We have here another spyshot of the upcoming Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ facelift, testing in Palo Alto, California, courtesy of Canada-based Drive Tesla’s X account. Peeking through a cut-out (intentional?) in the rear cladding is the warm glow of the rear light bar – widely expected to be full width.
Chinese news sources say the car is about to start production at the Shanghai Gigafactory (where Malaysian Teslas come from), with Car News China quoting a Weibo blogger as saying that closed-loop production for the facelift was due to kick off October 22, 2024 at a 12-unit-a-day rate. Following that revelation, a source familiar with the matter told the publication that mass production was set to start in late-November 2024.
Will ‘Juniper’ launch this year? Tesla previously issued a memo to dealers saying that the car wouldn’t reach North American showrooms in 2024, but another Weibo blogger said it could come earlier than expected. Well, 2024 is over, and Tesla may well be mirroring the approach it took with the Model 3 ‘Highland’ facelift, launching the car globally first before launching in North America a few months later.
Expect far-reaching cosmetic changes – a previous purported spyshot showed the car with a full-width taillight bar and a cleaner tailgate design (meaning that the number plate recess has likely been moved down to the bumper) – mirroring the newer Cybertruck and Robotaxi.
Also expected is a completely redesigned face and a revamped interior that takes a page from the Model 3 ‘Highland’, such as a new three-spoke steering wheel, no indicator and wiper stalks, customisable ambient lighting, a larger 15-inch infotainment touchscreen and an eight-inch rear touchscreen. You can also look forward to several improvements to increase aerodynamic efficiency (which should lead to greater range figures) and reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
Many of these changes have already been quietly implemented into the current 2024 model, including all-round double glazing. Last but not least, you can expect a spicier Performance model than the last, featuring more powerful motors, adaptive dampers, more aggressive styling and bucket seats for the first time. There could also be a new variant with six seats from late-2025.
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