As sales of electric vehicles are booming in the United States, more owners are looking to make their rides stand out from the crowd.
Aftermarket companies are all too aware of that and have started diversifying their offer to cover more electric vehicles. Naturally, Tesla is their main focus, as the Austin-based EV maker dominates the North American market—around 75% of all electric vehicles sold in the United States in Q1 2022 were Teslas, according to Kelley Blue Book.
With the Model Y being the best-selling Tesla model, German tuner Startech—which is owned by Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus—has developed a comprehensive body kit for the electric crossover.
Our colleagues from duPont Registry recently visited Startech USA and got the chance to check out the first Tesla Model Y in the country fitted with Startech's body kit and other interior and performance upgrades.
Gallery: Tesla Model Y with $21,200 worth of Startech tuning bits
Starting with the aesthetic tweaks, Startech has developed a sportier front bumper with optional fog lights, massive rear diffuser, lip and roof spoilers, and custom 20- or 22-inch wheels. Smoked taillights are also available, as are lowering springs that drop the EV's ride height by 40 mm (1.6 inches). The rims you see in the video are the larger ones, wrapped in 265/30 and 285/30 tires (front and rear).
Moving on the interior, Startech gave the Tesla Model Y a more striking appearance via new seat covers featuring vegan leather in cognac color and optional "E-Circuit" stitching, plus a flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in leather and Alcantara. There's also a digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel (a plug-and-play system) that many drivers will probably find very useful.
It's worth noting that all these customization options are sold individually and will be available in the US later this summer. If you're interested in pricing, all the upgrades on this particular Model Y cost $21,200. The front bumper alone costs $2,195, the rear diffuser is $1,495, the sport steering wheel $1,895, and the embroidered seat covers will set you back $3,995.
Let us know if you think it's worth spending that much money to customize a Model Y and which parts you like or dislike the most. They are all detailed in the above video, which also includes driving impressions; spoiler alert: there are no complaints about the lowering spring' influence on ride quality.
