Tesla teased further improvements to the Model S and Model X past its the Ultra Red paint color, including a new, lighter glass room, performance brakes, and the option to choose a traditional round steering wheel instead of the Yoke.
Last night, Tesla announced its new Model S and Model X paint color, Ultra Red, which appears to be slightly darker than the previous Red Multi-Coat.
Tesla has teased new paint colors and added exclusive shades to vehicles in the European market, and this is the first update to U.S. paint schemes since 2017 with the Model 3’s Silver Metallic, which was discontinued in 2018.
But more meets the eye than the new Ultra Red paint color, and Tesla detailed them in a Tweet earlier today.
Tesla detailed three major changes: a new glass roof, new and improved brake pads, and the round steering option.
-->More updates:
– Glass roof now weighs less & lets in 5x more light with same level of UV protection. This also improves handling as it helps low center of gravity– Plaid S & X come with improved brake pads with higher thermal capacity = better overall braking performance
— Tesla (@Tesla) March 9, 2023
Glass Roof
Tesla said the new Model S glass roof “now weighs less & lets in 5x more light with same level of UV protection. This also improves handling as it helps low center of gravity.”
-->Tesla has always kept tabs on its vehicle performance and has routinely made small changes to improve it. A low center of gravity for electric vehicles is already provided by the presence of the battery pack. However, additional weight is positioned in certain areas to improve stability and vehicle handling. A study from Energy Procedia in 2012 evaluated the advantages of a low center of gravity for all-electric vehicles, and showed weight distribution was one of the most important factors in improving maneuvering.
Improved Brake Pads
Tesla said that Plaid Model S and Model X vehicles now feature improved brake pads with higher thermal capacity, which contributes to better overall braking performance.
While there has been some speculation over what is going on with the Model S and Model X’s rear brake calipers, Tesla said the revisions to the brake pads to both Plaid vehicles will help increase overall performance.
Brakes become incredibly hot when they are applied, especially to high-performance cars as friction at higher speeds generates high amounts of heat. Things like the size of the brake pads can put pressure at a larger radius and make friction less concentrated in certain areas, allowing for less braking distance while also offering longevity.
Round Steering Wheel Option
Early this year, Tesla started offering new Model S and Model X owners the option to choose a Yoke or Round Steering wheel when ordering their vehicle. In the past, Tesla only offered the Yoke with these cars, and the decision was polarizing to say the least.
-->Tesla announced it would start offering a retrofit as well earlier this year, which is still unavailable but could be later this month as the automaker still says it will be “available March 2023.”
Early last year, Tesla was already leaning toward the idea of letting drivers choose their steering wheel shape.
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Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
-->This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
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Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
-->For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Tesla bear Michael Burry got blunt with his beliefs over the company’s valuation, which he called “ridiculously overvalued” in a newsletter to subscribers this past weekend.
“Tesla’s market capitalization is ridiculously overvalued today and has been for a good long time,” Burry, who was the inspiration for the movie The Big Short, and was portrayed by Christian Bale.
Burry went on to say, “As an aside, the Elon cult was all-in on electric cars until competition showed up, then all-in on autonomous driving until competition showed up, and now is all-in on robots — until competition shows up.”
Tesla bear Michael Burry ditches bet against $TSLA, says ‘media inflated’ the situation
For a long time, Burry has been skeptical of Tesla, its stock, and its CEO, Elon Musk, even placing a $530 million bet against shares several years ago. Eventually, Burry’s short position extended to other supporters of the company, including ARK Invest.
Tesla has long drawn skepticism from investors and more traditional analysts, who believe its valuation is overblown. However, the company is not traded as a traditional stock, something that other Wall Street firms have recognized.
While many believe the company has some serious pull as an automaker, an identity that helped it reach the valuation it has, Tesla has more than transformed into a robotics, AI, and self-driving play, pulling itself into the realm of some of the most recognizable stocks in tech.
Burry’s Scion Asset Management has put its money where its mouth is against Tesla stock on several occasions, but the firm has not yielded positive results, as shares have increased in value since 2020 by over 115 percent. The firm closed in May.
In 2020, it launched its short position, but by October 2021, it had ditched that position.
Tesla has had a tumultuous year on Wall Street, dipping significantly to around the $220 mark at one point. However, it rebounded significantly in September, climbing back up to the $400 region, as it currently trades at around $430.
It closed at $430.14 on Monday.
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
