Tesla boots up new referral program with $1,000 credits, interesting prizes

If you refer your friends to, say, a US Big Three dealership, and go back to tell the dealer about it, you might get a free oil-change certificate or something. Beyond that, you're not likely to get more than a thumbs up and a pat on the back. But Tesla...Tesla's weird. If you start referring your friends to Tesla, you could end up with some interesting exclusives.

With its latest referral system, both referrals and referrers receive something. Those being referred to Tesla will receive a $1,000 credit that can be applied toward the purchase of a new vehicle. For every referral that follows through, the referrer receives an entry in a raffle where the winner walks away with a Tesla Model X P90D with the four-figure Ludicrous Mode upgrade.

Referrers get more than just a game of chance for sending new buyers Tesla's way. If you make two qualifying referrals, you get a weekender bag that matches your car's interior color. Three referrals nets you an exclusive Tesla Owners jacket, and four will get you an invitation for two to Gigafactory's grand opening at the end of July.

If you're a power user, though, and you get five or more people to pick up a new Tesla, you'll receive a set of 21-inch "Arachnid" wheels, which cannot be purchased regularly. The wheels come with summer performance tires and can be had in black, silver or gray finishes. Electrek writes that these wheels "offer improved performance," which I'm led to believe means they're lighter than the usual wheels, which cuts down on unsprung mass and leads to a more sprightly feeling on the road.

You don't have all year to rack up those referrals, though. The new referral program starts today, May 30, and will run only until July 15.

(Hat tip to Fred at Electrek!)

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