Now you can make the Tesla Model S even faster with the Ludicrous Speed Upgrade
When "ridiculously fast" isn't fast enough, pay another $10,000 for even more speed
Tesla Motors teased an announcement today, and in fact, Elon Musk’s electric car company had several – most surrounding its core Model S sedan and all the various options you can choose to make it even more amazing.
Our favourite of the bunch? Surely it’s the Ludicrous Speed Upgrade, an optional selection that lowers the 0-60mph time to a blistering 2.8 seconds, delivering a quarter mile time of 10.9 seconds. The price? It will set you back US$10,000 (about £6,400), but that’s not the extent of it.
You’ll also need to spring for the new Range Upgrade, which puts a 90 kWh battery into the Model S for extended range. It costs an additional US$3,000 (just over £1,900), and can be added to the Model S 85D or the ultra-high-end P85D. Selecting the upgrade changes the model to the 90D or P90D on the website, although it’s unclear if the actual car will be marked as such.
Existing Model S owners with an 85 kWh battery can also purchase the upgrade, but surprisingly, Musk doesn’t recommend it. It’s a small enhancement, and he said on the conference call that waiting another year or two will yield an even better battery upgrade option. But if you’re springing for a new Model S, an extra $3,000 might not seem so significant.
Granted, not everyone wants, needs, or can necessarily afford the top-of-the-line options. So Tesla has something new for those prospective buyers: the single-motor Model S 70, which comes in at US$70,000 (about £45,000). That’s how much the previous Model S 60 cost before it was replaced by the pricier 70D (shown up top) this spring.
It might not be "entry-level" compared to traditional petrol-powered cars (and the changes aren’t on the UK site yet, so actual prices will probably vary here), but for a Tesla, that’s the best you’ll find for a new ride. At least until the eventual Model III comes out, it seems.
[Source: The Verge]
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
