Skip to main content

Unplugged Performance, ‘the AMG of Tesla,’ transforms Model S into dynamic street tuner

The average Telsa Model S customer is affluent, educated, and progressive in some form of the word. The car itself projects an image of luxury, class, and distinction, but that’s only scratching the surface of the Tesla’s potential.

Enter Unplugged Performance, a Model S tuner that has transformed the luxurious liftback into a heavily stylized tuner car for the street. To do so, Unplugged sculpted a new front fascia for the car, fitted new 21-inch wheels, and modified the plush, high-tech interior for improved comfort and flair.

The differences to the front bumper are apparent right off the bat, as the modified stern is much more angular and aggressive than before. The familiar oval nosecone is significantly sharper and more diamond-like now, and the foglight surrounds wouldn’t look out of place on a Mercedes S63 AMG.

Unlike AMG, however, Unplugged Performance hasn’t added any significant performance enhancements to its donor car. In fairness, it’s not exactly as easy as bolting on a new exhaust with an electric, and worthwhile performance enhancements (additional motors, modified transmissions) are extremely costly and complicated.

The company claims the aerodynamics have been improved though, as a ram air ducting system has been integrated into the bumper for increased cooling.

According to the company, the interior was completely gutted and reimagined, however the steering wheel and dual monitor infotainment system look to be carryovers. Unplugged has added a slick carbon fiber finish to the wheel, and the Alcantara leather, suede dashboard, and prototype sports seats look top-notch.

There’s no cost information yet, but you can bet the Model S’ price tag won’t go anywhere but up underneath Unplugged Performance’s banner. The tweaked Tesla is currently being displayed at the 2014 SEMA Show.

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Watch Elon Musk’s high-speed start to Tesla’s Model S Plaid delivery event
Elon Musk at the delivery event for Tesla's Model S Plaid sedan.

Tesla held its Model S Plaid delivery event on Thursday, June 10.

Model S Plaid Delivery Event

Read more
2020 Tesla Model S vs. 2020 Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3

Tesla's Model S and Model 3 are both electric and packed with cutting-edge technology. While they overlap in some areas, they're completely different cars that share very few common parts. The S is much older, considerably bigger, and a lot more expensive than the 3, which likely explains why it's outsold by its smaller sibling.

Here's how Tesla's two sedans compare on paper.

Read more
A gaming Tesla? New Model S to use same GPU as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
Displays in a Tesla Model S.

Tesla's newly redesigned Model S sedan for 2021 could be the perfect road trip companion. Alongside a top cruising speed of 200 miles per hour, you're also getting the power of Sony's PlayStation 5 inside your ride to keep you entertained for the entire journey.

In its press announcement in late January, Tesla didn't reveal which processor or GPU will be powering its 2021 Model S, but we are now learning that the rig could be powered by the same AMD graphics architecture found across game consoles and PCs. A leaked schematic posted by Patrick Schur revealed Tesla could be using AMD's Navi 23 graphics processor inside the new Model S, which would mean that the car would share the same RDNA 2 architecture as some popular gaming systems.

Read more