Papa Musk confirmed a tri-motor option for the Model S back in September 2019, and one year later, the Palo Alto-based automaker started to accept orders for the strip-slaying sedan. After numerous setbacks, the first units of the Plaid will be delivered on June 3rd.
Tesla’s build-your-own tool for the Model S lists the Plaid with black pop-out door handles, and sightings of the Plaid also featured the black finish. The vehicle detailed by YouTube vlogger Andre D. on his channel features the same Midnight Silver Metallic color as the body, which is a little perplexing. The U-shaped yoke is somewhat crazy as well, but Tesla received the OK for it from the UK and other European countries.
The 21-inch Arachnid wheels of this particular vehicle add $4,500 to the tally over the 19-inch Tempest wheels, and they look really nice in conjunction with the carbon-fiber aerodynamic enhancements of the Plaid. The only problem of the Arachnids is the estimated range, which falls from a maximum of 390 to 350 miles (628 to 563 kilometers). You can blame the larger contact patches on every corner and extra weight for this downgrade.
Finally, the car spotted by Andre D. also features a black-and-white interior with carbon-fiber décor. Plaid customers can also choose the optional Cream or standard Black for the upholstery and wood décor.
As ever, the most expensive optional extra is the Full Self-Driving Capability that infamously doesn’t offer full self-driving capability. Tesla charges a mind-boggling $10,000 for this driver-assist package, which promises to add Autosteer on City Street later this year in addition to Summon, Autopark, Auto Lane Change, Navigate on Autopilot, and all that shebang.
Priced from $119,990 or $40,000 more than the dual-motor Long Range, the tri-motor Plaid is currently listed with a September or October delivery date. The wait, however, is definitely worth it because 1,020 horsepower, 1.99 seconds from zero to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour), and 9.23 seconds for the quarter-mile are seriously impressive figures.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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