In the event you haven’t observed, there’s a little bit of a horsepower warfare occurring with electrical automobiles nowadays. The Porsche Taycan could be specced for 750 ponies. You will get over 800 hp in Rivian’s R1S SUV. Heck, the GMC Hummer EV delivers 1,000 horsepower.
Nevertheless, one which tops practically every part is coming from an automaker that has some deep System E connections and sees nice efficiency as enabled by effectivity. That apart, the Lucid Air Sapphire is not any hypercar. It’s a giant sedan weighing nicely over 5,000 kilos, however it checks in at 1,234 horsepower and 1,430 pound-feet of torque, blasting out of three motors.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
What’s a Lucid Sapphire?
Sapphire would be the moniker for future efficiency fashions, not simply Air. Casting over to some very thirsty gasoline equivalents, consider Cadillac V efficiency automobiles, or the BMW M automobiles, and also you get the concept. In actual fact, Lucid used the Caddy CT5 V Blackwing and the BMW M5 CS as benchmarks for the Sapphire. Engineers needed to get that form of raucous driving expertise you get with a stonking V-8 and a limited-slip differential, simply electrical.
After a fast spin behind the wheel, I can wholeheartedly say the corporate has succeeded.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
Lucid Air Sapphire goes for delicate
Outdoors there are some delicate aesthetic variations in my Sapphire check automobile versus different variations of the Air. The chrome has a smoky end. There’s a greater chin diffuser to match the elevated downforce utilized by the carbon fiber wing within the rear. Carbon accents spotlight the mirrors, and the glass roof has been nixed in favor of 1 constituted of aluminum. I imply, would you need a glass roof in a automobile that may go 205 miles per hour? Me neither.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
Inside I’ve acquired the so-dark-blue-it’s-almost-black Mojave inside and it’s loaded with Alcantara faux-suede. It’s in every single place—seats, sprint, headline, door playing cards, steering wheel. I find it irresistible. The Sapphire additionally will get Lucid’s new sport seats with efficiency headrests, and upgraded bolsters—acquired to maintain that butt within the seat—as nicely and distinction stitching. Rounding out the inside enhancements are a brand new pedal design and an upgraded infotainment system.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
Lucid Air Sapphire positive factors new modes, goes insanely fast
The Sapphire has Easy, Swift, Sapphire and Observe modes, every rising energy and loosening up nannies. Observe mode additionally pre-conditions the batteries and goes for optimum cooling. There are three completely different sub-modes in Observe as nicely. Drag Strip mode is self-explanatory however there’s additionally a Sizzling Lap mode which the corporate tuned for one fast lap at Virginia Worldwide Raceway and an Endurance mode meant for conventional 20-25 minute observe classes.
I’ve acquired David Lickfold, Director of Chassis and Automobile Dynamics, driving right-seat with me, switching up the modes so I can really feel the distinction. Even in Easy mode with “simply” 750 horsepower my head is thrown again in opposition to the headrest as I shriek with pleasure on the acceleration. It’s a mere 1.89 seconds to 60 miles per hour and whereas I’m not even at full throttle, I’ve no cause to doubt that quantity.
Lickfold switches to Sapphire mode for a freeway on ramp and inside seconds I’m over 100 miles per hour. I need to verify round me for the fuzz however I don’t dare take my eyes off the highway. As a substitute I hit the large carbon ceramic brakes to shortly convey the Lucid again to one thing resembling a sane pace. The entrance rotors listed here are 16.5 inches clamped with 10-piston calipers, whereas the rear are 15.4 inches with 4-piston calipers. I nearly anticipate to do a entrance wheelie with all these big entrance calipers, however the brakes really feel agency and assured.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
Going fast in a straight line is straightforward. What occurs when the highway turns twisty? I don’t get a ton of time flogging it round turns, however it’s sufficient to know that this automobile could make anybody a much better driver than they should be.
The Sapphire boasts a totally new suspension system with recalibrated charges for the springs and roll bars. There are new dampers and bushings, and engineers have added extra unfavorable camber on all 4 corners for extra grip whereas cornering.
I don’t dare strive Observe mode on a public highway, however the automobile’s intentions are clear in Sapphire mode. The steering right here feels remarkably fast and there’s loads of grip from the staggered Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. It’s keen to show in at each nook, pushing extra torque to the rear exterior wheel and utilizing a contact of regenerative braking to the rear inside wheel—dynamics enabled by the three-motor format and its two motors in again. The hefty steering provides me confidence as I push the automobile a bit sooner every time. Heck, I may even gun it mid-corner and the automobile stays on my supposed path. Strive that in a conventional supercar and also you’ll seemingly find yourself going through the mistaken means on the highway, crashed into a middle barrier or each.
Lickfold tells me that a lot of the sophisticated torque vectoring occurs on the rear, whereas the entrance is left to only steer the automobile. A number of the controls are on an open loop, he says, taking in info and splitting the torque appropriately. Nevertheless, some are on a closed loop, monitoring what the automobile is definitely doing. If the Sapphire is in an surprising scenario, say skidding uncontrolled, it is going to trim torque to assist in giving what the driving force is asking for.
That’s nothing new in fact, however the deal right here is how shortly it occurs and the way pure it feels. The pc is reacting each millisecond to get the facility to the proper wheel for the proper response, conserving the Sapphire from oversteering into oblivion.
2024 Lucid Air Sapphire
Lucid Air Sapphire vs. Tesla Mannequin S Plaid
In fact, I’m curious how Lucid thinks this Air Sapphire is healthier than the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid. Each have tri-motor all-wheel drive, can seat 5, and may run just like the dickens. The Lucid is a contact faster to 60 miles per hour—0.1 seconds in response to every producer—and it bests the Tesla’s 200-mile-per-hour high pace by 5 mph. It’s acquired an EPA-estimated 427 miles of vary in comparison with the Plaid’s 396 miles however extra importantly, the Sapphire is a deliberate product. Engineers didn’t simply add one other motor and name it executed. Every little thing has been modified for higher efficiency. That is the overall bundle.
Nevertheless, that whole bundle additionally features a sky-high price ticket. Whereas the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid could be had for round $108,000, the Lucid Air Sapphire is $249,000.
Don’t anticipate a day of efficiency driving instruction with that price ticket both, though the corporate might change that coverage in some unspecified time in the future. After spending a little bit of time within the automobile, I’d extremely counsel that you just avail your self of some instruction. Certain, the torque vectoring can get you out of a whole lot of bother, however this automobile responds to your inputs and you’re seemingly not as infallible behind the wheel as you suppose.
As for charging, I don’t get to strive it out myself, however the 118-kwh battery can obtain a peak quick cost energy of 300 kw—good for some very fast road-trip fast-charging. The onboard charger can settle for 19.2 kw so charging at house needs to be fairly speedy as nicely.
Simply final month Lucid inked a cope with Aston Martin to produce the British automaker with its next-generation electrical motors. Will the Sapphire coax extra producers into partnerships with Lucid? Lickfold is a bit cagey once I ask him, saying solely: “We’ll should see gained’t we? Simply watch this area.”
Reservations for the Lucid Air Sapphire shall be stay on August 23 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.
—Emme Corridor
