a separate company called Waymo. Waymo! Here’s what Waymo’s gonna do. The move...
Apr 10, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved