► Tesla Model X on sale in the UK
► Electric SUV line-up starts at £75k
► Options include seven-seat layout
The Tesla Model X, with its distinctive ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors, is finally on sale in the UK. Prices for the new all-electric SUV start at £74,480, for the entry-level 75D, and deliveries begin in late 2016.
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Over £70k? Jeez. What do you get for your money?
Opt for the ‘basic’ 75D and you’ll get an all-wheel-drive, five-seat SUV that can hit 130mph and sprint from 0-60mph in 6.0sec. Drive it fairly sensibly and, reputedly, it’ll cover 259 miles on a single charge. As its title implies, it comes with a 75kWh battery pack.
Step up to the 90D and the claimed range climbs to 303 miles, while the 0-60mph time falls to 4.8sec. As well as being able to clock 155mph, this 90kWh version also includes air suspension as standard. This version will set you back a substantial £82,780.
Throw down a mighty £100,180 and you’ll net yourself the flagship high-performance P90D. It has a lower range, of 290 miles, but it’ll dispatch the benchmark sprint in just 3.8sec. Little on the road will be able to match it off the line. It also benefits from an active rear spoiler.
Tick the box for the £8700 ’Ludicrous’ pack and this time falls further to 3.2sec, which is almost as quick as a Ferrari 488 GTB. The top speed remains pegged at 155mph, in either instance.
Presumably you can load them with options, too?
As standard the Tesla comes with five seats, with six- and seven-seat arrangements as cost options. Opting for the extra seats adds £2550 or £3400 to the list price respectively, but there is one catch – if you’re going for a 75D, you’ll also have to pay an additional £2200. That’s because the extra seats are claimed to only be available in conjunction with the air-suspension set-up, which isn’t standard on a 75D.
You can add Tesla’s Autopilot system for £2200, a Premium trim package for £3900, a winter pack for £850 or an upgraded sound system for £2200. Tesla also offers a range of packs, including a £650 towing upgrade – although this also requires air suspension.
Anything I need to know before ordering one?
Yes – it might be worth waiting a while. There seems to have been a fair few significant teething troubles with the Model X, including its large windscreen producing a ‘double vision’ effect, erratic media systems, questionable quality and misbehaving Falcon doors – among others.
Time will tell as to whether these are purely initial teething troubles, or signs of more pressing issues as Tesla ups its volumes to meet increasing demand.
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