Tesla's "Plaid Truck Mode" improves torque vectoring and cooling.

Tesla confirmed a new track mode for the Model S Plaid on Thursday.

The Model S Plaid track mode, which will roll out to North American vehicles this week via an over-the-air (OTA) update, was inspired by Tesla's goal of setting a Nürburgring lap record for a production EV. The Model S Plaid achieved that goal in 2021 with a time of 7:35.579.

The Plaid already boasts 1,020 hp and a claimed 0-60 mph time of less than 2.0 seconds, but Tesla has upgraded the powertrain cooling to give it the durability needed for proper track sessions. Turning on track mode lowers the temperature of the battery pack and motor, creating a cooled thermal mass that can keep everything cooler longer after aggressive driving starts.

Torque vectoring is also added to the track mode. In this case, the torque distribution of the two rear motors in the tri-motor powertrain is adjusted to send more power to one motor, helping the car spin around corners. According to Tesla, these motors can adjust more quickly than the differentials used by internal combustion vehicles.

The adaptive suspension is tuned specifically for track driving, Tesla says, to reduce pitch under hard braking and acceleration and to balance the damping so that the car is more settled. The ride height is also set lower in Track mode, and unlike other drive modes, the suspension does not automatically raise while driving to improve comfort, Tesla noted.

Regenerative braking power has also been increased to reduce heat generated from the friction brakes. This effectively allows for one-pedal driving, which Tesla believes makes it suitable for use on the race track.

Tesla also states that the track mode gives the driver more control over the electronic nannies. This includes a race tune of the vehicle dynamics controller, which Tesla says will allow tire slip and automatically adjust the torque split to improve cornering ability. Drivers can also individually adjust stability control and regenerative braking to their preference. Lap timer, G-meter, dash cam, and telemetry recording functions are also included.

The track mode should complement the Plaid's brutal acceleration nicely. Jay Leno clocked a 9.247-second quarter-mile in this car last year for his show, Jay Leno's Garage. Tesla previously announced an even faster Model S Plaid+ with over 1,100 horsepower, but later canceled it because the regular Plaid was already outpacing the competition.