Unplugged Performance Protects Tesla Model S Plaid Signature Edition #001
From the personal collection of Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen, the Model S Signature Edition receives top treatment at the Unplugged Performance Auto Spa…
At its Hawthorne headquarters in California, Unplugged Performance recently applied its comprehensive protection program to Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen’s personal Model S Plaid Signature Edition #001, the first of just 250 produced as part of the final production run of the Model S.
Von Holzhausen is the designer whose vision helped shape the Model S from its earliest development into the vehicle that would establish much of Tesla’s modern design language. More than a decade after the Model S first entered production, Signature Edition #001 represents the beginning of its final chapter and a deep personal connection with its designer, company officials stated in a press release.
The protection program from the Unplugged Performance Auto Spa encompasses paint protection film, ceramic coating and window film to protect the vehicle while remaining faithful to the designer’s original intent.
A Return Customer: Prior Performance Work on the Model 3
Many years earlier, von Holzhausen brought his personal red Model 3 to Unplugged Performance, where it received a collection of performance enhancements, including coil-over suspension, sway bars, adjustable suspension components and carbon ceramic brakes. As the designer responsible for the Model 3, von Holzhausen had already defined the visual character of the automobile. Unplugged Performance concentrated much of its work on customizing the way the car handled, responded and performed while leaving the integrity of the original design intact.
Years later, the arrival of his Model S Plaid Signature Edition #001 represented a continuation of that philosophy from a different perspective, the release noted. Where the Model 3 project centered on performance alterations, the Model S called for preservation of a collector’s car.
Protection Process: Decontamination, PPF, Ceramic Coating & Window Film
To begin the process, the Model S underwent an extensive preparation and decontamination process. Each panel of Signature Edition #001 was carefully cleaned, chemically decontaminated and inspected before installation began.
At the heart of the protection program was XPEL ULTIMATE PLUS paint protection film, applied to create a physical barrier between the original finish and the minor impacts, road debris, scratches and everyday wear associated with driving.
Following the completion and inspection of the paint protection film installation, the vehicle received a comprehensive ceramic coating treatment. While paint protection film provides a physical barrier between the road and the original finish, ceramic coating creates a hydrophobic exterior surface designed to improve ease of maintenance while enhancing the depth and gloss of the protected panels.
For Signature Edition #001, that treatment extended across the bodywork, painted exterior trim and wheel faces, creating a consistent protected surface around the vehicle.
XPEL PRIME XR PLUS window film was installed throughout the Model S, providing ultraviolet protection and reducing the amount of infrared heat entering the cabin. The window film was selected as a functional component of the overall preservation program, helping protect the cabin and its materials while maintaining the restrained character of the original vehicle, the company said.
“Franz designed the Model S, led its continued evolution for more than a decade, and now owns the first example from its final production run. The Model S changed the industry and changed our lives. For me personally, it reignited my sense of purpose and energized us to go all-in on EVs with the creation of Unplugged Performance in 2013. The Model S has had a profound impact on millions of people in deeply personal ways. This final Model S is an extremely special closure of an incredible chapter of car culture. We’ve taken every effort to ensure the protection of this treasured example for the lifetime of the vehicle,” said Ben Schaffer, founder and CEO of Unplugged Performance.
The Complete Story
Unplugged Performance documented the complete preservation process of von Holzhausen’s Model S Plaid Signature Edition #001, from initial decontamination and preparation through paint protection film, ceramic coating, window film and final inspection.
The complete film offers a closer look at both the vehicle and the craftsmanship required to protect one of the most significant examples of the Model S produced.
