This is the second new color Tesla has launched for the Model S and Model X in 2023, with the other being “Ultra Red,” which was added while Red Multicoat was removed.

Tesla has subsequently removed Midnight Grey for the Model S and Model X. Both Deep Red Multicoat and Midnight Grey are still available for the Model 3 and Model Y.

It is available for no additional charge.

The Stealth Grey is available in various markets, including the North American and Asian markets. Tesla European Design Studio is still currently showing Midnight Silver Metallic and not Stealth Grey.

Stealth Grey is already offered in Gigafactory Shanghai on the Model 3, and has been spotted on several vehicles en route to their destination.

Tesla 신규 외장 컬러 Stealth Grey 출시

Model S 및 Model X의 신규 컬러가 출시 됐습니다.
고급스러우면서도 세련된 Stealth Grey를 만나보세요.https://t.co/HPvUe1BaTU pic.twitter.com/BtvX3qmYNO

— Tesla Korea (@OfficialTeslakr) October 27, 2023

Tesla has offered different colors in different markets depending on the paint shop that operates at the factory the vehicle is coming from. For example, Midnight Cherry Red and Quicksilver are two colors that are only available at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin production facility in Germany and are only available on the Model Y.

CEO Elon Musk has said that these colors are only possible in Germany due to the Berlin plant’s world-class paint shop.

Stealth Grey joins Pearl White Multi-Coat, Solid Black, Deep Blue Metallic, and Ultra Red as colors available for the Model S and Model X.

What do you think about the new color? I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Despite Tesla using it with this new version of the Model 3, which is set to begin deliveries this month in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, it appears that the company actually prepared to use the feature in past vehicles like the Model S and Model X, as noted by one owner who found a wiring harness and a channel for the LED strip to be guided through.

Tony Pham, the owner of a 2022 Model X Plaid, discovered that on his vehicle’s interior door panel, there was not only a plug-in and wiring harness that was installed for an LED strip but also a channel for the strip so it could be appropriately installed and placed throughout the vehicle’s interior.

2022 Model X Plaid already has ambient wiring harness & channel for the LED strip!! Maybe just a trim change?! pic.twitter.com/2mZFvZDgKR

— Tony Pham – “Quick Bandit” license plate mount (@TonyQuickBandit) October 3, 2023

Another Tesla owner with a 2022 Model X Plaid confirmed their door panel also featured the same harness and channel for LED lights.

As we have seen in interior sightings, the Tesla Cybertruck is already planned to have the ambient lighting feature as well. Additionally, an updated Model Y design in China, which was launched in late September, features ambient interior lighting.

Tesla Cybertruck interior ambient lighting teased in new sighting

However, it is interesting Tesla planned to install this feature on the premium vehicles it offers, as the Model S and Model X are the company’s flagship offerings and would seem like suitable candidates for a feature like this.

Tesla has made the feature seamlessly customizable through a simple color wheel on the center touchscreen.

Owners that have a Model S or Model X from recent years could likely have ambient lighting installed, although it would not be as easy to control as it is for Model 3+ and Cybertruck owners, as it would likely need to be controlled through a third-party app on your smartphone.

Of course, this also provides Tesla with an opportunity to offer ambient interior lighting as an add-on for owners, and it could be installed by Service Centers across the country, or instructions could be provided by the automaker for owners to do it themselves.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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On Wednesday, Tesla began sending emails to Model S and X owners, announcing new brake pad kits with improved thermal capacity and caliper kits in red featuring HTC pads (via Sawyer Merritt). The upgraded brake pad kits are now available for $750 for those with the Model S and X, and those with black calipers on their Plaid edition Model S or X can now upgrade to the red calipers for $2,700.

The email says owners can “Get better pedal feel, braking predictability, and slower brake fade onset with a brake pad upgrade.” It also details the red brake caliper upgrade, adding that Plaid vehicles built after January 12 of this year already include both the brake pad and red caliper upgrades.

Here’s a look at the email in a screenshot from someone at the Tesla Motors Club forum:

Credit: Dade at Tesla Motors Club

The news also comes after Tesla has shared a handful of updates to the Model S and X in recent weeks amidst the automaker’s rollout of the newly redesigned Model 3. Interestingly enough, Tesla dropped the Standard Range options for both the Model S and X with the update and made all of its premium paint options for the sedan and SUV free.

