Body Kits
Installing a Tesla Model S Refresh Fascia with Unplugged Performance
On an overcast December morning, two days before Christmas, I came face to face with the only text message that could pry me away from a fresh box of Randy’s Donuts. It was Avi. Avi Fischer, Managing Partner at Tesla tuning company Unplugged Performance. And he had something to tell me.
Avi and I had hung out months earlier at Tesla’s Gigafactory Grand Opening Event in Sparks, Nevada. It was during that event, amid a deluge of Tesla early adopters and their plus-ones on-site for bacon-wrapped weenies and free drinks, that I first learned of Unplugged Performance’s plan to begin producing the company’s Refresh Front Fascia kit. The Los Angeles-based carbon fiber-obsessed tuning company bills itself as the world leader in premium performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, and they were on a mission to transform the face of all nosecone-equipped “Classic” Model S cars into a modern-day look.
“There’s some Refresh Fascias getting installed in case you want to drop in,” reads the impromptu invite sent to me via text message. Avi had invited me to take a look at the first production batch of their new body kit. I have to see this thing, I think to myself. It helped that Los Angeles was eerily quiet with no signs of life at the time, which also meant no traffic.
Arriving at the shop and passing the familiar Tesla Design Center, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on display, and a near-complete Hyperloop test track, I come across two Model S vehicles staged side-by-side that couldn’t look more different.
“Can you believe these are the same cars?” says Ben Schaffer, CEO, and founder of Unplugged Performance. “Woah” is the only response that comes to mind. With camera in hand and thoughts of my apple fritter waiting for me back at home, I quickly begin snapping away at the polarizing duo.
Side-by-side comparison of a 2014 Tesla Model S fitted with Unplugged Performance’s Refresh Front Fascia (left) and the other in factory form (right)
Both vehicles are the same year and model except one’s outfitted with the company’s newest Refresh Front Fascia System. According to Unplugged Performance, Tesla Model S vehicles produced between 2012 and May 2016, with and without Autopilot hardware, are eligible for the $2,995 upgrade.
“Everything transfers over from your current car,” says Ben while filming a video the company was planning to publish that day. “Fits naturally, fits easily, looks like stock and everything just works! It’s been a very very long, challenging process to make something as perfect as we could.”
When asked about some of the key differentiators that set their kit apart from the official Tesla Model S body style, Ben is quick to point out that the team has incorporated more aggressive design elements including a built-in lower lip, while maintaining the general essence of a new Model S but with Unplugged Performance design cues. The company plans to develop a lower front lip spoiler, identical to the one molded into the Refresh Front Fascia system, for Model S vehicles with the newer body style.
Beyond the styling update, Ben notes that the team has painstakingly designed a system that will “just bolt right on.” From the factory Tesla emblem to the bumper supports and factory body clips, everything is designed to align perfectly, according to Ben. They’ve even gone as far as building a quick-release mechanism that will provide access to the vehicle’s often problematic 12V battery, in the event of an emergency that requires access to the jump-start terminals. Access is typically gained through the removal of the plastic nose cone.
At this point, Avi returns and welcomes me into the shop so that I can bear witness to the process of transforming an older Model S into a new one. “You’re going to see the first-ever Refresh front fascia retrofit.”
What followed over the next hour was a team of two working on installing Unplugged’s new kit. Sensing some trepidation among the workers performing the retrofit – the technicians later told me that it was their first time installing a production piece onto a customer car – quickly faded as factory components, piece by piece, began to bolt seamlessly onto the Refresh Front Fascia System.
The result was nothing short of amazing. After roughly 50-minutes of work, the familiar appearance of a Model S that’s been around for four years suddenly rose with new life. I can hear the guys working on the vehicle joke about the Model S receiving a $50k upgrade, referring to the price difference between a used “Classic” Model S and one with the new body style.
I’ve provided some photos showing the unpainted Refresh Front Fascia being installed onto the Model S.
Unplugged Performance tells me that they aim to break away from the traditional mold of the modern-day tuner that, arguably, rides the Tesla train to turn a quick buck. Instead of producing smaller, high-volume accessories, Unplugged Performance aims to stay focused on producing high-end premium modifications for the smaller subset of discerning owners that might be looking for something a little more unique, and won’t mind paying for it.
“Can you come home now?” reads a text message sent over an hour ago from my better half. “We need to take your parents out to eat. They’re hungry.”
You may have seen the formerly wrecked, then gutted 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid that had most of its body cut off and set the quarter mile record back in August, but now, it is a completely different creation dubbed the “Plaidessey.”
YouTube channel BoostedBoiz is making another major change by chopping off what little remained of the Plaid and dropping a 2001 Honda Odyssey body onto what’s left to create the “ultimate sleeper.”
In all fairness, the Odyssey body actually fits pretty well over the Model S, with less than two inches separating the wheelbase and only minor changes needed for the fenders.
One hurdle was the B pillar of the van not lining to where the Model S had its B pillar, but once the front windshield of the Model S was cut off, it made the accessibility into the car much easier.
