Yes, the upgrade to "Ludicrous Speed" from "Insane speed" costs $10,000. A bargain given that level of performance usually comes with a price tag in the hundreds of thousands. Also no complicated launch control mechanism that eats up the inside of the car is needed. Just mash the accelerator and you are instantly pulling 1.1G.

The plus with the Tesla due to lack of mechanical linkages that wear out and cause internal damage and degradation over time, you can do those Ludicrous launches on the Model S all you want. The only thing you will put a lot of wear on are your tires as the torque and acceleration are generated simply with an electric magnetic field.

I really hope Mercedes has a no compromise EV in development. It seems they are intent on hobbling whatever EV tech they put in their cars by either combining that with a gasoline engine to build a hybrid or severely limit the range and performance as they have done with the B class. Why oh why.

I'd rather they upgraded the interior quality or styling on the exterior for $10k, insane mode was fast enough

Fair enough. "Insane Mode" was insane enough for acceleration but now we have "Ludicrous Mode." It just goes to show the advancements that are possible with a premium EV drivetrain.

This improvement of 0-60 in 2.8s took Tesla just six months and in blows away decades of internal combustion engine technology. To put this acceleration in perspective, the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport's 0-60 time is 2.6s and that car costs $2.5 million. I am sure there are some rattle traps that can go fast at a lower cost but what is remarkable is that the Model S can deliver this level of performance while comfortably transporting 5+2 people and a car full of groceries and weighing about 2 tons.

I agree with you about the interior. Like I said, all they need to do now is let a few talented designers loose on the Model S interior to elevate the luxurious amenities. I guess they are working on the harder engineering stuff first...

But for what it's worth, I'll take Ludicrous Mode any day over the car blowing air up my derriere

0-60 in 2.8 Seconds in any car is crazy quick. I have been in numerous quick cars.(Tesla P85 Included, GTR, 911 Turbo, TT Gallardo, TT GTR, TT Corvette and they are loads of fun to shoot down a 1/4 miles strip with) However the whole 0-60mph and or top speed quest to me I couldn't care less about. I have never understood why people are so infatuated with the quickness of a car (0-60) and or how fast the car can go(Top Speed) when most people cannot even go over 80mph. As far as the drag strip I do not live my life a 1/4 mile at a time like a famous actor once said. I guess I am one of the few who do not care about speed. My DD is a C Class so really I do not care about speed. Just my .02 Cents

Personally I would rather be on track with corners listening to the tires squealing and moving the car in many different positions or be on a back road enjoying the car as a whole listening the sounds of the car(Engine, exhaust or even the EV Motor or Hybrid system if I am driving one)

I am glad you are happy with your C Class. I wonder how many non AMG Mercedes owners would turn down an AMG version of their car if given the opportunity to own one at just a slightly higher extra cost.

What Tesla has done, due to the vastly less complex EV drivetrain, is offer significantly greater than AMG level performance for a fraction of the cost. We would have normally just bought a regular S class (550W4) but with the Tesla when we had the option to pay $20K more for supercar level performance it was a no brainer. Such a bump in performance at a relatively small price delta is not possible with ICE technology.

I don't track race my car and live in the DC area that is pretty congested. There are plenty of places for me to safely enjoy the acceleration of our P85D. It's is odd when people say since the speed limits are around 80 how you can't enjoy a performance car. I bet most such people have never owned a performance car.

The Interstates are the worst place to speed. A Toyota Corolla can eventually go over 100mph. The fun part for me is not necessarily in speed but the acceleration. On an Interstate you are driving through unfamiliar territory with speed traps and unmarked cars anywhere with overzealous traffic enforcement looking to fill their local coffers. Also everyone is driving the speed limit plus 5 or 10 so if you drive faster you risk wasting time with being pulled over. When I drive on an interstate I usually set the cruise control at 5 over and just enjoy the drive.

With a performance car the fun is at the 20-50 mph range within most local speed limits when you can add 20-30mph to your speed in an instant. It's like making the rest of the traffic stand still. The Tesla driving experience that won me over is not just the acceleration or the speed but the fact that you have access to all this power in an instant with no drama or obnoxious exhaust sounds.

