The Model S cabin is more futuristic than ever
The Model S has been in production since 2012 and it’s high time Tesla gave its fully-electric sedan a major update to ensure it can keep up with the flurry of new EVs on the market.
Starting with the exterior, the Model S gets a redesigned front bumper and rear diffuser which Tesla says make the car “the most aerodynamic production car on Earth”. There are also new 19- and 21-inch wheel designs, and black trims as seen on the Model Y.
But inside is where you’ll find the majority of the changes. Completely redesigned, the dashboard now houses a 17-inch portrait display with 2200X1300 resolution. According to Tesla, the display has up to 10 teraflops of processing power that enables in-car gaming on-par with today’s newest consoles. Better yet, passengers can play from any seat thanks to a rear-seat display and wireless controller capability.
Another party piece is the newly designed steering wheel that honestly looks more like an aircraft yoke than a wheel. Functions such as turn signals, windscreen wiper and horn are now activated via touch panels on the left and right, which explains the lack of stalks.
The rear seats have also been redesigned to create extra legroom and headroom. Elsewhere, there’s a tri-zone climate control with standard HEPA filtration, ventilated front seats, multi-device Bluetooth, wireless and USB-C charging, as well as a 22-speaker, 960-watt audio system with active noise cancelling that brings a new level of listening pleasure.
Three choices of powertrains will be available, namely the Long Range, Plaid and Plaid+. Priced at $72,990 (RM295,280), the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Long Range variant has 670 hp that enables it to sprint from 0 to 96 km/h in 3.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 250 km/h. It can travel up to 663 km on a single charge.
In addition to AWD, the $112,990 (RM457,100) Plaid features a three-motor setup with a maximum output of 1,020 hp. It can complete the 96 km/h sprint in 1.99 seconds and has a range of 628 km. The range-topping Plaid+, which can be had at $132,990 (RM538,010), boasts over 1,100 hp, a quarter-mile sprint time of less than nine seconds and a range of 836 km.
