The long-awaited Tesla Model S is finally itching and itching closer to production as the California-based electric car maker has released the latest batch of photos for their electric sedan.
Looking more or less the same as the concept version, the newly-designed Model S features a restyled front bumper and new rear lights that resemble that of the Jaguar XF. Despite the minimal changes, the "new-look" Model S figures to be as close to what the production version of this model is going to look like.
If and when this model does see the light of the production block, Tesla has announced that the first 1,000 models of the Model S will be given a unique special edition badging - the North American Model S Signature Series - which will come with some added aesthetic treatments, a bevy of optional upgrades, and a powertrain that features the model’s top-of-the-line lithium-ion battery pack with a 300-mile range.
UPDATE 02/01/12: To say that Tesla has high hopes for the Model S is really an understatement. More than just being the company’s new flagship model, the Model S is also Tesla’s first venture into the world of what could be described as luxury electric cars that boast of features that you won’t find in any other sedan in the market. The company even released a new video, suggesting not so subtly that 2012 will be the Year of the Model S. To that, who are we to disagree? Check out the video by clicking on the image above.
Details on the Tesla Model S after the jump.
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It wasn’t that long ago when Tesla was on shaky ground in the industry, but now that they’ve regained their footing, the American automaker has suddenly become a little more aggressive in reworking and expanding their line-up. We already know about the Tesla Model S succeeding the Roadster as the company’s flagship model, but now we’re getting a first look at Tesla’s other new vehicle, the Model X.
The crossover is scheduled to make its debut next month so Tesla decided that now would be a good time to release the very first teaser image of the Model X.
We love a good teaser any time we see one, and this teaser of the Model X is no different. Taking a close look at the image, the Model X appears to bear some design similarities to the Model S, particularly the distinguishable hood lines, the aggressive fascia, and the headlamp configuration.
According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Model X will make its official world debut on February 9, 2012, which is less than two weeks away. We’ve waited a long time for the Model X to finally come to fruition so you can say that our excitement for it has been building up for a long time.
Tesla is wrapping up their Lotus-based Roadster in 2011 and making way for their new Roadster - completely Tesla from the ground up - in 2014. But before that happens, Tesla will be reeling in the last bit of cash on their current model with one last Final Edition, limited to five models. These units will only be sold on the North American market, but Tesla has promised that similar editions will also be offered for the European and Asian markets, making room for 15 final units in this current model’s future.
The Tesla Roadster Final Edition is finished in a special Sporting Atomic Red paint and then combined with a duo of dark silver stripes on its hood and rear clamshell. The look is finished off with an exclusive set of anthracite aluminum wheels.
However, the exterior changes are the only changes that will be made to the model. Expect to find the same electric motor under the hood; a 3-phase, 4-pole induction motor producing a maximum net power of 248 HP. The car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and can travel more than 200 miles per charge.
The gloom and doom that fans felt when Tesla announced it was ending production of the Roadster electric car will end up being short-lived.
According to reports, Tesla’s flagship model will be returning to our lives in 2014, albeit in a slightly different guise. Unlike the first incarnation of the Roadster, which used a body supplied from Lotus and was limited to only 2,500 units, the new Roadster will be built from the ground up by Tesla themselves. This set-up is similar to the company’s second model, the Model S, which had Tesla’s fingerprints all over it from the very beginning.
No word yet on what the parameters for the 2014 Roadster is going to be but it appears that it would carry a tweaked version of the Model S platform or the "third generation platform" as some folks within the Tesla circle have called it.
Tesla CEO Elan Musk has said that this new ’mass-market’ platform will be the jumping board for all of the company’s cars in the next four to five years and it appears that we already have an answer as to what model will spearhead that transition.
So rest easy, all you "Tes-lovers". It appears that the Roadster’s demise was greatly exaggerated. It’ll only take a hiatus before it returns to our lives in 2014.
Oh, happy days!
Tesla Motors’ portfolio of vehicles is slowly growing, which is welcome news for a company that only a few years ago, was struggling to make a profit. In a recent meeting to discuss the company’s quarterly earnings, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company is preparing to unveil its very first sport utility electric vehicle by the end of this year.
The SUV, which is being touted as the ’Model X’, will share the same powertrain and technology as the other electric cars the company has in its line-up, saving precious time and resources in the development of the SUV along the way.
“The plan is to have an unveiling of the Model X prototype in the mid-December time frame,” Musk said. “So far it’s looking good, I don’t think anything will cause an issue.”
Another factor that expedited the development of the Model X came from the $210 million Tesla was able to raise a few months ago, enough funding to keep the project moving along.
As for the Model X, the vehicle is set to become Tesla’s third electric model following in the reins of the Roadster and the Model S. Full details surrounding the Model X have yet to be revealed, but that hasn’t stopped Tesla from looking at building 15,000 Model X units every year as soon as production begins in 2013.
*Photo features the Tesla Roadster and the Tesla Model S
