2021 Tesla Model S and Model X updated, gets faster Plaid version

Though Tesla had been making cars since 2009, it was their flagships, the Model S sedan and Model X SUV that came out in 2012 and 2015 respectively, that took them to the level of fame that they enjoy now. With some years under their belt, the new Tesla Model X and Model S are getting a refresh in the form of a new interior and a hot Plaid performance powertrain.

The interior now sports a large 17-inch horizontal screen instead of the old vertical unit. There is another 8.0-inch touchscreen at the back, to keep the rear passengers entertained. Even with the flashy screens, the attention will be drawn to the weirdly shaped steering wheel. Tesla is famous for doing breaking conventions when it comes to design but the odd shape of the steering wheel may or may not make it into the final production car based on the legal requirements in different markets. All knobs and stalks have been done away with, and all controls now handled by the central touchscreen or steering wheel buttons.

The most exciting part of the refresh must be the hardcore Plaid versions that are described by Tesla as “beyond Ludicrous”. Both the Model S and Model X Plaid versions get their power from a tri-motor set up that churns out 1006 hp.

In the Model S, this power translates to a 0-60 miles per hour (0-96 kph) time of 1.99 seconds making it the first production car to do the feat in less than 2 seconds. The 0-100 kph time will be just over 2 seconds. The top speed is 321 kph “with the right tyres.” There is a Plaid+ version of the Model S that gets 1100 hp and a range of 836 km, the longest of any EV in production. The Tesla Model X Plaid takes half a second more than the Model S Plaid to hit the 100 yet, it still gets to be the “quickest acceleration of any SUV.”

With these updates, Tesla’s flagships hope to regain the attention they once enjoyed until the smaller Model Y and Model 3 came along and newbies from Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW attempted to carve their own niche. The Plaid is priced from US$ 139,900 (Dhs 514,000) in the United States.