Tesla Model S
Tesla S60 vs S85: Feature Comparison
I had the opportunity to compare the Tesla Model S 60 which I received as a service loaner against my S 85. The loaner was in silver which I never even considered. The silver color swatches in the Tesla store never looked all that great to me, however I can tell you that a silver Model S looks great in person.
I have no regrets on choosing the grey over silver but this re-enforces the fact that you should always try and see the cars in person at your local Tesla delivery center, especially if you’re on the fence between two colors.
Tesla S 60 Performance
The S60 has the smallest battery amongst the Model S line up. Right off the bat I can tell the units of measurement on the dash are a bit different than the S 85 which likely takes into account this lower capacity and differences in regenerative braking capabilities. I didn’t notice much of a performance difference between the the S60 and S85 but then again I didn’t push it too hard. The car was plenty fun to drive.
I didn’t buy the S85 for faster 0-60 times. Rather I bought it for the extended range capabilities. I think the performance of the S60 would have been perfectly fine for me had I taken that route.
Regenerative Braking
A surprising character of the S60 is that its regenerative braking is much less aggressive than that of the S85 even when set in “Standard” mode. I love the way regenerative braking slows my S85 down to the point that I rarely need to use the brakes at all, but the S60 just didn’t have that same feel.
Handling
The loaner S60 was equipped with the Smart Air Suspension package which I opted not to get on my S85. The feature currently costs $2,250 USD at the time of order.
I played with raising and lowering the ride height of the car while the it was parked. The doors can not be open when you toggle through ride heights and as a result it’s a bit difficult to observe.
The changes in ride height are pretty small — just a few inches, but nonetheless it was cool to be able to raise and lower the car from the touch screen.
The low setting is definitely lower than a Model S with the standard suspension.
“it was cool to be able to raise and lower the car from the touch screen.”
The high and normal setting appeared to be equivalent in height to the standard suspension, at least at a glance. While that extra bit of height may help with in situations when ground clearance is absolutely needed, I’ve never had an issue bottoming out or clearing a reasonable curb with my standard suspension. The bottoming out argument seems like a pretty invalid reason to buy this option to me.
I tried driving around with the various settings and some seemed to reset themselves after the car began moving. I didn’t get a whole lot of time to play with each setting, but you could feel the difference in ride height while driving. I can’t say that I preferred one setting over another with the time I had. I also didn’t get a chance to play with the jack mode.
MUST READ: Revealing the Most Popular Tesla Model S Configuration
The ride felt smoother on the S60 than my S85. Whether this was due to the smart air suspension or perhaps the difference in the weight is unknown to me, but I did like the way the S60 handled a bit better than my S85 with the standard suspension. After switching back to my S85 I was still very happy with its handling and didn’t miss the air suspension.
I had active suspension in my MDX and on that car it was a barely noticeable gimmick. On the Model S air suspension seems to be much more “real” but also seems to me to be less practical than other options. Also maintenance costs on active suspension options are notoriously high which was the main reason I skipped the option.
Features
The S60 was equipped with the upgraded with the Ultra High Fidelity Sound System. I’m not an audiophile by any means and other than a visible “dolby” logo on one of the screens along with an XM option for radio I couldn’t tell any difference in the sound or function. Unfortunately the XM radio (and Slacker!) in the loaner were not configured so I couldn’t try out those services. I never considered getting the better sound system and have no regets there. The standard sound system on the Model S is excellent.
ALSO SEE: Tesla Center Console Insert Review
The S60 also had the yacht floor installed. Depending on what decor you have the price for this can range from $650 to $850 US. I really didn’t like this at all. I found things still slid around on the yacht floor despite the rubber “rails” and the gloss black version they had installed showed all sorts of dirt/dust. Personally i’d like either a real center console or an all weather mat insert for this area. I think the yacht floor is a complete waste of money.
Summary
It was great of Tesla to lend me a car while they did the service and I really enjoyed being able to check out some extra features on my own time. I was really hoping for a loaded P85+ to review or even a Roadster but no such luck this time. Overall my impressions of the S60 loaner left me very happy with the choices I made for my own car and I was happy to get it back quickly.
Cybertruck
Tesla Mobile App gets a new feature that wrap fans are going to love
Tesla’s Summer Update removes the USB drive step from customizing your car’s digital wrap design.
Tesla’s latest 2026 Summer Update quietly closes out one of the more tedious steps in personalizing a Tesla’s digital appearance. Uploading a custom wrap design used to require a USB drive. Now it doesn’t.