The updates, which were made at the end of August, also included a 15-percent price cut on the Model S Long Range and a 17-percent cut on the Model S Plaid price. Tesla also dropped the price of the Model X Long Range by 18.8 percent and the Model X Plaid by about 17 percent.

Since then, Tesla has also made its steering yoke option a $1,000 upgrade, though the controversial yoke was shipped standard with Model S and X units upon release. Shortly thereafter, Tesla started offering a steering wheel retrofit option for $700, before beginning to ship units with the round wheel instead earlier this year.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The previous quarter mile record was 8.73 seconds, held by the Tesla Plaid Racing channel and beaten by the BoostedBoiz Plaid, running a quarter mile of 8.714-second quarter mile at 158 mph.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kyle Wade (@boostedboikyle)

This Model S plaid has undergone some serious changes, with the entire interior gutted and all of the body panels from the front doors and back removed.

They had previously attempted to break the record multiple times, first with the entire car exposed and equipped with a roll cage and on stock wheels and tires. That effort came to an 8.83 quarter-mile run at 149 miles per hour.

After a few tries, including changing to a tire and wheel combo more suited for the track, they still could not break the record. They then added a thin aluminum shell around the car to help with aerodynamics without adding much weight back to the car. After the addition of the shell and better wheels and tires, they ran an 8.79-second quarter mile run at 156 miles per hour.

That brings us to the record-setting run and a “driver mod,” the channel brought in a driver who weighs around 100 pounds less, and at the track, that change produced the results they were looking for as the car ran an 8.71 quarter mile at 158 miles per hour.

The car was also able to increase its 0-60 foot time from 1.49 seconds at the start of the project to 1.37 seconds on the record-setting run.

Check out the new World Record run in their video below!

With all the changes to the car from stock, does this record still count since it is the same drive train, or should it only count with cars having their original Model S Plaid body still attached?

The BoostedBoiz have said they have more plans for the Model S Plaid, what do you think they will do next with the project?

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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Last night, we reported on Tesla’s launch of the new Standard Range versions of the Model S and Model X, which feature 320 and 269 miles of range, respectively. They offer customers an opportunity to buy Tesla’s luxury vehicles at a more reasonable cost. The Model S starts at $78,490, while the Model X is priced at $88,490.

Tesla Model S and Model X now more affordable with Standard Range variants

However, questions began to swirl on how Tesla was building the new, shorter-range vehicles. Was Tesla using LFP cells as it did in the Standard Range Model 3, or was it using software to limit the range?

It turns out it is the latter.

Last night, Sawyer Merritt first reported that the new Model S and Model X configurations were offered with software limitations to offer fewer miles of range at a more affordable price.

NEWS: Tesla says these new Standard Range Model S and Model X cars are software limited. This means they don’t use LFP batteries.

Tesla does not plan to offer firmware upgrades to unlock more range or performance in the future. https://t.co/wDD0yfg2At

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 15, 2023

We called three Tesla showrooms to confirm, and they were able to give us the same answer. The vehicles are not using any different battery chemistry and are limited by software. Additionally, Tesla has no plans to currently offer upgrades that would unlock more range in the future.

Tesla’s strategy of offering the Model S and Model X at these lower price points could help take stress off of the Model 3 and Model Y, which make up for over 90 percent of the company’s vehicle mix regularly.

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Last time the Model S Plaid was at the track, the car had been completely stripped and all body panels removed. Removing the vast majority of the car resulted in a weigh-in at 3.850 lbs. The “Cyber Kart,” as the YouTubers dubbed it, proceeded to make it down the track with a time of 8.83 seconds at 149 miles per hour, still well short of the record.

In their latest attempt at the record, they decided to add the front fenders, bumpers, and hood for better aerodynamic performance as the car accelerates down the track. Almost like the design of the Model S was optimized for aerodynamics for a reason.

