Image provided by Tesla Inc.
Tesla pressed the pause button on Model S and Model Y production on December 24 and is expected to hit play again on January 11. It is believed the hiatus is related to a much-expected design update the electric sedan and SUV are bound to go through. Adding fuel to this rumor is a new spy video showing what looks like a Model S facelift undergoing testing on public roads.
Shared on YouTube today by the user The Kilowatts, the footage shows a Model S that belongs to Tesla since the EV carried manufacturer plates. In other words, this isn’t a car equipped with aftermarket equipment, even though the wider body might suggest the car stopped by a tuner shop. Also noticeable is the lack of chrome exterior trim, revised diffuser, and possibly a new alloy wheel design.
A closer look at the front fascia shows the bumper has been modified to accommodate a new set of LED fog lights that take the shape of a horizontal light strip rather than the vertical clusters of the current Model S. The car was filmed near the company’s HQ in Palo Alto, California and some say it’s the range-topping Plaid version judging by the beefier wheel arches.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case considering the prototype lacks the aggressive rear diffuser of the Model S Plaid with the vertical fins. In addition, there’s no rear spoiler or wing on the trunk lid while the tires at the back don’t seem to be nearly as wide as those reserved for the Plaid model. The tri-motor derivative should have a meaner look as denoted by the prototypes caught last year testing at the Nürburgring.
An update for the Model S has been a long time coming since it was originally supposed to come out in in the summer of 2019 together with a similar revision for the Model X. Tesla put the refresh on the backburner to focus on rolling out the Model 3, so it makes sense the company is now finally putting the finishing touches on updating its two bigger and more expensive vehicles.
Source: The Kilowatts / YouTube
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