Lucid’s Air sedans defy expectations, delivering a sense of enchantment, agility, and speed that surpasses their large luxury car proportions.
Even the base model, the rear-wheel-drive Air Pure, impressively clocks a quarter-mile time of 12.7 seconds and achieves a lateral grip of 0.94 g on our skidpad. Across all trim levels, the Air lineup presents solid, well-equipped cruisers boasting impressive range and potent electric drivetrains.
However, the Sapphire variant elevates the experience further, boasting performance figures that seem almost unbelievable and design elements that exude a refined yet menacing presence.
Setting itself apart from the already impressive 819-horsepower Air Grand Touring, the engineers at Lucid opted to enhance the Sapphire with an additional electric motor in the rear, resulting in an astonishing total output of 1234 horsepower and 1430 pound-feet of torque.
When the Lucid arrived, it was amidst a heavy downpour, adding to the astonishment that not a single instance of skidding occurred without prompting, even when navigating through a flooded intersection, prompting some concerns about the waterproofing of the 118.0-kWh battery pack (which, fortunately, proved to be unfounded).
The Air boasts a solid foundation, characterized by a broad stance and an elongated 116.5-inch wheelbase. The Sapphire variant sits lower on 20- and 21-inch wheels, fitted with Pilot Sport 4S tires specially developed by Michelin for this trim.
These tires feature a firmer center tread and a grippier outer shoulder, providing optimal rolling resistance in straight-line driving and enhanced cornering grip during spirited maneuvers.
Features
Highlights include impressive acceleration, responsive handling, and exceptional range. While the Sapphire’s suspension is firmer and tailored for the increased horsepower, much of the car’s performance capabilities lie in its electronic systems. Its four driving modes—Smooth, Swift, Sapphire, and Track—do more than just adjust throttle response.
They also bring noticeable changes in handling as the software redistributes torque to the rear wheels, offering either the relaxed demeanor of a ’70s Cadillac or the agility of a smaller, sportier vehicle.
Within Track mode, additional settings allow for traction control deactivation or horsepower limitation for prolonged track sessions. Additionally, there’s a Hot Lap mode that unleashes the car’s full potential for one exhilarating lap.
Enabling all these dynamic maneuvers is an in-house torque-vectoring and traction-control system engineered to detect and respond to tire slip in a mere millisecond. To put this into perspective, consider that a lightning strike takes 30 milliseconds, while a human blink lasts around 100 milliseconds.
Strengths
In the time it takes to blink, the Sapphire can execute 100 precise adjustments across all four corners. This capability ensures a seamless journey through puddles or, as we experienced during testing on a fine day, an exhilarating lap around the skidpad, achieving 1.04 g’s of lateral acceleration without any hint of understeer.
Impressively, it clocked a quarter-mile time of 9.3 seconds at 153 mph and accelerated to 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds—a feat that happens in the blink of an eye. On a properly prepped track surface, the Sapphire exhibits even greater speed.
During testing at Sonoma Raceway’s drag strip, technical editor Dan Edmunds recorded a blistering 60 mph in 1.9 seconds. Equally noteworthy is the Sapphire’s exceptional braking performance.
Equipped with 16.5-inch carbon-ceramic rotors with 10-piston calipers in the front and 15.4-inch rotors with four-piston calipers in the rear, it halts from 70 mph in an impressive 151 feet. Thanks to heavy regenerative braking, braking input on the street is seldom required, as the Sapphire capitalizes on regenerative braking with no coasting option.
Weaknesses
Drawbacks include the absence of a coasting mode, a quarter-million-dollar price tag, and a limited color choice—be prepared to embrace blue. However, when you bring the Lucid Air Sapphire to a stop, get ready for some attention.
Despite its subtle dark-blue paint and streamlined design featuring a modest splitter and rear ducktail spoiler, the Sapphire exudes an aura of uniqueness.
It attracts gazes from all ages, ranging from curious children peering out windows for a better view to executives in suits leaving their Mercedes to inquire about it. If the value of a car is measured by the number of compliments it garners, the Sapphire’s $250,500 price might just be justified.
Also read: Lucid Air Pure: Embrace Darkness with Stealth Package
