Tesla’s Model S lineup is in for some variant and option changes in the coming months. The news follows the automaker’s recent third-quarter earnings announcement and the release of its high-performance Model S P85D with its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system. Tesla CEO Elon Musk told investors the changes will allow the company to scale production of the Model S toward higher numbers.
Currently, Tesla offers the all-electric car with in four configurations; the 60, the 85, the P85, and the P85+. Now, both P85 versions will be replaced by the P85D, coming only in all-wheel-drive and with a total horsepower rating of 691. Previous plans to produce an AWD version of the S60 are now scrapped.
Tesla will also cut green and brown from the Model S’ exterior color options, leaving red, blue, silver, black, and white. Also gone is the Performance Leather and Lacewood trim package.
In other big news, the automaker is now bundling the parking sensors and fog lamps together with the $4,250 tech package, a grouping of equipment that includes a forward looking camera, radar, and a 360-degree ultrasonic sensor array. This paves the way for eventual software updates for Tesla’s promised Autopilot system.
These changes will help the California-based car company to streamline production in order to ramp up volume. While it’s sad we’re losing the P85 and its rear-wheel-drive electric shenanigans, the P85D with its 275 additional horsepower and all-wheel drive should prove to be a better performance car and rival to the BMW M division and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG brand.
Click past the jump to read more about the Tesla Model S.
Tesla to Drop a Few Versions of the Model S originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 14 November 2014 15:00 EST.
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