Tesla’s ‘Cheetah Stance’ launch control coming to Australia
The already ludicrously-fast electric cars will be able to shave even more time off their sprint times.
Tesla’s new ‘Cheetah Stance’ launch mode is being rolled out globally as a downloadable update for performance variants of its Model X SUV and Model S sedan.
Designed to improve traction and acceleration from a standstill, the aptly-named Cheetah Stance utilises the models’ Smart Adaptive Air Suspension to tweak damping and lower the front end in preparation for launch. The result is a vehicle posture akin to a pouncing Cheetah.
Previous iterations of Tesla’s launch control have also lowered suspension, however Cheetah Stance is the first to leave the rear-end higher – a geometry often seen on dedicated drag cars.
The upgrade is available on Model X and Model S Performance models fitted with Tesla’s new, more powerful drivetrain dubbed ‘Raven’.
Australia has taken delivery of Raven-equipped models since August 2019, and CarAdvice understands the update will be available globally.
Complementary to increased mechanical grip available with the suspension tweaks, Electrek also reports Cheetah Stance allows Raven’s electric motors to generate more power under launch conditions – something that is usually restricted to protect componentry.
The result is a claimed increase of 34kW under launch conditions, taking a Model S Performance Raven’s output from 580kW to 614kW when Cheetah Stance is engaged.
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