So I just got some good news about the "Ludicrous Mode." The upgrade cost for existing P85D owners is "only" $5,000 -- unlike the $10,000 for new orders. It's pretty sweet that they designed this enhancement so that existing owners can upgrade their car to supercar level performance at a fraction of the cost.

I wonder what this latest Tesla enhancement is going to do to the Porsche Panamera sales... Can't be good for Mercedes' AMG sales either.

Many amg owners still love what you don't care about --- the shift sounds and the exhaust tones and visceral feel of the ICE

Though the future is very much ev based transport... Amg isn't likely too worried about tesla and ludicrous mode In the short term. Do you read any of the amg forums?? Most of the discussion is over how awesome the car sounds and how to make it louder and how much people love the crackles and pops of the engine!!

Glad the tesla works for you and your personal interests

And not many confuse the tesla for a supercar

One thing I want to ask is what does a 0-60 time of 2.8 and a quarter mile of 10.9 do for S Class owners? Sure if this was posted on other manufacture section on the forums, or something like that, but last time I checked, people buy a S350/550 could care less about 0-60 or quarter mile as long as it's got enough power to get to highway speeds or to overtake people. Yes, it's very nice, but shouldn't it be on other manufactures area, or the S63 or other AMGs such as the E63 S? 10-20 years ago, I would have picked the Model S, and I guess that's the stage of life that you're in, but to most of us S Class owners our worries are about luxury, not speed. I'm glad that you're enjoying your purchase, and that it's fulfilling your wants, something the S Class can't do. For me, the S Class is fulfilling my wants, something the Model S can't do.

I wouldn't. What is the point? Just got back from a week long trip to Branson from Dallas and it is 440 miles long. It took 7 hrs with a stop for a quick bite. Speed Limits were 75mph and 70mph most of the way and it was 96 Degrees or so. Two kids had their iPads plugged in the whole way and there were some uphill parts towards the end. We did not take our S and chose to take the GL450. One tank and we had about 50 miles of range left so we never needed to stop.

So a 440 mile trip with the A/C on pretty much high the whole time, going 82mph for about half the way and 75 mph the other half, charging two iPads with some uphill portions. You keep touting the high performance of the S85D over other cars. Surely it can outperform the GL450. How long would that trip take in a Tesla with 1 30 minute stop to eat (BTW we ate where we want meaning we had Vietnamese food)? 7 hrs in a GL450.

I would bet anything in the world that the GL450 can outperform the Tesla on this trip. I suggest you look up the definition of performance, as performance for a car can be measured in many different aspects. Here is the definition

"the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function."

Funny but the GL450 would outperform the S85D. The S would also outperform the S85D

For my little commute to work the C is perfect. Downtown parking is simplistic because the car is so small unlike the W212 E or C216 CL. I use to track once in a while but not as of lately. Used to auto X my W202 C Class because it handled like it was on rails. I did my W203 C Class as well. Had my 911 C4 on a road course. I had and still have some quick enough cars in my garage(F355,SL600,Spyder F1, Corvette C4, Viper RT/10) All cars capable of well over 160MPH. However, they are not fast cars by today's standards at all nor were they ever really. Especially when there are cars like say: Porsche 918 Does 0-60 in 2.2 But for me personally it is much more about speed.

I do not care much for drag racing as it is not my style so the whole 0-60 and 1/4 doesn't do much for me. Top Speed is very cool but I do not own a runway or participate in the Texas Mile. The DC Traffic is a real pain in the neck as it is any major city. In real world everyday driving a car that goes 0-60 in 2.8 is much more then anyone will ever need. Even a 6 Second 0-60 car is fine. It really all comes down to the driver and well dare I say it? People paying attention to the road

I agree. Most car companies when it comes to performance I see are not too worried. Fact of the matter is it goes beyond that. AMG will always be special(Model varying of course) to many. Every car company basically makes a already fast car(Top Speed) or quick car(0-60) so its not a big deal like it was years ago when the real "Horsepower Race" was on.

I have owned a variety of different cars and believe me in 20 years we will have all different types of powered cars on the road(Gas, EV, Hybrid, Diesel, Fuel Cell, Hydrogen, Nat Gas) All of them serving a very different purpose for a very different buyer. This is why there are hundreds of car manufactures with hundreds of different models to choose from.