At the track, the YouTubers also taped up the panel gaps and changed to lighter wheels and track tires from Blake Fuller, who holds many lap records in his race-modified Model S Plaid, including lap records at Sebring, Mount Washington, Homestead, and a few other raceways.

The first run down the track with better tires resulted in a time of 8.91 seconds at 151 miles per hour, and in an effort to run a faster time, they added a layer of thick plastic wrap over the roof, the passenger side door, and partially on the driver side.

The increased aerodynamics resulted in a run of 8.86 seconds at 152 miles per hour, while still slower than their run of 8.83 seconds days before, they picked up a higher mile per hour and were running on a less prepared track surface. It’ll be interesting to see if they can break the record in their next attempt at the track and if they add more to help with aerodynamics.

In another video released by the channel, they took the Model S Plaid to a spectator drag race at an oval track and took on a twin-turbo Porsche 911 Turbo S. While the Model S Plaid didn’t beat the Porsche around the track, it did keep up the car and at one point almost slid into the retaining wall at the track but was saved the by the driver.

Do you think this project will be able to break the record with a few more modifications, or has it peaked in its performance?

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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After buying the wrecked car for $60,000, they then “fixed” the damage to the rear of the car using a tow strap hooked around a tree and eventually replacing parts from another wrecked Tesla Model S. After the fix, the car was then able to run 9.66 seconds in the quarter mile and 1.49 second 60-foot time on a prepared track surface.

Following that, they then weighed the car in at 4,745 lbs and preceded to remove the entire interior, doors, back trunk, frunk, bumpers.. nearly everything, and weigh it again at 4,046 lbs. The car then managed to run a 1.58 second 60 foot on an unprepared surface.

In their next video, the Model S Plaid was truly gutted as the roof was cut off, the pillars removed, and the back end completely removed. With the bulk of the car removed, the weight then came in at 3,850 lbs. The duo then added a roll cage for safety but did not say how much weight that added back into the car.

Even with all these changes, the car drives and charges normally, however, they clearly won’t be using autopilot on it ever again.

They plan on taking the “Cyber Kart” to the drag strip in their next video to see if they can break Model S Plaid’s quarter-mile record, which currently stands at 8.73 seconds.

It is quite possible to still save weight on the car with different wheels and brakes and a Lexan windshield, so it’ll certainly be interesting to follow this car as they make further changes and see how far the drivetrain of the Model S Plaid can be pushed.

What do you think of this build?

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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According to the NHTSA, certain 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles have front-row seat belts that may not be connected properly to the pretensioner anchors, potentially causing them to detach.

“If a first-row seat belt is not connected to its pretensioner anchor to specification, the belt may disconnect from the anchor when the belt is pulled up and away from the anchor during normal operation to latch the belt to the buckle,” the Safety Recall Report states.

Both of the front seats in both vehicles are affected, documents also show.

Tesla will inspect and connect both first-row seat belts to pretensioner anchors to specification in order to remedy the problem. If the seat belt cannot be connected to the pretensioner, the entire assembly will be replaced at no cost to the customer.

Tesla said it identified 12 warranty claims with the issue as of June 19, but 0 field reports were filed with the seat belt issue. There were no crashes, injuries, or deaths caused by the issue that Tesla is aware of.

The Tesla Model S (front) and Model X. (Credit: Tesla)

Additionally, Tesla opened another smaller recall of the 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. This recall deals with the forward-facing camera, which may be misaligned and could cause “some of the active safety features such as emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane assist to become unavailable without alerting the driver.”

This recall affects 1,337 units, and Tesla was able to identify 83 warranty claims and 2 field reports with the issue. There were no injuries, deaths, or crashes related to the condition, the NHTSA said in its Safety Recall Report.

Tesla Model Y (Credit: Tesla)

Tesla will remedy this by adjusting the pitch angle of the cameras on affected vehicles.

More often than not, Tesla deals with “recall” reports with its vehicles that are remedied through Over-the-Air software updates and not through physical fixes performed by Service Centers.

CEO Elon Musk has called for a redefinition of a recall since many vehicle issues can be solved with Software Updates.

