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differences in the model years?
- Thread starter IbePatience
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- Model S
I thought there was an existing thread that attempted to document all the Model S hardware changes since launch and when they occurred, but right now I can't find it.
There have been a lot of changes, but the principal one to keep in mind is that cars built before about Sep. 18, 2014 do not have the hardware for the Auto Pilot features that are being rolled out this year.
Any S60 could have been purchased with the Supercharger option. All S85 cars can Supercharge. The rare (only a few were sold in early 2013, I think) S40 cannot Supercharge.
There have been a lot of changes, but the principal one to keep in mind is that cars built before about Sep. 18, 2014 do not have the hardware for the Auto Pilot features that are being rolled out this year.
Any S60 could have been purchased with the Supercharger option. All S85 cars can Supercharge. The rare (only a few were sold in early 2013, I think) S40 cannot Supercharge.
I'd try to buy the newest possible one. Tesla is ALWAYS making tiny improvements here and there. People who have upgraded from a 2012 model to a 2014 or 2015 say that the "build quality" seems to be better on the newer cars.
All 85s have supercharging. The 60s have to get the option to enable it.
All 85s have supercharging. The 60s have to get the option to enable it.
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
Just note that the S60s all come with the hardware for supercharging. So if you decide to go with an S60, even if it doesn't already have supercharging, you can enable that for $2k with Tesla.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Tesla does not increment by model year. Somewhat to the frustration of purchasers who "just missed out", features and improvements come in a continuum.
thegruf
Active Member
anyone know of anything significant coming soon before I place my order only to get frustrated to find I have just missed some great feature?
mknox
Well-Known Member
Let me get my crystal ball :smile: Seriously, though I think Elon is on record somewhere saying that after the D models and auto-pilot hardware, there wouldn't be anything significant for a while.
My guess is that the Model X will take some priority for a bit. I further am speculating that the design of the Model X will result in less range and at some point Tesla may come up with a somewhat larger battery to compensate. If they do, and based on the similar platforms, that larger battery may be made available in the Model S as well.
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
thegruf
Active Member
Yeah I know
never hurts to ask though. LED headlights would be nice if not essential, and I do think the interior LED lighting should be standard.^^^ THIS. People who have not had ambient lighting in a German car don't know what they are missing but this is a basic feature that will cost Tesla perhaps $50 in parts but is part of the experience for even the most basic C Class you could buy. That's the primary reason I'd buy the Premium Interior package but it is hard to justify $3,500 for the ambient lighting.
I really hope the ambient lighting becomes a standard part of the car and perhaps they can roll in the "Premium Interior" standard at least for the P85D trim level. It's a bit silly to pay over $100K for a car and then have to pay extra for a "Premium Interior"
Gizmotoy
Active Member
That's because it's a wiki now: Model S options by year - a running history - Tesla Motors Club - Enthusiasts & Owners Forum
And also not completely accurately named. The title seems to imply options only, but there are ongoing non-option hardware changes listed as well.
ChadS
Last tank of gas: March 2009
It is true that Tesla is always making changes, and that over time the changes are positive so on average later cars are better than earlier cars. But a lot of these changes are to speed up the line and decrease costs, and so sometimes there are temporary drops in vehicle quality.
Early reliability reports showed 2012s better than 2013s. And there was a heavy emphasis on inspection in the early days that they just don't have time for now. I feel my early car is in really good shape quality-wise, even though I have been in several newer cars. Several production improvement since my car came out (sunroof, door handles, dash vents, etc) were applied to my car. Although of course there are new options (AWD, autopilot, etc) that simply weren't available back then, and they have improved the suspension. So there are always some advantages to new cars. But if an older car has what you need and is cheaper, I wouldn't shy away from it for fear that something is wrong with it.
To each his own. I found the interior ambient lighting in the new S class a bit over the top (dare I say, "gimmicky"?). I also think it's somewhat dangerous. Unnecessarily lighting up areas that has nothing to do with driving is a distraction that tends to draw the drivers attention off the task at hand ("oooh - look at the pretty purple lights").^^^ THIS. People who have not had ambient lighting in a German car don't know what they are missing but this is a basic feature that will cost Tesla perhaps $50 in parts but is part of the experience for even the most basic C Class you could buy. That's the primary reason I'd buy the Premium Interior package but it is hard to justify $3,500 for the ambient lighting.
I really hope the ambient lighting becomes a standard part of the car and perhaps they can roll in the "Premium Interior" standard at least for the P85D trim level. It's a bit silly to pay over $100K for a car and then have to pay extra for a "Premium Interior"
It's like the nitwits that drive around on the highway with fog lights on. At a time when visual processing should be focused down the road, they are lighting an area close to the car. This pulls their attention inward/downward, distracting from the task at hand (looking upward/outward). It's completely pointless to light that area at highway speeds, because anything you see will be too close to react in time to do anything about it. Except maybe a violent jerk on the wheel, which could easily cause an accident.
And don't get me started about the complete dolts that drive in clear nights with rear fog lights on, oblivious to the fact they are blinding drivers behind them. They should loose their license for that.
Well said. And it is likely that fact is the reason we more often than not don't get rear fog lights in the United States. And that's unfortunate because in heavy fog they are fantastic in allowing you to see the car in front of you sooner and giving you more time to react if they are going much slower than you are.
Some of the 2012-early 2013 cars came with extras, too. For example, mine doesn't have the tech package but does have some of the package's features - all the early cars came with ambient lighting, and the night-shifting side mirrors, for example. Some extra chrome pieces where now you get plastic (left overs from the Signature models I guess). The colder your climate the more useful the range of the 85 will be. In moderate & warm climates the 60 is great. Generally, all Model S' are good. AFAICT there's not been a time of questionable production.
mknox
Well-Known Member
My March 2013 car had to have the Tech Package to get ambient lighting. I had an early non-tech loaner that didn't have the ambients. My car also came with puddle lights on the bottoms of the doors (in addition to the lights on the handles) as well as both front and rear footwell lighting. That was a mixed bag as well. I did get the chrome inserts in my Frunk, but just plain black plastic ones in the Trunk. Both are now available on the Tesla Accessories page if this is something really important to you. Fog lights also used to be included in the Tech Package, but aren't any longer.
