The smaller Model 3 sedan seems to be getting all the attention lately, even though it's not always for the best of reasons. Production is picking up and more and more reservation holders are getting their cars, but Tesla is far from being able just to sit back and watch as all the deadlines are met by themselves.
It's not just the media who are paying close attention to the new model, but also the aftermarket modding community. We've already covered some of the projects carried over by the guys at T Sportline - one of the few Tesla-dedicated outfits - and we didn't hold back from pointing the finger at what we thought was tacky.
Now, though, they're back with another modified electric vehicle from Tesla, only this time it's a facelifted Model S. As the team puts it, the large sedan has blistering fast acceleration, but not the looks to match it as well. This is where T Sportline comes in, and we must say they've done a pretty terrific job this time.
The first thing that strikes you is the gunmetal grey matte paint job of the S, which is where the "Battleship" name stems from. Unlike most projects these days, this one skipped the wrapping for a much more complicated and expensive paint job. The same goes for the chrome trim, which was painted in gloss black to match the 20-inch TST wheels (fun fact, the owner downgraded from the factory 21-inch for more comfort and less tire-wear. You don't see that every day in a modding project).
The interior also received swathes of attention as T Sportline replaced the door panels with Alcantara matching the one already in the car and black Ferrari leather replacing the dark factory vinyl. The same fabric was used on the seats, only here the leather was perforated.
To wrap up the premium look, the steering wheel received a touch of dark ash wood - the same trim as the one used by Tesla for the dashboard insert - for that Mercedes-Benz S-Class look. Finally, the sliding and flip doors on the center console were also covered in dark ash wood, replacing the original black shiny plastic.
Looking at the Battleship project, we can't help feeling one thing: it looks absolutely gorgeous, but it doesn't really fit in with the initial claim of making the Model S look like a car that can hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds. It's much more about luxury and comfort than performance, and there's nothing wrong with that.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News