Shelly Palmer

Tesla’s “The D” is a High-End AWD Model S

After teasing the Internet with a poorly-worded Twitter announcement earlier in the week, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk this evening unveiled a new optional powertrain configuration for the entire line of the company’s flagship Model S sedans: dual motors, powering all four wheels. After making a few good-natured jokes about how he recently received a crash-course in the colloquial meaning of “the D,” Musk kicked off the event by having a factory robot hoist an all-wheel drive Model S frame up from beneath the stage. USA Today jumped the gun with their announcement summary, and the report proved accurate. All-wheel drive will be an available option on all Model S trim levels and the new top-end P85D version will have a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds. It will also feature a small increase in range, to 275 miles, over its rear-wheel drive predecessor.

Read the full story at Ars Technica.