If you’re even one bit into the electric side of the automotive industry, then you will have undoubtedly heard that the Tesla Model S is a fine-handling machine, thanks to its floor-mounted battery pack, top-notch suspension setup and sticky tires on the models higher up in the range. Now, future customers can expand on those qualities with a new Performance Plus pack, which can be specified on new cars for $6,500.
Tesla says it offers “supercar handling,” an improved ride and surprisingly, greater driving range (6 to 12 miles / 9.6 to 19.2 km extra). The source of all this extra goodness? Uprated dampers, bushings and stabilizer bars, as well as new tires which are wider than before at the rear – in particular, Michelin Pilot Sport 2 that can only be had on the largest 21-inch wheels.
However, the pack can’t be fully retrofitted to cars that are already on the road. Still, for $13,000, current owners of the Model S get revised rear control arms and upper links with stiffer bushings and the aforementioned tires. Tesla say that the tires can’t be fitted on cars without the suspension mods, because the extra grip they provide would put too much strain on the standard suspension components.
So, if you’re already driving around in your Model S Performance model, you won’t really be able to match cars fitted with the Plus pack on a twisty road, regardless of what you do to your car. Sure, you could invest a crazy amount of money and surpass the factory performance, but it is beside the point to try to improve a car that by all accounts, is at the top of its class.
To top it all off, and end on a more positive note, Elon Musk, the CEO and co-founder of Tesla Motors recently apologized for messing up the financial calculations for their recently-announced lease plan. At first, Elon misleadingly announced that prospective owners were to pay no more than $500 per month, when in fact, the real figure was at least double that, as that number took into consideration a number of other variables such as resale value.
“We appreciate the feedback from a number of journalists and customers that the first version of our financing product wasn’t quite right,” said Musk. “They were right, so we are fixing it and, moreover, upping the ante by providing the best resale value guarantee in the automotive industry. The Model S is rated by Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine and many others as the best car of 2013, so it should naturally therefore have the highest resale value.”
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: Tesla Motors & Inside EV
Note: Regular Tesla Model S without the Performance Plus Package is shown in the gallery
PHOTO GALLERY
