ModelS Convertible
This is the question I heard from a friend of ours who really loves automotive design, and particularly the Tesla Motors Model S. Do you really want a convertible Model S?
Indeed, the Model S is stunning as is. I met Franz Von Holzhausen back in 2008 when he was designing it and his enthusiasm was communicative. He delighted in the freedom of finally being able to design a car without the constraints of a gasoline engine and fuel tank. He smiled from ear to ear and you could feel the weight of the world had been lifted from this artist’s heart. He continued to say that it allowed him to place the batteries so low, he had all the freedom in the world to do a proper job on the seating position. The he gloated about fitting seven people and shoving a 50 inch screen in the middle, something that left us puzzled.
At the time, no one knew what the Model S looked like, and we wondered about the possibilities. One thing we never predicted was a convertible. Let’s face it, four seat convertibles are not always the sexiest things in town. Only a few rare sedans achieved grace without their tops, and those two-seaters that ballooned to a 2 + 2 didn’t always hit their target. So what would a Tesla Model S convertible look like?
The Model S takes its top off
Newport Convertible Engineering in Huntington Beach, California is about to do what only a few of us would have nightmares about, chomp precious metal off a Model S to turn it into a convertible. Although the company boasts an impressive portfolio of cars tastefully converted to open tops, we can’t help but wonder about the final product. So far, it claims 100 Model S convertibles orders from a Chinese investor. The cost slaps on an extra $29,000 to the grand total.
Meanwhile, Tesla Motors is getting ready to sell the coolest electric vehicle (EV) in China. And if you need leasing, the company now has a direct program to help you get behind the wheel of a Model S.
So, we wonder. Would you cut off your Model S top and turn it into a convertible?
