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Tesla Model S ‘Plaid’ variants spied with center display like Model 3 in return from Nurburgring
After setting impressive unofficial lap times at the Nurburgring, Tesla’s two Model S Plaid Powertrain prototypes have been spotted in a transport trailer in the United States. Quite interestingly, images taken of one of the Plaid vehicles hinted at what appears to be a center-mounted display similar to the 15″ touchscreen on the Tesla Model 3.
Images of the two track warriors from Tesla were photographed by electric car enthusiast Andre Weller, who shared the photos of the vehicles on the r/TeslaMotors subreddit. It did not take long before some members of the online community pointed out that the blue Model S Plaid prototype seemed to be fitted with a display that’s reminiscent to the one used by the electric car maker in its midsize sedan.
While this is all speculation for now, it should be noted that an interior refresh for the Model S has been rumored for some time now. This would not be the first time that Tesla used Model 3 parts on the Plaid Model S either, as the tri-motor sedan the company used to set a record at Laguna Seca was curiously equipped with a Model 3 steering wheel.
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
This is quite different from the current setup of the Model S, which utilizes a 17″ touch panel in portrait orientation for its infotainment system. But this is not all. The blue vehicle also appeared to have a complete interior, as shown by the unmistakable outline of seats in Weller’s photographs. This contrasts with previous reports about the blue vehicle, which alleged that its interior was stripped down.
Also noteworthy is the red Model S Plaid prototype that was tied down right behind the blue unit. Prior to Tesla’s departure from the Nurburgring, reports emerged stating that the red Plaid Model S had crashed during a high-speed run. While the accident reportedly rendered the car unusable for the remaining days of the company’s stay in Germany, the driver of the vehicle was unharmed.
Looking at photos of the red vehicle, it appears that the Plaid Model S was not very damaged from its Nurburgring mishap. Its front fenders and panels seem to be intact, and there are no noticeable dents on its hood. The only thing that seems quite off with the vehicle were its wheels, which were mismatched for some reason, as well as its driver’s side window, which was opened during transit.
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
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- (Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
(Credit: Andre Weller/Imugr)
Tesla’s two Plaid Model S prototypes were able to set some impressive unofficial times before they departed the iconic German racetrack this year. During the company’s first round of Nurburgring sessions, the red Model S Plaid prototype reportedly completed a hand-stopped lap in 7:23, significantly faster than the 7:42 set by the Porsche Taycan Turbo.
This time was eventually beaten twice by the blue Plaid Model S in the company’s second round of Nurburgring sessions, with the vehicle reportedly completing a hot lap in 7:13. That’s almost half a minute faster than Porsche’s own unofficial record for the Taycan Turbo.
The Tesla Model S Plaid prototypes are equipped with larger battery packs, three motors, and seven seats, as per Twitter updates from Elon Musk. Musk has also noted that the updated vehicles will be entering production sometime in late 2020, and they will command a price that’s higher than the Raven Model S Performance, but “less than competitors.”
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Tesla FSD successfully completes full coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions
Tesla community members celebrated the milestone on X, and the feat earned praise from some of the electric vehicle maker’s executives.
A Tesla owner has successfully completed a full coast-to-coast drive across the United States on Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised. The trip was accomplished with zero interventions.
Tesla community members celebrated the milestone on X, and the feat earned praise from some of the electric vehicle maker’s executives.
FSD Coast-to-Coast
The coast-to-coast feat was accomplished by Tesla owner Davis Moss, who drives a stealth gray Model 3 with AI4 hardware. Based on data from the FSD database and a community tracker, the last 10,638.8 miles Moss drove in his Model 3 were completed using FSD 100% of the time. His vehicle is equipped with FSD v14.2.1.25, which was installed 12 days ago.
As per Moss in a celebratory post on X, his Model 3 was able to complete a full coast-to-coast drive across the United States in 2 days and 20 hours. His trip started at the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, CA, and it ended in Myrtle Beach, SC. Overall, his trip spanned 2,732.4 miles.
“This was accomplished with Tesla FSD V14.2 with absolutely 0 disengagements of any kind even for all parking including at Tesla Superchargers,” Moss stated in his post. He also added in later comments that there were zero close calls during the trip.
Tesla community celebrates
The FSD milestone trip was widely lauded by members of the Tesla community, especially since a coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions has been cited by Elon Musk as a target since October 2016, when Autopilot 2.0 was unveiled. At the time, Musk initially estimated that a coast-to-coast drive across the United States should be possible by the end of 2017. Considering Moss’ feat in his Model 3, it appears that Elon Musk’s estimate was not impossible at all. It was just late.
