Tesla’s refreshed Model Y Performance has made another appearance on the famous Nürburgring racetrack, undergoing more high-speed testing. A new video from CarSpyMedia provides a clearer look at the upcoming Performance variant.
The Model Y was once again wrapped in the now-familiar white and black camouflage covering the entire vehicle as it was pushed hard on the track. Since the camo doesn’t obscure the design elements of the front and rear bumpers, we now have a better idea of the changes to the Model Y Performance over the AWD version.
Spoiler, Red Calipers, No Aero Ducts
It appears that this prototype was likely the same one that was previously spotted. This means we’re still expecting it to come with a longer spoiler, similar to the legacy Model Y Performance. That spoiler is likely to be made of carbon fiber and will likely also make its way to the Tesla store in the future as a cosmetic add-on. Tesla did something similar when it added the Alcantara dash trim to the Tesla Store, which was initially exclusive to the Launch Series Model Y.
Interestingly, Tesla isn’t including any aggressive-looking aero ducts on this Performance variant, unlike the Model 3 Performance’s unique front fascia. Instead, it appears the red calipers have made a return, which means that Tesla will be bringing larger, performance-tuned brakes to the vehicle.
Oddly, the rear right brake caliper cover was the only one that wasn’t painted red, but this could have been caused by Tesla engineers working on the vehicle while it was on the track.
Tesla is likely focused on the adaptive and actively-damped suspension rather than any particular aerodynamic improvements. We expect Tesla to include an adaptive suspension system similar to the one introduced with the Model 3 Performance. These adaptive suspensions can adjust to driver and road input in real-time with adaptive damping.
Consistent with previous sightings, it appears that Tesla is still equipping this vehicle with new alloy wheels that resemble the Model S’ classic Arachnid wheels, finished in a sleek-looking matte grey.
We expect Tesla to introduce the new Performance Model Y in the upcoming months, so keep a close eye out if you’re in the market for a faster, slightly sleeker Model Y.