I have never herd anyone ever say Tesla is a super car. By this I mean its not in the same category as your Bugatti, Pagani,ect. Performance does not categorize a car because it goes beyond that such as what is the function and what is it built to do.

Agreed. 2 different buyers with 2 very different needs.

I went to a Tesla event near my home in Delaware this afternoon. Here are some thoughts and new (at least to me) facts:
The car does not come with a spare tire - not even run flats. They do provide a can of fix a flat
The stereo system does not play CD/DVD's. It does not accept USB connections or memory cards. If you want to have external music you can only use Bluetooth from your phone.
The seats (even the premium ones which I sat in and drove) are marginal in my opinion. Back seat is not as roomy as the S Class - maybe close to E Class in room but not as comfortable.
The materials are not as nice as the S Class - leather is OK but a far cry from the S Class materials.
Workmanship is good, but not the same as the S Class.
The batteries should last "10 to 12 years" then they should be replace at a cost of $10,000 to $15,000. Exact cost is unknown at this time. This seems to impact the fuel savings.
Once a year the car should be checked out by a dealer - in my case the closest one is about 150 miles away. Maybe they will come get it and return it to me at little or no cost. The rep was not sure.
Overall - I'm not a fan of the car - certainly not as a replacement/competitor to the S Class. And considering the real price of about $1115,000 after tax credits I am not convinced it compares to the S Class. Apparently Tesla is having these events across the country - check out the website and see if one is near you. If so try it for yourself and see what you think.
P.S. the couple before me bought one and were trading in a 2014 MB SL 550!!! Just goes to show you.

Some minor corrections...

It has 2 usb ports.. Plays even flac files etc..

The s85 compares closest with the s550 performance wise and is 80k plus generally 15 k in options minus minimum of 7.5k in tax rebate.. So about 87k.

Not 111k. That is p85d which is s63amg performance.

And yes back seat sux compared to mb but new next gen front seat is great.

I'm not sure about the 12 yr battery, no one really knows, but I am sure 95% of ppl who buy a 100k car do not keep it 12 years.

The Tesla rep said no USB ports so I guess he did not know his product or you are incorrect.

I own one. I started this thread. Trust me I know

It's right next to the 12v charge port.

Just checked the Tesla site and it does say it has a USB port - my apologies for believing the Tesla rep. Guess car salesmen are all the same - they rarely really know their product. I'll still stick with my 550 S.

Does it really take 366 posts to confirm that these cars don't compare?

Hard to believe this topic has been going on since January. Wow! That has to be some sort of record and not in a good way.

There you go again. That is incorrect. It does not beat the S in performance. AN S can go 300 miles at 85 mph in under 4 hours. What does a Tesla do it in? It beats it performance wise if you look at 0-60. When you look at range it does not come close. When you look at various distances it is not close. What about top speed? What about performance to return it to full range from empty? Funny all these Tesla people think performance is 0-60 and nothing else.

Apparently not for you

But it did for me and a few other people who had chimed in on this thread to say they picked a Model S after comparing it to an S Class.

Also the fact that the Model S is now the top selling sedan around $100K in the US suggests that more than a few people looking for a 5 passenger sedan opted for a Model S over an S class as well.

Oh that is hilarious to suggest that the Model S does not beat the S class in performance. It does not just beat it, it decimates it and then eats it for lunch. With the Ludicrous Mode, a Model S can pull away from an AMG Mercedes like it was nothing.

As I've said all along if driving mindlessly for 4 hours at a time without a 30 minute rest stop, I can see how you'd prefer not to go with a Model S. Most normal people stop for a rest break after about 3 hours of driving and that's enough to charge a Model S with a supercharger on long distance trips.

Oh and by the way they just announced a battery capacity increase for the Model S and the range is now 300 miles. They further said you can expect another 5-10% improvement next year and every year from now on. So much for your range argument...

Top speed? Really? The top speed of a Model S P85D is 155mph. I would not hit 90mph in my car when traveling out of state for not wanting to deal with the hassle of being pulled over. As I've said earlier high speed on an interstate is meaningless as everyone drives 5-10mph and you become a target if you stand out by speeding past everyone else who's already driving 10mph over the limit.

