What's all this about?
It had to happen, didn't it?
Eh? What had to happen?
Well, we're moving from the age of internal combustion into the age of electric cars. Now, if you happen to be an aftermarket tuning company - specialising in bigger turbos, naughtier exhausts, lowering kits and deep-dish alloys that need several spacers just to avoid rubbing in a car's arches - then the future might look bleak. Unleeeeeess... you decide to start tuning electric cars.
Oh, come on, now! How do you tune an electric car?!
You make it look different and supposedly handle better. So, enter stage left, German tuning house Novitec. Having already offered a range of personalisation options for the Model X crossover, now the company has turned its attentions to the Model S.
Really? OK, what's first on the menu?
A set of exposed carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) aerodynamic additions, in the form of a front splitter, side skirts, a rear lip spoiler for the bootlid and a diffuser too. Novitec claims that not only do these improve the appearance and 'stance' of the car, they also promote high-speed stability. A point worth noting here - these items only fit the facelifted 2016 Model S onwards, so if you were an early adopter of this American EV, you're going to be left disappointed.
Hmm, depends on what you think of a load of carbon add-ons. What else does Novitec have?
A set of 21-inch forged alloys called the NV2s, designed in conjunction with American wheel manufacturer Vossen (geddit?! Novitec and Vossen... NV... oh, never mind!). Now, before you just dismiss these rims as gaudy tinsel for the Model S, bear in mind that each wheel has its five double-spokes specifically designed to be in the most aerodynamically optimal position for the car at any given moment, relative to body airflow and brake cooling; therefore, each individual wheel is manufactured for a specific corner of the car. Clever, eh? Tyre sizes for these 21-inch whoppers, by the way, are relatively slender 245/35 ZR21s on the front axles and 265/35 ZR21s at the rear.
All right, I'm starting to become more intrigued. What are we going to look at next?
Suspension and brakes. Novitec offers two systems for the former, a coilover kit for Model S cars without air suspension that lowers the car by up to 40mm and allows the driver to choose between three damper settings (Comfort, Normal and Sport) by pressing a button in the cabin. And then a Novitec module for the air suspension-equipped Teslas, which can drop the car by 25mm if you so desire. As for the brakes, carbon-ceramic stoppers are offered: the Variant 1 kit focuses on the leading axle, bringing in 380mm x 34mm vented discs and six-piston fixed calipers; while Variant 2 also changes the rear brakes, with the introduction of 360mm x 28mm discs and four-pot calipers.
Is that all Novitec offers for the Tesla Model S?
Nope. Finally, you can tailor the cockpit of the EV with a range of high-end leather or Alcantara finishes in a variety of colours, while there are different designs of upholstery layout and decorative topstitching. For more information on any of this stuff, head on over to www.novitec.com.
Matt Robinson - 15 Dec 2017
