Lucid Air Sapphire Aims For The Tesla Model S Plaid's Heart
Lucid’s got its sights set right on Tesla.
If you ever thought that 1,050 horsepower wasn’t enough power, and 0-60 in 2.6 seconds was just too slow, well, then Lucid has the car for you. The Lucid Air Sapphire is the big dog of the Lucid lineup, aimed directly at the Tesla Plaid series of EV hyper sedans.
“Sapphire is among the most valued gemstones, prized for their brilliance, color, and hardness,” said Derek Jenkins, SVP of Brand and Design of Lucid Group. Jenkins’s remarks continued; Imperial Blue was often used by American racing teams competing in international racing, thus the moniker Sapphire was chosen for Lucid’s top sporting trim. The whole name references an early American racing past.
Underneath, Lucid has traded the dual-motor 1,050 setup in the Lucid Air Grand Touring edition, for a tri-motor setup (one front motor, two rear motors) with more than 1,200 horsepower. Lucid says the Air Sapphire will sprint from 0-60 in less than two seconds, 0-100 in less than four seconds, do the standing quarter mile in less than 9 seconds, and sail on to a top speed of at least 200 MPH. Lucid claims that the Air Sapphire will be the most powerful sedan in the world.
Unique wheels with carbon ceramic brake disks rein in all that speed, along with a retuned suspension designed to make the Lucid Air Sapphire handle even better than the standard Lucid Air. On the outside, slight tweaks to the body have improved aero for better stability at speed. The car is painted in a brand new Sapphire Blue exterior paint, paired with a new Sapphire Mojave interior design.
Pricing for the Lucid Air Sapphire will start at $249,000 USD ($325,000 CAD). Reservations open on August 23, at 9 AM Pacific time.
Discuss this story on our Lucid Forum.
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Kevin has been obsessed with cars ever since he could talk. He even learned to read partially by learning and reading the makes and models on the back of cars, only fueling his obsession. Today, he is an automotive journalist and member of the Automotive Press Association. He is well-versed in electrification, hybrid cars, and vehicle maintenance.
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