Tesla’s electric-vehicle business has long rested on two pillars: the Model 3 and the Model Y. Meanwhile, the Model S and Model X are being quietly phased out due to their tepid sales, but the brand’s most expensive models will receive a special edition reserved for a select few.
They are the ‘Signature Series‘, featuring exclusive colors, gold detailing, premium upholstery, and the Plaid model’s technical specifications. And Tesla, which has already seen resales become everyday fare for the Cybertruck, will require buyers to sign a resale non-agreement.
Units priced at $159,000, and the resale penalty for selling before a year, astronomical
This special edition is not available to the general public: only invited Tesla owners will be able to purchase one (we don’t know who they are, but it’s probably not the building superintendent). And these fortunate buyers will have to sign an agreement before taking delivery.
According to Electrek, Tesla requires buyers of its Model S and Model X ‘Signature Edition’ to sign a “Non-Resale Agreement” that ultimately contemplates a fine of $50,000 or the total resale value, whichever is greater, if they resell the vehicle within the first year. A strategy it had already attempted to apply to the Cybertruck in 2023, when units began to appear for around $300,000, but which it eventually abandoned.
The conditions are as follows: “if unforeseen circumstances force a sale, buyers must notify Tesla in writing and grant the company a reasonable window to repurchase the vehicle at the original purchase price, minus $0.25 per mile driven, normal wear and tear, and the cost of bringing the vehicle up to Tesla’s used-vehicle aesthetic and mechanical standards.” If Tesla declines to repurchase the car but authorizes the sale to a third party, the buyer may only proceed “after receiving written consent from Tesla”.
And if the contract is breached, penalties for damages apply, along with a ban on the buyer from future Tesla purchases.
This special edition marks the definitive farewell after 14 years of production for what were once its flagship models. Only 250 units of the Model S and 100 of the Model X Signature will be built, all in an exclusive Burgundy Red color with gold accents, white Alcantara interior, or identification plates indicating the unit number within the limited series.
Both models are priced at $159,420 and include the Luxe package, which offers full autonomous driving (supervised), lifetime Supercharging, four years of Premium Service, and lifetime Premium connectivity.
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