Tesla racer hits 100km/h in 2.1sec

They say racing improves the breed and this appears to be the case with the iconic Tesla Model S, which in race car trim blitzes the 0-100km/h dash in just 2.1 seconds.

That's about as fast as you'd want to go before you innards get rearranged, and about half a second quicker than the Tesla Model S production car in "ludicrous" launch mode.

Lighter, more nimble and of course faster than the road-legal Model S, the Tesla racer sheds a whopping 500kg for its campaign in the Electric GT (EGT) championship.

Revealed at the 2017 Autosport International motorsport show in Birmingham over the weekend, dropping huge smokey burnouts, it follows a preview of the Tesla Model S EGT P100D race car from late 2016 and is powered by a 585kW (778hp) electric motor.

Weighing 1730kg (down from 2230kg) and fitted with grippy Pirelli racing slicks, bigger brakes, serious suspension and a full aerodynamic body kit upgrade, the cars will be capable of immense acceleration.

However, it remains to be seen what sort of lap times they will set during the inaugural 2017 EGT, comprising seven races this year.

Complete with rolls cages and fire extinguishers, the Tesla Model S race cars will be punished on some very serious race tracks across the Americas and in Europe, including Assen, Paul Ricard and yes, even the Nurburgring.

But without a petrol tank, how exactly with the EGT work? Well, organisers say the electric race cars' 100kWh battery packs are good for flat-knacker 60km races.

There will be two races per event weekend and, presumably, fast-chargers will be on hand to replenish the batteries between the races and the 20-minute practice and 60-minute qualifying sessions.

All told there are 20 drivers and 10 teams in the EGT, and every single car in the series will be the Tesla Model S EGT P100D race car.

Organisers are hoping for more vehicle makes to join the fun in the future, and are encouraging viewership via free online streaming of race weekends via Periscope, Twitch and YouTube.

Olivier Lombard, the 2011 LMP2 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, is the latest EGT "Driver's Club" member and put the car through its paces at the Autosport Live Action Arena.

"Driving the EGT Model S was a lot of fun and it's awesome to see what the future of GT racing looks like," he said.

"I'd like to thank Mark [Gemmell, EGT CEO] and the rest of the EGT crew for inviting me along and giving me such a great experience. I'm very excited to be a part of their Drivers' Club, which is continuing to grow and already has a number of great names."

What do you think – is this simply Formula E watered down with production cars or a genuine motorsport innovation that will attract a large global viewing audience? Comment below.