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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What is quite remarkable about Unplugged Performance’s Tesla Model S Pikes Peak racer is the fact that behind its radical aero and high-performance parts like brakes and sway bars, it still retains its factory powertrain and drivetrain. Thus, power-wise, the Model S Plaid Pikes Peak racer is not really that far from other Plaid sedans coming out of the Fremont Factory. 

But while “Dark Helmet” still features a factory Model S Plaid powertrain and drivetrain, Unplugged Performance did not hold back with the vehicle’s other upgrades. As per a press release from the Tesla tuning shop, the Model S Plaid Pikes Peak racer is fitted with a number of modifications that help the vehicle handle its immense power better. 

These include UP x Ohlins TTX 4-way coilovers, billet aluminum adjustable control arms, sway bar, Superlight Carbon Ceramic Big Brake Kit and Carbon Fiber Brake Cooling Duct Kit to ensure optimal performance and control. The car was also fitted with Unplugged Performance UP-03 lightweight race wheels wrapped in Yokohama A005 Biomass tires, which are made from sustainable materials. 

On race day, legendary racecar driver Randy Pobst, a true veteran of Pikes Peak, who, for the past few years, has taken on the treacherous hill climb in a Tesla, completed the race in 9:54.901. In a statement following the event, the veteran racer highlighted that Unplugged Performance’s modifications and the vehicle’s tires played a crucial part in the feat. Such parts, after all, allowed the Model S Plaid’s monstrous power to be utilized fully for the race. 

“Our best Pikes Peak yet! Dark Helmet was so perfectly dialed by the Unplugged Performance team. The Unplugged parts and Yokohama biomass tires allowed us to achieve top 10, sub 10-minute and a new record, and I am absolutely electrified with excitement!” Pobst said. 

Unplugged Performance CEO Ben Schaffer, for his part, highlighted that the Model S Plaid, for all its power and speed, is actually a family car at its core. And if one were to keep such a thought in mind, then it would be pretty hard not to be impressed with the Model S Plaid’s successful hill climb at Pikes Peak this year. 

“We are thrilled with our success at the 101st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Dark Helmet had a class win in 2021 on shortened race, but to run the full course this year with our fastest qualifying time ever and setting a modified production EV record is a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence by the Unplugged Performance team. 

“Demonstrating that even a luxury family sedan can compete against purpose-built race cars was our Pikes Peak mission, and delivering that for the Tesla community that has supported us for a decade further motivates us to continue pushing the limits of what is possible,” Schaffer said. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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The range test this time around involved a rather impressive 32 electric cars from several manufacturers. These include Tesla, Polestar, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and even some from China, such as Xpeng, NIO, and BYD. The test involved driving the vehicles until they were empty and needed to be towed. 

This was not the first time that the Norwegian motoring publication conducted a range test. In fact, the Model S actually set a record during Motor.no’s winter range test in February. At the time, the Model S ended its journey after driving 530 km (329 miles), or just about 16% less than its estimated WLTP range.

Amazingly enough, the Model S successfully defended its crown — and then some — this time around. As noted by the publication, no car has gone further in its summer road test than the Tesla Model 3 back in 2021. At the time, the all-electric sedan stopped after traveling 654 km (406 miles). That is, at least, until now.

Fortunately for the Tesla Model S in the recent test, the weather was on its side, with clear skies and little wind, and temperatures ranging from just over 20C (68F) in the valleys and about 15C (59F) in the mountains. With such conditions, expectations were high that the Model S would go further than its WLTP estimate of 634 km (394 miles). And go further it did.

Ultimately, the Tesla Model S Long Range traveled a total of 672 km (418 miles) before stopping, which was about 6% further than its estimated WLTP range. This effectively established the vehicle as the publication’s range king on both its winter and summer tests. This would be pretty difficult to beat, at least until cars with more range such as the Lucid Air are entered into the test. By that time, however, the Model S would likely be even better, so it could probably travel further. 

While the Model S truly shone in Motor.no‘s winter range test, the other Teslas that were part of the event also showed impressive results. The Model X Plaid exceeded its rated range by 0.6%, traveling 546 kilometers (339 miles) before tapping out. The Model Y RWD, on the other hand, traveled 449 kilometers (279 miles) before running out of battery, which was 1.3% less than its WLTP range.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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