CarShowroom.com.au was staggered when we drove the Tesla Model S in the streets of Costa Mesa, California in January and good news arrived this week that the gorgeous electric four-door sedan is heading to Australia with prices starting at $91,400.
While Tesla is still working on its Australian distribution network, as part of the process in January we toured the massive Tesla pre-delivery centre which is located in a hub of automotive operations near John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa (about 40 minutes south of Los Angeles). Here new owners get the full Tesla treatment and are walked through all aspects of ownership before taking delivery of their car.
Crucial of course is battery re-charging and this week Tesla confirmed its ‘Supercharger’ system will be standard with Models S ‘85’ and ‘P85’ models and optional ($2,700) on the entry-grade ‘60’ version.
The Tesla ‘Supercharger’ network will enable cars to re-charged to half capacity in just 20 minutes.
Tesla’s different model names represent battery power. So the entry-grade ‘60’ gets a 225kW electric motor with a 60kWh battery, the ‘85’ gets a 270kW motor with a 85kWh battery and the range-topping ’P85’ (Performance) enjoys a 319kW motor with a 85kWh battery.
To put that in perspective – the Tesla Model S P85 can cover zero to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds (the best a HSV GTS can manage is 4.7 seconds).
Reflecting its ‘Top Dog’ status the Tesla Model S P85 is equipped with Brembo brakes, a carbon-fibre front spoiler and even an Alcantara headliner. The ‘Performance Plus’ pack will set you back an extra $7,900 and brings a sports suspension set-up and range booster for the battery.
The full lineup is:
Tesla Model S 60$91,400
Tesla Model S 85$103,400
Tesla Model S P85$119,900