The “Plaidessey” halfway through the changes (Credit: BoostedBoiz YouTube)
Before this major alteration, they set the Model S Plaid quarter mile world record by running 8.71 seconds down the dragstrip after cutting off the body and adding an aluminum shell to help with aerodynamics.
After setting the world record, they ran into another problem with the suspension getting stuck in low mode and even took it by a couple of Tesla dealerships in Florida to see if they could help with the issue. Unsurprisingly they weren’t able to get much help considering the changes made.
They were eventually able to enlist the help of Electrified Garage to help narrow down their issues and get a replacement part shipped out to fix the suspension.
Check out the transformation on the BoostedBoiz’s channel below!
What do you think of this creation from a 2022 Model S Plaid turned “Cyberkart” and now the “Plaidessey?”
Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.
The Tesla Model S was a subject of a conversion project at Ares’ Design, turning the flagship sedan into a stunning two-door convertible.
The Model S was Tesla’s second car behind the original Roadster from 2008. Since its original release in 2012, Tesla has made several small refinements to the car. One of the most notable is the omittance of the nosecone in favor of a new, more modern design. Tesla implemented this change in 2016, and it has been highly-accepted among the community.
Recently, rumors of a refresh to the Model S design have been circulating within the Tesla community. Because the flagship sedan and subsequent Model X vehicles have not been updated in several years, Tesla may be considering updating the design. While possibilities are endless and everyone has their opinion on what should be done, the folks at Ares Design in Modena, Italy put their own spin on the Model S, ridding it of the rear passenger doors and doing away with the top of the car.
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- Credit: Ares Design
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- Credit: Ares Design
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- Credit: Ares Design
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- Credit: Ares Design
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- Credit: Ares Design
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- Credit: Ares Design
The project started with the removal of the roof and central B-pillars, along with the rear doors. The wheelbase was then shortened to make the two-door design more reasonably aesthetic, and Ares designed their own doors that were fabricated to the specifications of the newly-refined Model S chassis. Structural reinforcements were added as well to ensure the safety of passengers.
Paired with interior upgrades that include new seating and a colorful new steering wheel with matching accents, the Model S from Ares is certainly one of the more interesting revisions to Tesla’s flagship sedan. However, it isn’t an ugly or unruly conversion by any means. However, some enthusiasts may have something to say about the revisions to the Model S’ design, as it was many early Tesla enthusiasts first EV.
Ares has many projects that will fit the taste of nearly every automotive enthusiast on Earth. With projects that span from Tesla to Lamborghini, there are several different routes the design studio has taken over the years to ensure the satisfaction of their customers and fans.
“At Ares, our co-create philosophy allows clients to work side by side with our designers and engineers to create their very own bespoke vehicle, a service that is unique to ARES,” CEO Dany Bahar said in a statement on the company’s website. “This Tesla project is a superb example of this; it was a pure coachbuilding project which we very much enjoy doing and seeing the results of our uncompromising standards.”
What do you think? Leave a comment down below. Got a tip? Email us at tips@teslarati.com or reach out to me at joey@teslarati.com.
A Tesla Model 3 Performance with modifications from EV tuning house Unplugged Performance has achieved an elusive feat. During a run in Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit, a location famed for its twists and turns, the modified all-electric sedan managed to beat the record of a legendary naturally aspirated supercar, the McLaren F1, with an impressive lap time of 1:03.3.
What’s rather interesting is that the Model 3 Performance was actually in its street settings when it was brought to the track, and its driver was a neophyte with electric cars. While the vehicle had a slew of modifications, the Model 3 was not tuned or modified specially for the Tsukuba Circuit. It was even equipped with OEM tires from a Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997), which are good on the track but also great for regular driving.
The Model 3 that was used for the Tsukuba Circuit run was the same car that Unplugged Performance brought to the Tokyo Auto Salon. The vehicle, which belongs to Tesla owner enthusiast Erik Strait and dubbed as the Model 3 Ascension R, was brought over to Japan this January following its showcase at the SEMA 2019 show. The all-electric car was showcased in Japan as a way to demonstrate how classic tuning methods could be applied for high-performance EVs.
It should be noted that its record-breaking lap was not the first time Unplugged Performance’s Model 3 Ascension R was brought to Tsukuba Circuit. After its appearance at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the vehicle was brought to the track, where it came close to beating the McLaren F1’s lap record with a time of 1:04.7. This was just one-tenth of a second slower than the McLaren F1’s record of 1:04.6.
While the McLaren F1 is no longer the world’s fastest supercar today, the vehicle remains one of the most formidable forces of automotive engineering ever created. The car, which saw production between 1992 to 1998, was considered groundbreaking and insane at the same time. In 1998, the F1 took the title as the world’s fastest production car with a speed of 240.1 mph, and it held on to its crown until it was beaten by the Koenigsegg CCR in 2005. Even decades after its release, the McLaren F1 remains the world’s fastest naturally-aspirated production car in the industry.
For Unplugged Performance CEO Ben Shaffer, The Tesla Model 3 Ascension R is a love song of sorts to his background in JDM vehicles. It’s a fast electric car that is very capable on the track, of course, but it is also a proper road car that can be used for everyday driving.
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