Tesla will open up AWD, performance Model 3 orders next week
Production should start in July, the key word being "should."
Elon Musk isn't your average automotive CEO (duh). Whereas most companies are content to announce new vehicle trim availability in a press release, Musk just hops on Twitter and casually mentions it in a reply.
According to Musk, Tesla will open up the Model 3 order books to include dual-motor all-wheel drive and performance variants at the "end of next week." Per the same tweet (efficient!), production of these new variants will begin in July.
Tesla will enable orders end of next week for dual motor AWD & performance. Starting production of those in July. Air suspension prob next year.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2018
As for air suspension, Musk says that probably won't happen until 2019. That's also the timeframe for right-hand-drive vehicles.
The Model 3 is currently the only Tesla available in rear-wheel drive. The automaker deleted rear-wheel drive from both the Model S and Model X lineup, further differentiating its lower-priced offering from the more expensive stuff.
Specs barely exist on Tesla's Model 3 page, so we're not quite sure what to expect from these new vehicles. The Model 3 lists its 0-60 time as "5.1 to 5.6 seconds," but it doesn't say whether or not the AWD version is factored into that -- it's unlikely anything branded "performance" is going to have a 0-60 time in the 5-second range.
What's also unclear is whether or not the second motor will reduce overall range, even if it's by just a few miles. And speaking of range, the smaller, less expensive Model 3 battery is still unavailable for ordering. I guess we'll find out more next week. Or maybe we won't -- Tesla's Model 3 goals have been awfully fluid thus far.
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