Tesla Model S comes with new glass roof, new color option and round steering wheel

Tesla just confirmed in an email to its customers that it has updated the Model S with several new options. While the design remains unchanged, there are technical differences that Tesla hopes will keep the 15 years old Model S up to date.

That’s right, the Model S was unveiled in 2008, although first customers got their cars in 2012. The car went through a series of minor cosmetic updates but on the whole, the design remains the same and still looks fresh, which is a great statement to the work of Franz vo Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer.

Back to Model S - the biggest news of course is the inclusion of the Hardware 4 with the upgraded set of cameras and the Phoenix radar. That’s right - a non-pulsed automotive radar operating in 76-77 GHz spectrum which supports 3 sensing modes, according to Tesla.

Next up is the new, $3,000 optional Ultra Red color - do not mistake it for the Midnight Cherry Red used at Giga Berlin. This new color is unique to Model S and Model X and will be only used at the Fremont factory. Here is the quick video presentation from Tesla:

That’s not all, the Tesla Model S comes with a brand new glass roof. It isn’t bigger because it simply cannot be any larger than it already is, but the new glass is lighter and it lets more light in. It does that while still offering the same level of protection against heat, UV light and of course it is as strong as the previously used item.

To top it all off, Tesla throws in new and improved brake pads with much higher thermal capacity. In plain English that means Tesla’s woeful brakes will work better or at least there’s hope they will.

And finally - the steering wheel is making a comeback. After a rather questionable deployment of the yoke and the backlash it received, Tesla is re-introducing the round steering wheel as a charge-free option. The yoke remains available but at least now customers have the choice.

First updated Model S units are already reaching customers, some vehicles sporting the new Ultra Red color were already spotted at the Fremont factory and we can expect to have more details soon thanks to avid Tesla fans.

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