Tesla has been known to be outlandish when it comes to product announcements, but there have been a few times in the past when the American automaker has turned to subtlety to make certain changes to its products, just like the time it quietly phased out its 85-kWh battery pack earlier this year and dropped the 60D trim of the Model X just a month ago. Now, a report from Electrek indicates that Tesla has made a few more changes to its lineup, most notably the discontinuation of the P90D variant on both the Model S and Model X.

The decision to drop the P90D variants for both models comes with its own set of questions, one of which is the significant gap in pricing that the 90D and P100D variants will have between them. With the P90D in the fold, it acted as an ideal “middle-ground” model, effectively bridging the 90D and P100D variants. But now that it’s going out, a gap of $42,500 lies between the Model S 90D and the 100D trim while a gap of $40,000 sits between the Model X variants. It’s a significant jump in pricing, but don’t expect this to be the status quo moving forward. Tesla has made no mention of a non-performance 100D variant, but that’s likely the direction the company will go to fill the slot vacated by the P90D. The removal of the P90D also drops the “Ludicrous Mode” as an individual option. That’s because the P100D will be the only variant where it will be offered and Tesla has decided to make it a standard feature on both the Model S and Model X.

In addition to the axing of the P90D, Tesla’s other important update to its design studio is the inclusion of an all-glass roof option for the Model S. The new option will cost an extra $1,500, around the same price where of the old sunroof. Specific details about the all-glass roof have yet to be revealed, but Tesla says that it’s level of protection against UV rays and heat is on par with what the $2,000-panoramic sunroof option – 98 percent of UV rays and 81 percent of heat – is capable of. According to Tesla, the all-glass roof option is already entering production and could find itself available in showrooms in the coming weeks.

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There's always a reason to the madness with Tesla

Everything that Tesla does these days will make the headlines and it’s not surprising that this announcement, despite having next to no fanfare, is getting some news traction. The elimination of the P90D variant is surprising because it leaves a big hole in Tesla’s product lineup. That gap of over $40,000 is significant and it puts a big burden on the P100D variants of the Model S and Model X to be very successful. While I think that Tesla is confident that the two versions will be popular models. there’s still a gap there that needs to be addressed one way or another.

That’s why I think a 100D variant is in the cards and it could arrive sooner than later. That model would effectively serve as the bridge between the two performance versions of both the Model S and Model X. At the very least, a Model S 100D would provide a range in the vicinity of 270 to 300 miles and still have enough performance capabilities to hit 60 mph from an idle position in less than four seconds. It won’t have the insane numbers of the P100D, but it would still have longer range than the P90D. That’s the tradeoff that I think Tesla is preparing to make with a 100D variant.

Now, about that all-glass sunroof. It’s no secret that Tesla has been embracing this glass-centric design philosophy for quite some time now. The company even confirmed a few days ago that it has an in-house “Tesla Glass” tech group that handles these things, among other business endeavors – those solar roofs being one of them – that Tesla is going to get itself involved in.

All these things are part of the company’s continued attempts to be ahead of the automotive curve and it’s worth noting that whether you like Tesla or not, you can’t help but admit that, for better or worse, the company remains pro-active in envisioning and shaping the future of the auto industry.

Read our full review on the 2017 Tesla Model S here.

Read our full review on the 2016 Tesla Model X here.