Take a seat: Tesla’s quickest car gets an upgrade

Tesla has announced a new feature for its quickest-accelerating car that will make you want to sit down.

The Model S Plaid is now fitted with a set of tighter, figure-hugging front sports seats to help keep drivers exploiting the electric car’s 761kW in place.

While the Model S Plaid is not sold in Australia, Tesla's new sports seats are expected to be fitted to the upcoming facelift for the Model 3 Performance, tipped to wear the Ludicrous badge.

The only difference will be a Ludicrous Speed pattern in the backrest, rather than Plaid – both referencing a scene in a favourite movie of Elon Musk, 1987's Spaceballs.

In the Model S, the seats are heated and ventilated, 12-way power-adjustable, and trimmed in the same choice of black, white or cream-coloured leather-look material as the standard Model S – but with black suede bolsters designed to help keep occupants in place.

The new seats are standard in the Model S Plaid in all markets where the car is still sold – all of which are left-hand drive – for no accompanying price rise.

In the US the Plaid is priced from $US89,990 ($AU136,000), double the price of the cheapest Model Y SUV, which in Australia costs $63,900 plus on-road costs.

The Model S Plaid is powered by three electric motors developing 761kW combined, good for 0-100km/h in 2.1 seconds, and a top speed of 322km/h with the $US20,000 Track Package optioned, which adds carbon-ceramic brakes and track-day tyres.