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Electric

It's the new Tesla Model S!

Well, sort of: super-fast electric saloon gets facelift and cleaner air

Published: 12 Apr 2016

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the brand new Tesla Model S. And by brand new, we mean slightly brand new.

Tesla's all-electric saloon - already capable of going from 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds - has been treated to a slight facelift, as well as benefitting from a few other updates which we shall outline here.

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So, first up is the new fascia and headlights, inspired by the front styling of the falcon-doored Tesla Model X SUV. Looks clean, no? There are two brand new interior options too - 'figured ash wood' or 'dark ash wood'.

Then comes a boost in charging power. The Model S's standard charger gets upgraded from 40 amps to 48 amps, which means faster charging when connected to higher amp sources.

Finally, we're told the new Model S gets a HEPA air-filtration system - previously only available on Model X - which is apparently 100 times more effective than all other filters. So you can quite literally breathe easy.

The changes will go into production today, meaning any new Model S ordered will fit the above spec.

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There are no updates to the power or performance, or indeed any clue as to the rumoured 'P100D' variant. Still, the fastest Model S you can buy - the P90D with the 'Ludicrous' mode optioned - provides 259bhp to the front wheels and 503bhp to the rear pair. Which is a lot. It's also quite good, as we found out earlier this year.

"As always, we will continue to add new features and functionality to Model S through over-the-air software updates," Tesla told TopGear.com. "And, as always, software updates are free throughout the life of the vehicle."

So, tell us: do you like the look of the new Model S, or did you prefer the older one?

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