New Tesla base model includes all-wheel drive, longer range 

Source: By The Associated Press • Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2015

Tesla has upgraded the base model of its electric car to include all-wheel drive and more range and power in an effort to attract luxury car buyers.

The new features will bump up the price of the Model S base model by 7 percent, to $75,000. The base lease price will increase to $838 from $796 per month.

Starting today, Tesla will stop selling its old base Model S called the 60, which was a rear-drive car with 380-horsepower motor that could travel 208 miles on a single charge.

The new model, called the 70-D, has 514 horsepower and can go 240 miles per charge.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted that electric car buyers are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit that brings the price of the new 70-D down to $67,500 — competitive with BMW’s midsize 5 Series, if you also consider savings from not buying gasoline.

Most luxury cars are sold in the Northeast, where colder temperatures make four-wheel drive a must-have for many drivers.

“It’s also good in warm climates where there’s heavy rain or slippery roads for any reason,” Musk said (Tom Krisher, Associated Press, April 8). — AW