BREAKING: The Tesla Roadster 2.5 Is More Than Just A Few Tweaks

By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Contributing Writer BIO

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield is a self-confessed petrol head. She grew up in a carless family but was able at a very early age to name cars passing her on... More

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Tesla Roadster 2.5

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 Tesla have taken cues from the world of software design as it announces the latest set of upgrades to its world-famous Tesla Roadster. But unlike a minor software upgrade, the Tesla 2.5 model gives customers a whole lot more than a few performance tweaks.

Just days after its IPO and with shares almost doubling in value on the first day of trading, Tesla's charismatic CEO Elon Musk has unveiled a set of upgrades to new Tesla Roadsters as he launches two new stores in Copenhagen Denmark, and Newport Beach, California.

Not only do all new Tesla Roadsters feature the upgrades which Tesla have nicknamed Tesla Roadster 2.5, but where possible, existing Tesla owners will be able to retrofit their existing Tesla Roadsters in a Roadster 2.5 upgrade package.

The Roadster 2.5, a name which gives a cute nod to the company's Silicon Valley roots, features a new, more aggressive, more Ferrari-like front fascia with diffusing vents and rear diffuser, new alloy wheel designs available in black or silver, and a new power control hardware system that overcomes performance issues in very hot climates.

Driver comfort is also upgraded, with new seats featuring more support for both bottom and back. Sound insulation is improved on the Roadster's front fenders, reducing road noise in cabin.

Finally, for the gadget fans, Tesla brings a little from the Tesla S to the Roadster 2.5, with an optional 7 inch touchscreen display with back-up camera to ensure that there are no nasty parking lot prangs as the super-sexy low-slung sports car is reversed out of parking spaces.

According to Tesla, all of the features included in the Roadster 2.5 and Roadster 2.5 upgrade package are a direct response to the feedback it has received from more than 1200 owners and drivers of existing Roadster models who have collectively driven more than five million miles since the original Tesla Roadster was launched in 2008.

The launch is part of Tesla's carefully executed plan to stay at the top of the electric car market as it begins the long process of preparing its 2012 model S for production.

[Tesla]