When you haven’t seen, there’s a little bit of a horsepower conflict occurring with electrical automobiles today. The Porsche Taycan will be specced for 750 ponies. You may get over 800 hp in Rivian’s R1S SUV. Heck, the GMC Hummer EV delivers 1,000 horsepower. 

Nonetheless, one which tops almost the whole lot is coming from an automaker that has some deep Components E connections and sees nice efficiency as enabled by effectivity. That apart, the Lucid Air Sapphire isn’t any hypercar. It’s a giant sedan weighing nicely over 5,000 kilos, but it surely 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 thought. In truth, Lucid used the Caddy CT5 V Blackwing and the BMW M5 CS as benchmarks for the Sapphire. Engineers needed to get that type 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

Exterior 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 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 comprised 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 received 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 find it irresistible. The Sapphire additionally will get Lucid’s new sport seats with efficiency headrests, and upgraded bolsters—received 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 good points new modes, goes insanely fast

The Sapphire has Clean, Swift, Sapphire and Monitor modes, every growing 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 nicely. Drag Strip mode is self-explanatory however there’s additionally a Scorching 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 received David Lickfold, Director of Chassis and Car Dynamics, using 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 towards 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 wish to test round me for the fuzz however I don’t dare take my eyes off the street. As an alternative I hit the large carbon ceramic brakes to rapidly convey 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 anticipate 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 street turns twisty? I don’t get a ton of time flogging it round turns, but it surely’s sufficient to know that this automobile 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 strive Monitor mode on a public street, 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 structure and its two motors in again. The hefty steering offers me confidence as I push the automobile a bit quicker every time. Heck, I may even gun it mid-corner and the automobile stays on my meant path. Strive that in a conventional supercar and also you’ll seemingly find yourself going through the unsuitable manner on the street, 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 automobile. A few of the controls are on an open loop, he says, taking in data and splitting the torque appropriately. Nonetheless, some are on a closed loop, monitoring what the automobile is definitely doing. If the Sapphire is in an sudden scenario, say skidding uncontrolled, it’ll trim torque to assist in giving what the motive force is asking for. 

That’s nothing new in fact, however the deal right here is how rapidly it occurs and the way pure it feels. The pc is reacting each millisecond to get the facility to the right wheel for the right response, conserving the Sapphire from oversteering into oblivion.

2024 Lucid Air Sapphire

Lucid Air Sapphire vs. Tesla Mannequin S Plaid

After all, 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 might 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 received 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 part has been modified for higher efficiency. That is the full package deal.

Nonetheless, that complete package deal additionally features a sky-high price ticket. Whereas the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid will 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 recommend that you simply avail your self of some instruction. Positive, the torque vectoring can get you out of loads of bother, however this automobile responds to your inputs and you might be 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 residence needs to be fairly speedy as nicely.

Simply final month Lucid inked a take care of Aston Martin to provide 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 must see received’t we? Simply watch this area.”

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

—Emme Corridor