The MGP Model S Red Brake Caliper Covers add personality and color to the factory Tesla Brembo brakes
You can’t get more ubiquitous than Brembo’s championship red when it comes to the world of high performance brakes. Tesla Motors offers red brake calipers as a ‘free’ upgrade on the factory four piston Brembo brakes on the top-of-the-line 85 kWh Performance Model S. Owners of the 60 kWh or Standard 85 kWh Model S won’t fair as well unless they opt for a pricey $3,100 retrofit which entails caliper disassembly, painting and reassembly of the brake system – a hassle, but also an expensive commitment with no turning back. Thus the inspiration for California-based MGP Caliper Covers, manufacturer of the removable lightweight all aluminum Tesla Model S Red Brake Caliper Covers carried exclusively by EVannex.
Initial Impressions
Installation
NOTE: Installation is a DIY job which requires a home jack and a total of 30-40 minutes. We utilized a lift to raise all four wheels off of the ground so that we can provide better photography for this review.
MGP’s patented stainless steel fastening clips fit snug within the inner portion of the calipers and secures the cover assembly by pinching the caliper to the cover itself. Tightening the nut on the caliper cover fixes it into place.
One must note that the covers are not molds taken off of the caliper. As a result the covers rest flat against the face of each caliper. It took a bit of wiggling and light force before the covers were able to line up perfectly. Once secured, they looked amazing.
Appearance vs. Functionality
In our opinion, 99% of what you’re purchasing is curb appeal without the permanent commitment. The red provides a great contrast against any wheel and body color, but should you ever get sick of it, simply remove the covers! No paint thinner, no glue and best of all, no hassle. Although MGP Caliper Covers claims that there may be some additional benefits with heat dissipation, we didn’t notice any meaningful differences during our track tests, even under extreme racing conditions.
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There might be some theoretical benefits with heat dissipation if the covers extended the surface area on vehicles with smaller sized calipers, but this simply isn’t the case on a Model S with already huge four piston Brembo calipers.
All said, MGP’s Tesla Model S red brake calipers covers are stunning to look at and add a real high performance look to the entire wheel assembly. Red may not be the look for everyone so luckily EVannex carries a variety of colors including black, matte black and your choice of custom colors.
Summary
Give the Tesla Model S brake calipers a race-ready look without paint, adhesive or caliper modifications. At $230 for a set of four and $330 for six, the MGP Tesla Model S Red Brake Caliper Covers provide a cost effective (relative to the $3,100 Tesla Motors red brake retrofit) way to dress up the wheel assembly and add a touch of Motorsport performance. All in a reversible manner.