The Tesla Model S has long been the quintessential electric car but YouTuber Rich Rebuilds has just created a Model S unlike any other.
Rich Benoit picked up this Model S after it was damaged in a flood and decided that rather than slotting into a new electric powertrain, he would transform it with a powerful internal combustion engine. The engine he opted for was a 6.2-liter naturally aspirated LS3 V8 from a Chevrolet Camaro.
As you would imagine, modifying a Tesla into a powerful ICE sedan was no easy task. Mated to the V8 is a six-speed manual transmission and some major modifications had to be made to the car’s rear subframe to support the differential. In addition, the car’s standard front strut brace had to be cut and removed so the V8 would fit into where the frunk usually resides.
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Impressively, the YouTuber has managed to get the Tesla’s standard digital gauge cluster and infotainment screen to work just like they normally would. With the exception of a large transmission tunnel and a sequential shifter, the interior of the Model S looks relatively stock. Rich refers to the car as the ICE-T, which stands for Internal Combustion Engine Tesla.
As if driving a V8-powered Model S wasn’t cool enough, Rich has managed to position the gas cap where the charging port used to sit.
Obviously, there will be some Tesla enthusiasts who’ll hate disapprove of the car. However, we tip our hat to the YouTuber for doing something different and making a bold statement.