Musk himself celebrated the milestone on X, and so did Tesla VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy, who wrote “World’s first fully autonomous coast-to-coast drive, done with Tesla self-driving v14. Congrats and thank you @DavidMoss!” in a post on X. The official Tesla North America account also celebrated the feat, writing “First Tesla to drive itself from coast to coast w/ FSD Supervised. 0 interventions, all FSD” on X.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk: Tesla Model Y is world’s best-selling car for 3rd year in a row
The Model Y has now established an impressive streak that would otherwise have been impossible before Tesla.
Elon Musk has announced that the Tesla Model Y has become the world’s best-selling car by volume for the third consecutive year, capping 2025 with another dominant performance.
The Model Y has now established an impressive streak that would otherwise have been impossible before Tesla.
Three years in a row
Musk posted on X: “Tesla Model Y is now officially the world’s best-selling car for the third year in a row!” The CEO’s comment echoed an update that Tesla included in its 2025 recap, which highlighted, among other things, the Model Y’s incredible streak.
The Model Y has held the title since 2023, outperforming traditional leaders like the Toyota RAV4 and Corolla thanks to its bang-for-the-buck nature and its stellar combination of practicality, performance, and tech. The Model Y is also lauded as one of the safest vehicles on the road, making it an ideal choice for families in key markets such as China.
An impressive 2025
The Model Y’s sales feat in 2025 is especially impressive considering the introduction of the vehicle’s new variant. Tesla’s changeover to the new Model Y across its global factories resulted in sales being paused for some time in the first quarter. As per Tesla’s Q1 2025 vehicle delivery and production report, “the changeover of Model Y lines across all four of our factories led to the loss of several weeks of production in Q1.”
This suggests that the Model Y’s sales remained strong in 2025 to the point where it could still claim the title of the world’s best-selling vehicle by volume, even with its sales being throttled during the first quarter of the year. It would then be interesting to see just how far the Model Y can go in 2026, especially considering the rollout of new variants like the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y L, the affordable Model Y Standard, and the top-tier Model Y Performance.
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Tesla shares epic 2025 recap video, confirms start of Cybercab production
The cinematic montage, posted by the official Tesla account on X, celebrated the company’s progress in EVs, energy, and Robotaxi development.
Tesla has released an epic year-in-review video for 2025, recapping some of its major achievements from refreshed models to autonomy breakthroughs and production ramps.
The cinematic montage, posted by the official Tesla account on X, celebrated the company’s progress in EVs, energy, and Robotaxi development while looking ahead to an even bigger 2026.
Tesla’s 2025 highlights recap
Tesla has had a busy 2025, as highlighted in the recap video. The video opened with Elon Musk explaining the company’s pursuit of sustainable abundance. A number of milestones were then highlighted, such as the rollout of FSD v14, Optimus’ numerous demos, the opening of the Tesla Diner in Hollywood, LA, the completion of the world’s first autonomous car delivery, and the launch of the Robotaxi network in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tesla also highlighted several of its accomplishments over the year. As per the company, the Model Y was the year’s best-selling vehicle globally again, and Teslas became more affordable than ever thanks to the Model 3 and Model Y Standard. Other key models were also rolled out, such as the refreshed Model S and X, as well as the new Model Y, the new Model Y Performance, and the six-seat, extended wheelbase Model Y L.
The Megablock was also unveiled during the year, and the Supercharger Network grew by 18%. Over 1 million Powerwalls were also installed during the year, and the Cybertruck became the first EV truck to get both an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award and an NHTSA 5-Star safety rating.
Cybercab production confirmed
Interestingly enough, Tesla also confirmed in its 2025 recap video that the production of the Cybercab has started. This bodes well for the vehicle, as it could result in the vehicle really being mass-produced in the first half of 2026. Elon Musk confirmed during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting that Cybercab production should earnestly start around April 2026.
Musk has also noted that the Cybercab will be Tesla’s highest-volume vehicle yet, with the company aiming for an annual production rate of about 2 million units. “If you’ve seen the design of the Cybercab line, it doesn’t look like a normal car manufacturing line,” Musk said earlier this year. “It looks like a really high-speed consumer electronics line. In fact, the line will move so fast that actually people can’t even get close to it.”
Tesla FSD successfully completes full coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions
Elon Musk: Tesla Model Y is world’s best-selling car for 3rd year in a row