The feature is listed in Tesla’s release notes as “Send Custom Wraps from Mobile App.” The company described it plainly: “Skip the USB drive and upload a custom wrap of your car from the mobile app. Instructions for creating a custom wrap here: github.com/teslamotors/custom-wraps.”
The digital wrap tool has been around since Tesla’s 2024 Holiday Update, when it launched for Cybertruck owners first, as Teslarati reported at the time. Getting a design onto the car meant formatting a USB drive, creating a folder named exactly “Wraps,” dropping in PNG files sized between 512×512 and 1024×1024 pixels and under 1 MB each, then plugging the drive in and applying the wrap through Toybox. Tesla expanded the tool to other models and renamed it from “Colorizer” to “Paint Shop” with the 2025 Holiday Update, while also adding license plate and window tint customization alongside the wraps.
Custom wraps via mobile app https://t.co/5OydZ26g9p pic.twitter.com/uexU0ZePxu
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 22, 2026
The latest Summer Update removes the USB step from that process. Owners will be able to pull a design from wherever they saved it, whether that’s a download from social media or something built from Tesla’s own GitHub templates, and push it to the car directly through the app.
Tesla reveals 2026 Summer Update with crazy fixes to Nav and more
It’s a small fix relative to the rest of this latest release, which also included expanded Grok voice commands, automatic navigation that learns regular routes, and self-driving stats inside the mobile app, all detailed in our rundown of the full Summer Update. The USB requirement was one of the more common complaints about Paint Shop since it launched. Tesla did not say when the wrap upload change would reach individual vehicles, only that the broader update is rolling out now in waves.
A Tesla owner who purchased a Model S Signature Edition, one of the final 250 units of the all-electric flagship vehicle that the company discontinued earlier this year, is attempting to sell the car despite a no-resale clause that prohibits reselling for the first year.
The car is being sold by J&S Autohaus in Ewing, New Jersey, and is priced at $260,490, well above the $159,420 that Tesla sold it for earlier this year.
🚨 The first Tesla Model S Signature Edition is up for sale for $260,490
Tesla placed a no-resale clause on the Model S and X Signature, so it will be interesting to see if the company takes any action. https://t.co/N9rKGHnbD6 pic.twitter.com/6FZhDL1KNR
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 14, 2026
To those who do not know, the Model S Signature was a highly exclusive, limited-run farewell variant of the Model S Plaid that was produced this year to mark the end of production of both the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s two flagship vehicles.
Limited to just 250 units with invite-only sales, it serves as a collector’s item celebrating the legacy of the Model S, which helped pioneer Tesla’s electric vehicle success since its 2012 launch.
It bundles top-tier performance with bespoke cosmetic and luxury upgrades, plus Tesla’s Luxe Package. Here’s what the Model S Signature has over the typical Model S Plaid:
- Exclusive Exterior – Unique Garnet Red Paint, matching door handles, gold Tesla “T” badges upfront, gold Plaid and Signature badging at the rear.
- Premium Interior – White Alcantara upholstery with gold piping/accents, gold Plaid seat badges, Signature-marked door sills, individually numbered dashboard plaque, gold puddle lights, special interior lighting sequence, and a custom Signature key fob.
- Performance Upgrades – Carbon-ceramic brakes with gold calipers
- Bundled Luxe Package – Full Self-Driving (Supervised), four years of Premium Connectivity, free lifetime Supercharging
- Performance Metrics – ~1,020 horsepower, sub-2-second 0-60 MPH, ~390-mile range
Tesla quickly introduced a No Resale Agreement for the Signature Editions of the Model S and Model X, which would penalize the seller for “the amount of $50,000 or the value received as consideration for the sale or transfer, whichever is greater.”
The company continues:
“If you sell or otherwise transfer the ownership of your Model S or Model X, the remainder of the Recommended Maintenance, Wheel and Tire Protection Plan, and Windshield Protection Plan will transfer automatically to the buyer. The Full Self-Driving (Supervised), Free Supercharging and Premium Connectivity will not transfer with the vehicle and will terminate once the ownership of the Model S or Model X is transferred.”
Tesla will likely come after the seller, especially as it has been about two months since Tesla launched deliveries.
Lifestyle
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.
The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.
The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.
California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law
For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.
Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.
Tesla’s Supercharger Diner probably just secured more locations
Tesla short sellers win big after shares fall after earnings