0-60 and nothing else is far from it. It is about the technology and how well it is all packaged.

It's funny how you state that technology is all that matters, because that's the only factor where the Tesla wins. For Tesla buyers, the e-drive outweighs all other factors. I personally don't care about showing off to friends that my car can give them whiplash on acceleration. Seat comfort, leather quality, as well as other interior build quality(e.g. mirror/window controls), fit and finish, design sophistication hold far more weight on my scale. The Model S design is cartoonishly simplistic in its design; and I don't mean simple as in clean, I mean simple as in crude rudimentality. Like it was designed by a car company only in existence for a decade...
I will be going electric along with everyone else in time, but I will do it without sacrificing all that my S-Klasse offers me.

I am sure some people enjoy obnoxious engine sounds and exhaust noise that disturbs everyone around them. Just take note that it is a trend that is not exactly getting popular given that Harley Davidson has been having a hard time lately selling their obnoxiously loud motorcycles.

I would have thought you buy an AMG Mercedes for the performance but it is embarrassing to make all that noise and drama and be decimated by an EV performance-wise. I'd hate to be the person responsible for Mercedes AMG engineering and tasked to come up with a vehicle that can match the performance of the Tesla and the only thing I had to work with was gasoline.

I never ever said the Tesla Model S is a supercar. I just said it can leave most supercars and Mercedes' entire AMG lineup in the dust for street driving. This chart nicely puts the performance and cost of the Model S in perspective. Note that just about any car that performs better than the Model S costs over a million dollars. It is a crazy value for the driving experience and the technology it delivers.

<img src="http://assets.bwbx.io/images/iMlSmDwpk_nI/v1/-1x-1.png" width=500>

Something important to note here with all the discussion about the performance of the Model S is that all this performance is just icing on the cake for me. My mind was made up before all the recent performance improvements.

When I first compared the Model S to the Mercedes S class, it was when I test drove a P85 and it's performance is only just slightly better than the S class. What won me over was the technology, the 17" LCD interface and the sublime driving experience with no noise, vibration, gear shifts, and instant maximum torque on acceleration. I was just waiting for AWD and it just so happened that the AWD version came with insane performance practically for free. Even if the Model S did not come with this level of performance we still would have bought one as this was not a decision that was just based on 0-60 times. Though admittedly feeling the G forces you'd feel when you jump off of a plane during my morning commute is definitely not something that I'd say no to

It is also a testament to EV technology how my car can simply be upgraded to the latest performance technology for a mere $5K. If Mercedes comes out with a better performing model next year there is no way they can or will offer that technology at a very modest cost for those who have already bought the car.

It decimates it in one aspect. The MB decimates it in other performance aspects. What is hilarious is that you think 0-60 is the only "performance" that can be measured. Does Usain Bolt have the best performance in the 1500m or the marathon? Not even close. Does he in the 100M? Yep. However tell me who the best performer is in the marathon? Did the person that won the marathon get the exact same medal as Usain did? Yep. Who is the better performer. Equal so to speak.

300 miles? So much for the range argument? Wanna bet pink slips that you don't get 300 miles going 75mph-85mph with A/C on full blast, charging an iPad or two, with a full load? Didn't think so. How about pushing it up to 85-90mph? Oh and before you respond about sticking out might want to read this which I use multiple times a year. Story- http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/...ists-in-texas/

Oh and I suggest you head down to Dallas. If you are going 75mph you are getting honked at and passed by minivans since the speed limit is 75mph and most go around 80mph. Technology? You mean leaky roofs, handles that don't work, no spare tire, a supercharger GPS that is terrible, etc. Technology is all encompassing and isn't just one aspect. Myopic views you seem to have. Again some of the technology is much better some is much worse. Getting the car back to full range the technology is years behind. Literally. I get full range on the MB within 5 minutes and rarely have to go more than 1 mile out of my intended path. Your whole road trip consists of planning how to get full range again.

Agree that no one is going to go top speed, but if someone wants to use top speed to measure performance that is no different than you using 0-60 as highest performance. Performance can be measured in many ways.

Reason I have the SCLass - It outperforms the S85D and in fact decimates it. Not on everything, but what matters to me, which are various trips through the year that I take. These trips are anywhere from 1 mile to 500 miles.