Tesla has just introduced a new entry level car, but before you fire up your laptop to order one, you should know it’s even more expensive than Tesla’s current starter vehicle. The car it announced on Wednesday is called the Tesla Model S 70D and the new entry-level Model S will have a starting price of $74,900.
Tesla is all geared up the new 70D, a replacement for the entry-level Model S that gets more range and adds a second motor an all-wheel drive version with 514hp on tap.
The “D” stands for dual motor, which will come standard. The car has all-wheel-drive, 514 hp allowing the Model S to sprint from zero to 60mph in just 5.2 seconds and reaching a top speed of 140mph and a 240 mile driving range. In comparison, the previous base Model S 60 had 380hp driving only its rear wheels, a 208 miles of range and a 0-60mph time of 5.9seconds.
Previously, Model S customers would have been tempted to peruse the options menu looking at cheap-ish upgrades for their new ride. With the 70D, a lot of that technology has been absorbed into the price, specifically to banish customer worries about performance and range.Tesla chief Elon Musk says the Model S 70D represents a “slight price increase, but a huge value increase. Also “Customers wanted something that had more range and they really wanted all-wheel drive”. The Model S 70D goes on sale today and will begin shipping to customers in late May.
Tesla has an aggressive sales target of 55,000 vehicles by end of year for 2015, which is above its existing pace of quarterly unit sales, and the 70D is likely an attempt to juice sales numbers at the entry-level of the line, which has traditionally lagged those of the higher end versions.Tesla has also added three new colors to choose from: Ocean Blue, Obsidian Black, and Warm Silver.
