This tuned Tesla Model Y lapped a track quicker than a 997 Turbo

Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance recently spent some time at the Buttonwillow race circuit to test its latest suspension and brake upgrades for the Model Y SUV (which we told you about last year).

In the process, it managed to lap the southern Californian track in 2m 1.92s. To put that against some context, a 997-generation Porsche 911 Turbo managed a 2m 2.1s lap at the same track, while a 997-gen 911 GT3 managed a 2m 1.5s time. An electric SUV, sandwiched between the pinnacle of Porsche’s last-gen 911s?

Not bad, you’ll agree. Unplugged boss Ben Schaffer told TG that over the course of the day’s development driving, the team got a lot of feedback on how to further optimise a set of racing coilovers. As it stands, the Model Y that set those times was running on Unplugged’s ‘street’ orientated coilovers, adjustable sway bars and the company’s braking upgrade (which is already available).

Unplugged Performance reckons the Model Y with these upgrades “can easily be turned into a proper track car, and how many track cars can you comfortably camp in trackside the night before, wake up and crush the competition, and then autopilot comfortably back home?”

The company is planning to go even faster, too. “After testing we are confident we can go sub-2 minutes with the Model Y once we release our race-tuned coilovers,” we’re told.

Watch this space, but before you watch that, watch the onboard and some commentary from the day, here.