Lucid Air Sapphire Has 1,200 HP and 0-60 Beneath 2 Seconds

The Lucid Air is probably my favorite cost-no-object EV right now, with its distinctive styling, very good driving dynamics and wonderful inside design. The highest-tier Grand Touring Efficiency is not any slouch both, with over 1,000 horsepower and a 0-60 time within the 2.6-second vary. After all, that 0-60 time is slower than Tesla’s significantly cheaper Model S Plaid, and other people love to speak shit. So to close up the haters, Lucid is pulling out all of the stops with the Lucid Air Sapphire, which debuted right now at Monterey Automobile Week with three motors, 1,200 horsepower, and a claimed 0-60 time of “underneath 2 seconds.”

Sapphire is an entire new performance-oriented sub-brand for Lucid — like AMG at Mercedes or M at BMW. The Air Sapphire is the primary car to put on the badge. However Lucid shouldn’t be precisely cranking out 1000’s of vehicles proper now, so why put the appreciable effort into launching a efficiency sub-brand, and why Sapphire?

“Sapphire is the embodiment of what ultra-high-performance luxurious means to Lucid,” stated Derek Jenkins, senior vice chairman of brand and design for Lucid, in a press release. “Sapphire is among the many most valued gem stones, prized for his or her brilliance, colour, and hardness. Imperial Blue has lengthy been the de facto nationwide colour for American motorsports groups engaged in worldwide competitions. As Lucid’s devoted ultra-high-performance model, Sapphire references this historical past whereas setting new requirements for innovation and know-how.”

Okay, in order that explains a part of it. What, then, does the Sapphire factor imply from a technological perspective? The large merchandise is a 3rd electrical motor (one for every rear wheel, plus a 3rd motor driving the entrance axle), which bumps up complete energy to roughly 1,200 hp. The Sapphire additionally will get nice massive honkin’ carbon-ceramic brakes as customary, together with stiffer springs and bushings, up to date adaptive damper settings, together with retuned settings for ABS, traction management and energy steering. Lastly, it will get larger wheels and tires, going to a Michelin PS4S sized 265/35R-20 on the entrance and 295/30R-21 on the rear. Critical stuff!

Lucid is also quick to point out in its press release that, unlike some of the competition, the Sapphire will not need any kind of paid upgrades or preconditioning to do its sub-two-second launches. This is obviously a dig at Tesla, which nickel-and-dimes customers via after-purchase over-the-air efficiency upgrades.

All of this sounds rad, proper? I do know I’m excited to get some wheel time in it. After all, that leaves two massive questions: how a lot does it value, and when will it’s out there? The reply to the previous would require you to sit down and brace your self – it’s $249,000. As to the latter, reservations will open on Tuesday, August 23, at 9 a.m. Pacific, with deliveries set to start someday in 2023.