In case you haven’t observed, there’s a little bit of a horsepower struggle occurring with electrical autos today. 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. 

Nonetheless, 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 an enormous sedan weighing properly over 5,000 kilos, nevertheless 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 autos, or the BMW M vehicles, and also you get the thought. The truth is, 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 refined

Outdoors there are some refined aesthetic variations in my Sapphire take a look at automotive versus different variations of the Air. The chrome has a smoky end. There’s a larger 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 constructed from aluminum. I imply, would you desire a glass roof in a automotive that may go 205 miles per hour? Me neither.

2024 Lucid Air Sapphire

Inside I’ve obtained the so-dark-blue-it’s-almost-black Mojave inside and it’s loaded with Alcantara faux-suede. It’s in all places—seats, sprint, headline, door playing cards, steering wheel. I like it. The Sapphire additionally will get Lucid’s new sport seats with efficiency headrests, and upgraded bolsters—obtained to maintain that butt within the seat—as properly 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 features new modes, goes insanely fast

The Sapphire has Clean, Swift, Sapphire and Monitor modes, every rising energy and loosening up nannies. Monitor mode additionally pre-conditions the batteries and goes for max cooling. There are three completely different sub-modes in Monitor as properly. 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 monitor classes.

I’ve obtained David Lickfold, Director of Chassis and Car Dynamics, driving right-seat with me, switching up the modes so I can really feel the distinction. Even in Clean 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 motive 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 an alternative I hit the large carbon ceramic brakes to shortly carry the Lucid again to one thing resembling a sane pace. The entrance rotors listed below are 16.5 inches clamped with 10-piston calipers, whereas the rear are 15.4 inches with 4-piston calipers. I nearly count on to do a entrance wheelie with all these large 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, nevertheless it’s sufficient to know that this automotive could make anybody a much better driver than they need to be. 

The Sapphire boasts a very new suspension system with recalibrated charges for the springs and roll bars. There are new dampers and bushings, and engineers have added extra damaging camber on all 4 corners for extra grip whereas cornering. 

I don’t dare attempt Monitor mode on a public highway, however the automotive’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 outdoors wheel and utilizing a contact of regenerative braking to the rear inside wheel—dynamics enabled by the three-motor structure and its two motors in again. The hefty steering offers me confidence as I push the automotive a bit quicker every time. Heck, I may even gun it mid-corner and the automotive stays on my supposed path. Attempt that in a standard supercar and also you’ll seemingly find yourself dealing with the unsuitable manner on the highway, crashed into a middle barrier or each. 

Lickfold tells me that many of the sophisticated torque vectoring occurs on the rear, whereas the entrance is left to simply steer the automotive. A few of the controls are on an open loop, he says, taking in info and splitting the torque appropriately. Nonetheless, some are on a closed loop, monitoring what the automotive is definitely doing. If the Sapphire is in an surprising scenario, say skidding uncontrolled, it can trim torque to assist in giving what the driving force is asking for. 

That’s nothing new after all, 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 ability to the right wheel for the right response, preserving 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 best 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 based on every producer—and it bests the Tesla’s 200-mile-per-hour high pace by 5 mph. It’s obtained 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 completed. The whole lot has been modified for higher efficiency. That is the entire bundle.

Nonetheless, that complete 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 count on a day of efficiency driving instruction with that price ticket both, though the corporate could change that coverage sooner or later. After spending a little bit of time within the automotive, I’d extremely recommend that you just avail your self of some instruction. Positive, the torque vectoring can get you out of numerous hassle, however this automotive responds to your inputs and you’re seemingly not as infallible behind the wheel as you assume.

As for charging, I don’t get to attempt 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 ought to be fairly speedy as properly.

Simply final month Lucid inked a take care of 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 after I ask him, saying solely: “We’ll should see received’t we? Simply watch this area.”

Reservations for the Lucid Air Sapphire can be dwell on August 23 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.  

—Emme Corridor