Even though Tesla has made some of the quickest cars in the world, it hasn’t gone to great lengths to differentiate them from lesser versions of the same models. It’s started doing it with the new Model 3 Performance, which has different bumpers and a rear spoiler, but not for the Model S Plaid, which looks almost the same as the regular dual-motor variant.
That’s where Unplugged Performance (UP) comes in with its full exterior 19-piece kit for the Model S called S-Apex. It features a different front bumper (to which you can add a very low and sporty-looking carbon fiber splitter), wider front and rear fenders complete with matching side skirts and an aggressive rear bumper with an integrated diffuser.
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The Model S Plaid is exceptionally quick but doesn't look special
With over 1,000 horsepower, the Tesla Model S Plaid doesn't scream about its performance, and it also lacks the suspension and brakes to turn it into a track weapon. That's where this kit by Unplugged Performance comes in and completely transforms the look of the vehicle and improves its trackworthiness.
The kit even contains rear door panel extensions to match the wider arches, and a carbon fiber trunk spoiler completes the look. UP also offers lower suspension, upgraded brakes and wheels to tie everything together, and additional parts to turn your Model S into a race car if you want to make it more extreme. It also has a complete vehicle program that adds all the above and more as part of a single pack, although you can customize the car to make it your own.
That’s what was applied to the Model S Plaid that Rory Reid drives in the latest AutoTrader video. He tries a Plaid with the full exterior makeover, upgraded suspension, brakes and wheels, and he says it transforms the way the car drives. It’s noticeably sportier on the road without being overly harsh, but it’s around a track where the combined effect of all the mods is even more evident.
Rory drives the fully modified Model S around Willow Springs, where it feels better and is more planted than the standard Plaid. The upgraded brakes offered by UP are considerably better than the ones the car comes with from the factory, and they help instill more confidence to keep pushing without the fear that the car may experience catastrophic fade when you step on the left pedal for the next corner.
The yoke is still not the best idea for sporty driving, given that the Model S has a regular steering rack that requires a lot of lock to turn, unlike the Cybertruck, whose steer-by-wire system is variable and doesn’t require any arm twirling. Everything added up, the UP exterior and performance pack turn the Model S Plaid into the car it should have been from the factory, with a more aggressive interior and track-focused suspension and brakes.
