New Tesla Model Y Performance spied in Germany ahead of official unveil

In January, Tesla unveiled the upgrade to the world’s best-selling car, the Model Y SUV. At the time, only two variants were available for owners to purchase, the single-motor RWD and the dual-motor AWD, with the Performance variant missing.

Now, the first images of the Performance variant have emerged and reported by carscoops, testing at the world-famous Nurburgring track, with serious performance upgrades over the AWD model.

Starting with the much larger wheels, which appear to be 21-inch Arachnid wheels from the tri-motor Model S Plaid, Tesla’s fastest car to date.

There is also a much bigger rear lip spoiler, hinting at a much more performance-focused car than its predecessor.

Aside from that, the car being tested appears to be sitting lower, hinting at upgrades to suspension for better on-road handling and performance.

Although not a lot is known about the specs of this new Performance variant, an improvement in acceleration and a wider torque band is expected, in line with the Model 3 Performance which was launched in Australia in Q1 of 2024.

On the pricing front, the new Model Y Performance is expected to be close to the last car with prices of around $80,000 before on-roads.

The new Model Y currently available in our local market includes the entry-level RWD variant, which starts from $58,900 before on-roads. This can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. 

A top-spec dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) variant costs $68,900 before on-roads, slashing that time to just 4.8 seconds.

This AWD variant also comes with a bigger battery, which can deliver up to 551 km of range, instead of 466 km seen on the RWD variant. 

The RWD variant comes with a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery which can be charged up to 100% each time.

The upcoming Performance variant is expected to have a lower range than the AWD variant, mainly due to bigger wheels.

These wheels will help it stay more planted on the track, possibly lowering the acceleration to 100 km/h times to under 3.5 seconds.

In April, we drove the new car’s Long Range variant and were reassured that it has received some significant improvements under the skin and styling updates on the outside.

Similar upgrades with a more sporty focus are expected on this upcoming top-spec variant. 

Although the exact launch timing is unknown, we expect deliveries to start in the second half of this year, which will please many customers looking for a spacious electric SUV that brings an element of excellent on-road handling and performance.

See also: New Tesla Model Y review: Worlds’s best selling EV is now even better, and it costs less