Data from our track tests indicates that Model S Plaid can achieve 7:20 at the Nürburgring.

With some improvements, 7:05 may be possible when Model S returns next month.

— Tesla (@Tesla) September 19, 2019

Unofficially, observers said it went around the track in a time of 7 minutes and 23 seconds, besting Porsche’s Taycan Turbo four-door EV record by 19 seconds. However, while Porsche fielded what it called a “pre-series Taycan,” with stock tires, Tesla did its Nurburgring runs with a heavily modified, non-production Model S.

According to Engadget sister site Autoblog, it was packing “fender flares, wider wheels and tires, a rear spoiler, an expanded front grills, and seriously sticky tires.” It also reportedly had a more powerful three-motor setup. Tesla has said that a version of the Model S with that setup, known as “Plaid,” may go on sale in about a year.

A Model S was seen getting a tow on the Nurburgring track, while amusingly being lapped by a Taycan Turbo, according to Autoblog. Porsche has said that it set out to make Taycan performance “repeatable,” and tried to prove it by doing dozens of acceleration runs to 200 km/h (124 mph) in a row. “We set out with a goal to build a Porsche,” said Taycan program director Bernd Propfe, “and not have the driver feel the de-rating of the car in any situation.”

Meanwhile, Tesla revealed some of its track data for the Model S, and to show it’s not kidding about coming back, has permanently installed a Supercharger at Nurburgring.

To ensure a good time, Tesla put a modified version of the Model S with “fender flares, wider wheels and tires, a rear spoiler, an expanded front grills, and seriously sticky tires,” according to Engadget’s sister site, Autoblog. That’s what was visible on the outside, and Tesla has yet to say what, if any, modifications it did to the suspension, motor, battery and other internal parts.

If Tesla put a stock version of its most powerful Model S on the Nurburgring track, it likely wouldn’t beat the Taycan Turbo’s run. The EV’s tires wouldn’t be up to the task, for one thing, and and the motor, brakes and/or battery could possibly overheat. Porsche’s Taycan Turbo, on the other hand, was reportedly a detuned version of the production Taycan Turbo S with stock summer tires.

With the modifications, the Model S managed a stellar time of 7 minutes and 23 seconds around Nurburgring, according to a very unofficial timing done by Autoblog‘s spy. Again, that beats the Taycan Turbo by 19 seconds, and when Tesla does an officially timed lap — possibly later this week — it may be able to do even better.

While this is not a production vehicle, Tesla announced that something similar may wind up in production as a “Plaid” variant of the Model S. The company first showed off this potential option at Laguna Seca, where it set a lap time record of 1 minute and 36.5 seconds.

Porsche hinted to Car and Driver that it could do better by fielding a Taycan Turbo S, which has 90 more horsepower than the Taycan Turbo in short bursts. As for Tesla, this is still a non-stock Model S, so it wouldn’t likely knock Porsche’s Taycan off its record perch no matter what time it hits at Nurburgring. Either way, it’s a canny marketing push for the upcoming Plaid model.

In 2016, Musk tweeted that Plaid would be reserved for the upcoming Roadster, so it appears that plans have changed. He explained today in another tweet that the triple motor Plaid setup is “about a year away,” with plans to make it available into the Model S, X and Roadster, but not the cheaper/smaller Model 3 or Y.

The only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2019

Yes. To be clear, Plaid powertrain is about a year away from production & applies to S,X & Roadster, but not 3 or Y. Will cost more than our current offerings, but less than competitors.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2019

This isn’t quite the Taycan-fighting Nürburgring run Musk had initially promised we’d see this week, but he later mentioned the company would need to do more review and testing ahead of the attempt.

Our friends at Autoblog have picked up spy shots of a modified Model S P100D that is, as Musk promised, driving around the German roadway right now, so hopefully the battle between sporty EVs will get some comparable data soon.

*~ Some personal news ~*

We lapped Laguna Seca @WeatherTechRcwy in 1:36.555 during advanced R&D testing of our Model S Plaid powertrain and chassis prototype

(That’s a second faster than the record for a four-door sedan) pic.twitter.com/OriccK4KCZ

— Tesla (@Tesla) September 12, 2019

Porsche really, really wants to convince you that the Taycan will outperform Tesla’s cars in the right circumstances. The automaker reported that its pre-production EV set a (rather specific) lap record for four-door, all-electric cars on the Nürburging-Nordschliefe, completing its 12.8-mile run of the legendary circuit in seven minutes and 42 seconds. It unsurprisingly credits not just the top speed and acceleration of the car, but also the longevity of its electric powertrain. Unlike some EVs, the Taycan has both an 800-volt system (instead of the usual 400V) and a cooling system that can sustain performance for long periods.

Part of this came through energy regeneration at the brakes. The ID.R produced 9.2 percent of the energy it needed for the lap through recovery. Even the generator providing electricity for the ID.R was eco-friendly, running on near-emissions free glycerin instead of gasoline.

As is often the case with cars like this, VW isn’t just trying for bragging rights. It expects the technology from the ID.R to find its way into production models. In that light, it’s a sign of things to come. While you won’t be driving a road-going ID at these kinds of speeds, you won’t have to feel guilty about mashing the throttle now and then.

Earlier this month, after lots of planning and testing, Volkswagen’s electric ID.R racer set a record for “the fastest lap ever driven in an emission-free racing car” at the famed Nürburgring-Nordschleife. An in-car video proving the record was released then, but now Volkswagen has put together a short behind the scenes video showing all the work necessary to make it happen, and stress of the actual day.

You’ll get up close interviews with the team and plenty of views from around the Green Hell. Check out the nine-minute video after the break, plus the in-car view of that blazing 6:05.336 lap around the 20.8km course. That’s not just the fastest EV lap at the ‘Ring, it’s the second fastest lap — period. Only the Porsche 919 Hybrid EVO has done it faster, with a 5:19.546 record set last year. Now the ID.R is focused on defending its crown at the Goodwood Hillclimb, and then taking on China’s 6.8-mile “Heaven’s Gate” road in September.