Known for making American muscle cars incredibly fast, Saleen has announced that they will be partnering with Tesla Motors to make a modified Model S all-electric sports sedan. Renderings aren’t currently available, but Saleen claim they have an all-new design that will be built atop the Model S, making them one of the first all-electric vehicle tuners to bring a vehicle to market.
The Model S is not currently a slouch, but Saleen are going to apply their tuner knowledge to it.
It is no secret that the Tesla Model S is a bit of a performance sleeper. Just recently, a video started circulating the web showing a Model S P85 drag racing a Corvette Stingray Z51. Although the Model S is heavier, and more expensive, it has nearly identical straight-line performance as the Corvette, which is designed to be a full-on sports car.
This announcement also has us wondering what changes can be made to the Model S to make it faster? The programming of the on-board computer should be very specific to the battery and electric motor combination that is currently in the vehicle. We would imagine that close work with Tesla Motors will be required in order to etch out some extra performance. Surely though, extra performance would decrease range, which is a primary concern for those who purchase electric vehicles.
We are definitely interested in seeing what Saleen will do to the Model S, and will be following the developments as they progress. The Model S is already a bit bonkers; making it faster should improve the perception of all-electric vehicles and performance.