Elon Musk throws down with Porsche, sends a Model S to the Nürburgring

Enlarge (credit: elyob @ Flickr)

As part of Porsche’s build-up to Wednesday’s launch of the Taycan electric car, it took a track-prepped prototype to Germany’s famous Nürburgring Nordschleife. This 12.9-mile (20.8km) track, built in the 1920s as a depression-era public works project, is widely considered to be one of (if not the) most challenging race tracks in the world. It’s narrow, extremely bumpy, very fast in places, and rises and falls a total of 900 feet (300m) throughout the lap.

Opinions remain divided about how relevant a Nordschleife lap time is to your average Jane or Joe driving their daily commute, but the fact remains a ‘Ring lap time is useful ammo for marketing and bench racing. Which is why Elon Musk took to Twitter last night to let the world know that he’s sending a Model S around the track they call “the Green Hell” next week in an effort to beat the Taycan’s 7 minute 42 second run.

Model S on Nürburgring next week

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2019

To which I say: Bravo! I’ve been dying to see Tesla engage with motorsport for at least five years now, and this is as close as the company—which builds ludicrously quick cars, lest we forget—has gotten. But it’s going to be a tough challenge for the car.