In January, Tesla unveiled the upgrade to the worldās best-selling car, the Model Y electric 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, a photo showing the front of the car has come to the surface, hinting Teslaās fastest Performance-focused SUV is not too far from launching.
In the photo shared on X by DevinOlsenn, the new Performance in ultra-red is spotted parked in a car park with cars on either side.
New wheels are spotted, which are similar to those seen in wrapped cars being tested in May. These are likely 21-inch forged wheels that replace the Uberturbine wheels on the previous generation of the top-spec Performance Model Y variant.
https://twitter.com/DevinOlsenn/status/1941539599853158593
These wheels also appear to be similar to 21-inch Arachnid wheels from the tri-motor Model S Plaid, Teslaās fastest car to date.
There is also a redesigned front bumper with more aero kit on it, helping divert more air to the brakes.
Another key difference is a frontal bumper splitter that sits quite low to the ground,Ā providing better handling around faster sections of the track.
This also hints at a new track mode for the upcoming Performance model, given the more aggressive styling and track-focused aero features.
The latest sighting comes around 6 weeks after the first images of the Performance variant emerged, showing this variantās testing at the world-famous Nurburgring track.
Those images also showed a much bigger rear lip spoiler, hinting at a much more performance-focused car than its predecessor.
The car being tested at the track was also sitting lower, hinting at upgrades to suspension for better on-road handling and performance. That would be in-line with what the Tesla Model 3 Performance received before it was launched.
That model was launched in Australia in Q1 of 2024 and featured multiple updates, including improvements in acceleration and a wider torque band for sustained performance on high-speed sections of the track.
On the pricing front, the new Model Y Performance is expected to be closer to the previous generation 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, making it one of the quickest single-motor cars on the market.
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 that has up to 551 km of range, instead of 466 km seen on the single-motor RWD car.Ā
The upcoming Performance variant is expected to have a lower range than the AWD variant, mainly due to bigger wheels and will be geared towards a niche set of customers, wanting practicality and a need for occasional speed.
With the exact launch timing of this more driver-focused Model Y still unknown, we expect an unveil in the coming weeks, with local deliveries likely to start in Q4 this year.
