Unplugged Performance is known for jazzing up Teslas to make them a bit sportier, slicker, or simply fitting for the unique individual consumer who orders the aftermarket upgrade. As we noticed during our interview with Unplugged Performance founder and CEO Ben Schaffer a couple of months ago, Unplugged Performance is in a pretty lucky spot, sitting right next door to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne, California. As such, it’s in a rather unique position whereby staff mingle not only with plenty of Tesla owners, but also Tesla staff, leading to some pretty wicked designs that fit the car well.
The latest news from Unplugged Performance just came out, and Ben was kind enough to send the press release over asap. From the email sent my way: “The Refresh Fascia provides previous generation Model S owners an opportunity to experience that new car feeling once again. The new look follows Tesla’s new nosecone-free aerodynamic design and features an integrated front spoiler. This distinctive front spoiler amplifies the performance identity of the car and distinguishes it as a premium version, consistent with the ethos of all Unplugged products.”
Word only say so much, though. Have a look at these images of the refresh upgrade:
Unplugged tells us that its previous front fascia design has been its top seller. I have a feeling it won’t take long for this one to surpass it.
You can say Unplugged got a bit lucky by deciding to focus on what is now such a hot product, but a better way to put it in this case would probably be to say that Ben had great foresight and was smart to make a strong move so early on. He and his crew were the first to build original custom parts for the Model S.
For a bit more background on Unplugged’s newest offering:
“To ensure the success of this new project, Unplugged has leveraged their extensive R&D and experience and taken a multi-pronged approach to development. First, a prototype was fitted on Unplugged’s 2015 spec Model S P85D for multiple weeks of successful Autopilot testing as well as earlier models to test parking sensors and earlier vehicle fitment. Second, the company utilized the latest in 3D scanning technology to precisely reproduce the prototype bumper and the car for further dialing in of the finalized design. Finally, Unplugged’s designers have worked in conjunction with real world and digital data to develop a final cutting edge, sporty design that checks all the boxes.”
And here’s a bit from Ben himself: “Our clients represent the most passionate Tesla owners on the planet; we’ve earned their support year after year by continually creating products that make their cars distinctively special. For our Refresh Fascia we began with Tesla’s newest design language as a foundation and worked to elevate it into an even more distinguished design.”
With the number of Teslas getting on the road these days, I’m sure many a buyer would love to stand out a bit more through Unplugged Performance’s high-quality and inspired work.
Ah, and the important question: What’s the price? The price is $2995, but it’s cut down to $2495 for anyone who pre-orders it before July 1, 2016. Also note that $300 reservation fee is all that’s required, and that the company will ship the product across the world.
Here are a few more details: “All buyers will receive the full system which is guaranteed to be compatible with all Tesla Model S vehicles from 2012 until May 2016. Shipments are targeted to begin by end of summer 2016. Multiple reservations for customers are not allowed, nor is reselling reservations.”
Want to order one of these beauties? Head over to www.unpluggedperformance.com.
Want to learn more about Unplugged Performance? Check out my interview with Ben here: