Aug 24, 2021 3:46 PM EDT 0 Tesla Another feature that debuted in the Model S Plaid was turning the column-shifter an all-digital one on the touchscreen. In practice, it isn’t as strange as it sounds. Shifting between reverse and drive over and over again in a parking lot is awkward in pretty much any car, especially one equipped with a pesky manual transmission. The Plaid’s digital shifter doesn’t constantly remain on the screen, it only appears when the vehicle is stopped. Once stopped, you can swipe forward or backward to go in that respective direction; however, the car also relies on its extensive suite of sensors as a guide in tight places. For example, if the sensors “saw” that I was parked nose-in in front of a wall, a “tap the brake for reverse” prompt would appear on the screen, thus removing my need to swipe anything to change the car’s direction. Similarly, if I needed to pull forward out of a spot, I’d see a “tap the brake for drive” prompt. It sounds unintuitive but I got used to it real fast. I grew to like it, even. Against the Competition The Model S Plaid’s starting price of $131,190 is eyebrow-raising. But what you’re getting in exchange is something that has almost no direct competition. One of the few EVs with comparable performance, the 750-hp Porsche Taycan Turbo S, starts at $186,350. That’s a difference of more than $50,000 before any of Porsche’s notoriously numerous and expensive options come into play. In contrast, the most expensive Plaid will run you $150,190, with one option—Tesla’s controversial, so-called Full Self-Driving suite—taking up the bulk of the added cost by $10,000. But on the topic of competitors, this car has few others, if any. Gasoline-powered supercars, sure, but those are apples to oranges against this Tesla for numerous and obvious reasons. Peter Holderith It’s technically a sports sedan; however, its straight-line speed is not in the same realm as any of its gasoline-powered counterparts like the BMW M5, Mercedes-AMG E63 S, or Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. The Taycan Turbo S comes close, but it’s no equal. The Model S Plaid currently sits in a class of its own, yoke and all. Connecting the Dots At this point, it almost wouldn’t be a Tesla without some controversy. Questions quickly arose upon the Model S Plaid’s reveal, with people wondering if a 1,000-hp car that will do a quarter-mile in 9.2-seconds was really best brought to market with half a steering wheel, or if such a steering apparatus actually made sense in any situation. Only time will truly answer those questions, but in the few hours I spent with the car, the dots began to connect. The Tesla was flawed and there were certainly improvements I’d make to it, but that’s almost beside the point. There was something about driving this thing that was just easy and simple that amounted to being luxurious as a result, minimalist interior notwithstanding. This, I realized, was closer to the ideal premium American car than any other I’d ever driven. Before Jason owned the Model S Plaid, he had a Cadillac CTS-V. He’s a car-lover and a fan of powerful American sedans. He told me he’s critical of Tesla when it makes mistakes but he’s also ready to embrace what many are seeing as the future of performance and luxury. The sale of new internal combustion vehicles may be in turmoil around the world, but the ones we have won’t suddenly disappear in our lifetimes. This means cars like the Model S Plaid can exist alongside what’s always been there, just as a new chapter. Peter Holderith The quintessential American luxury cars were big, soft, powerful, and effortless to drive. Their guiding philosophy was to make transportation as easy and comfortable as possible. Air conditioning first appeared in American luxury cars, as did V8 engines that required fewer manual gear changes, and then automatic transmissions which required none at all. Rolls-Royce was forced to license production of the original Hydramatic from GM when it debuted in 1952—a sign of how low-effort driving was and still is a well-recognized sign of luxury. This Model S fundamentally understands that and embodies the next iteration of those aspects. Two-pedal driving is now one-pedal driving. Flat floors offer more space and more comfort, as do electric motors. The soft, distant rumble of a V8 in cars like Cadillac’s venerable Escalade is replaced by a gentle electric whirr when power is demanded. And when that power is demanded, it’s delivered in tremendous excess. And what is more American than sheer excess? Without a doubt, there will be other EVs in the future that are more carefully designed, more finely tuned, and better in several ways. That’s just how progress and technology march on. But we won’t so easily forget how impressive, ridiculous, and hard-to-ignore the Tesla Model S Plaid is. We shouldn’t. New American luxury is here, and it’s electric. Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: peter@thedrive.com