Lucid Motors today announced a new edition to its lineup; the Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. The new Performance version of the Grand Touring ups the horsepower rating of the Lucid Air Grand Touring from a measly 819 (we jest) to 1,050 and costs $179,000.
This new version is nearly as powerful as the Air Dream Edition Performance, which has 1,100 hp. However, since all 520 copies of the Air Dream Edition (Performance and Range) are sold out, the new Grand Touring Performance is the most powerful version of the Air that you can order from Lucid's website.
Lucid claims a 0 to 60-mph time of only 2.6 seconds for the Grand Touring Performance. That's .4 seconds faster than Lucid's quoted 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds for the Air Grand Touring on 21" wheels.
“Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance answers the strong demand we continue to see for higher-performance versions of the Lucid Air,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Group. “The remarkable speed with which we are able to conceive and bring this model to market is possible only because of Lucid’s high degree of vertical integration and in-house production of our proprietary EV powertrain and battery pack technology.”
Standard equipment for all Grand Touring models includes:
- Glass Canopy spanning windshield to roof
- Elegant and intuitive Lucid UX with 34-inch floating Glass Cockpit and 5K resolution
- Extensive over-the-air software update capability
- DreamDrive Pro, Lucid’s advanced driver assistance system, with 30+ features and
future-ready hardware including the first automotive LIDAR in North America - 21-speaker Surreal Sound immersive audio system with Dolby Atmos compatibility
- Intelligent Micro Lens Array LED Headlights, a solid-state system developed in-
house by Lucid - Heated and ventilated front seats with massage
- Soft-close doors, power opening/closing trunk, and frunk
- Ultra-fast 900V+ charging system, enabling users to add up to 300 miles in 21 minutes at a 350 kW DC fast charger
The Air Grand Touring Performance with 21" wheels will have an EPA-rated range of 446 miles; 23 miles less than the Air Grand Touring fitted with the 21" Aero Blade wheels, which is EPA-rated at 469 miles per charge.
The Performance version will have all-new 21" Aero Sport wheels as standard equipment.
| Quick Facts | Lucid Air Grand Touring | Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance |
| Deliveries | In process | June (USA) August (Canada) |
| Power | 819 hp | 1,050 hp |
| Drivetrain | Dual Motor, AWD | Dual Motor, AWD |
| Acceleration: 0-60mph (w/21" wheels) | 3.0 seconds | 2.6 seconds |
| EPA range: 19" wheels | 516 miles | N/A |
| EPA range: 21" wheels | 469 miles | 446 miles |
| Battery pack | 112 kWh | 118 kWh |
| Price | $139,000 | $179,000 |
However, even with 23 fewer miles of range, the Air Grand Touring Performance has a longer driving range than any EV made by any manufacturer outside of Lucid, a testament to Lucid's obsession with making the most efficient, powerful, long-range electric vehicles available today.
The Air Grand Touring Performance uses the same 118 kWh battery pack found in the Air Dream Edition. That pack is 6 kWh larger than the 112 kWh battery pack found in the regular Grand Touring versions.
“Lucid Air Grand Touring epitomizes the promise of the Lucid brand – a triumvirate of industry-leading range and efficiency, stellar driving dynamics, and luxurious interior space,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO, and CTO, Lucid Group. “This unparalleled fusion of attributes is the product of Lucid’s groundbreaking in-house technology, exemplified by our miniaturized drive units with unrivaled power density and race-proven 900V+ battery and power architecture.”
The big question is whether or not customers will see $40,000 of value in shaving off .4 seconds of 0 to 60 times. The new Performance version also gets its own unique 21" wheels, but that's pretty much all you get. Of course, other than the additional 231 software-derived HP - the motors in the performance version are exactly the same as the standard Air Grand Touring, it's all software tuning.
But hey, people fork over an additional $36,000 for the Plaid version of the Model S all the time, so I suppose the $40K isn't completely out of line for the Air Grand Touring Performance, considering you do get the special wheels...
