Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk certainly kept the crowd guessing at Vanity Fair's New Establishment Summit Wednesday when referring to his recent ambiguous tweet that his electric-car company would "unveil the D and something else," steering clear of any specifics.
ELON MUSK: "I actually would've said the other thing, but it would've been too obvious. That's the reason I didn't say the other—"
ASPEN INSTITUTE'S WALTER ISAACSON: "What's the letter for the other thing?"
ELON MUSK: "I can't say what the letter is."
ASPEN INSTITUTE'S WALTER ISAACSON: "Ok, and what does 'D' stand for?"
ELON MUSK: "Ummm. "
Well, the guessing games are finally over. Let's take a spin with Engadget in the new Tesla P85D at its big unveiling.
"Wow that was fast."
Tesla's new dual-motor, all-wheel drive, powerhouse version of the Tesla Model S can reportedly blaze a trail from zero to 60 mph in about three seconds.
That explosive acceleration is comparable to premium sports cars like Lamborghini and Ferrari. (Video via Auto Express)
Ars Technica says the second motor will also help the car gain better traction in inclement weather, which could make the vehicle more attractive to consumers living in northern climates.
So what about the "something else" Musk was referring to last week? Well, it turns out to be some autonomous driving features.
He told USA Today Thursday the improved safety features in the debuting Tesla models include a "new system [that] will move the car over a lane when the driver uses the turn signal" and a feature that "reads speed-limit signs and adjusts the car to the speed on the sign."
Now, aside from those enhanced features, Musk isn't taking the leap and calling the new models full-blown self-driving cars as many people were expecting the "D" to stand for. On the other hand, he did tell CNN recently Tesla's self-driving cars are in the works.
ELON MUSK: "Autonomous cars will definitely be a reality. A Tesla car next year will probably be 90 percent capable of auto pilot. ... For sure highway travel."
And for those interested in purchasing, the new Tesla P85D becomes available for pre-order now with delivery in December at a cash upfront price of a little over $94,000.
This video contains images from Getty Images.
