This Guy Got His Tesla Model S Plaid to Sound Like a Hellcat
The Tesla Model S Plaid is America's most acceleration-hungry muscle car. It is unfathomably quick in its sprint to 60, unbeatable in the quarter mile from stock, and, well, not that interested in the other aspects of performance driving. Only two other cars place such a singular focus on straight-line speed: the Charger and Challenger Hellcat. And now, someone made their Tesla sound like one.
Instagram and YouTube influencer DragTimes converted his Model S Plaid to sound like a cammed Hellcat idling. It's so bizarre that you'd assume the Instagram video is dubbed over with the unnatural soundtrack. Yet it's not a case of clever editing.
Tesla previously introduced a "BoomBox" feature that allowed customers to replace external vehicle sounds with custom MP3 files. Many used it to replace the horn with gag noises, like animal sounds or whoopie cushions, but the feature also allowed owners to swap out the "Driving Sound" the EV makes to alert pedestrians and others to its presence.
DragTimes loaded the cammed Hellcat into the car and chose it as his driving sound, making the car play the classic V-8 lope over its external speakers. Limitations of the feature mean this engine note won't change relative to throttle position or match the speed of the car, but it's a neat trick.
Unfortunately, it also comes with safety concerns. EV driving sounds were federally mandated after it became clear that silent vehicles pose a serious threat to pedestrian safety. Though this sound clearly is loud enough to be heard approaching, the ability to quickly replace a mandatory safety noise with any MP3 file caused serious concern at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Facing pressure from the regulator, Tesla voluntarily recalled BoomBox via an over-the-air update, so this stunt can no longer be replicated.
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