Tesla delivered a high-performance version of its Model S on Thursday, aiming to reignite interest in the nearly decade-old sedan and fend off rivals such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Lucid Motors in the luxury electric vehicle market.
Tesla redefined electric cars in 2012 when it launched its high-end Model S with a sleek design and long driving range, and chief executive Elon Musk said the new version was designed for a future where cars drove themselves.
"This car crushes," Mr Musk said at an evening delivery event held at Tesla's US factory in Fremont, California.
"It's like, man, this is, just, sustainable energy cars can be the fastest cars, be the safest cars, gonna be the most kick-ass cars in every way."
Mr Musk's irreverent attitude and speeches peppered with engineering terms, have given him a star power he uses to draw attention to the brand, allowing Tesla to avoid advertising.
The model is "faster than any Porsche, safer than any Volvo," said Mr Musk, wearing a black leather jacket, after he drove the Model S Plaid down a test track onto the stage.
He said he expects to produce 1,000 a week next quarter.
Ahead of the event, Tesla raised the price by $10,000 to $129,990 against $79,990 for a long-range Model S.
"The Model S has not been changing a lot in terms of looks over the past almost decade," said Jessica Caldwell, executive director at car information provider Edmunds. "I think Tesla has to offer consumers something more ... like new and fun things."
The launch of the Model S Plaid, which has already been showcased online, has faced delay and some controversy over an expected airplane-style yoke steering wheel. Musk canceled another variant, Model S Plaid+, which would have had a 33 per cent higher driving range than the Model S Plaid and used advanced battery technology, known as 4680 cells.
"The Model S Plaid is definitely intended to help reduce the migration of current Tesla owners out of Tesla," said Ed Kim, vice president at consultancy AutoPacific. "I think what we're seeing now is that Tesla can no longer operate in a vacuum."
He said Model S Plaid is a low-volume, halo model aimed at showcasing the automaker and generating excitement around the sedan, with Tesla needing to successfully roll out new models like Cybertruck and Semi trucks to expand its customer base.
Mr Musk has called the Model S Plaid "the fastest accelerating car ever."
The more powerful sports sedan goes from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kph) in 1.99 seconds and has an estimated driving range of 390 miles (627.6 km).
While it offers little change in body style, the Plaid charges faster at Tesla supercharger stations has a roomier back seat and an improved entertainment system, including what he said was the "level of a PlayStation five."
"If we're thinking about the future where the car is often in autopilot to full self-driving mode, then entertainment is going to become increasingly important. So you're going to want to watch movies, play games, use the internet..."
Tesla delivered only 2,020 Model S/Xs in the first quarter, down from 18,920 the previous quarter, hampered by production delays.
Mr Musk said in April that production of its new Model S and X would be "contingent on global supply chain issues."
Tesla shares rose 1.9 per cent on Thursday ahead of the evening event.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20profile
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
