Why Wait For A Tesla Roadster When You Can Have A Model S Plaid Convertible Instead?

Sep. 22, 2023 10:10 AM ET by Cesar Miguel Tuning / 9 Comments

Satiating that Tesla Roadster roadster itch for just $30,000... if you already own the Model S Plaid.

If you've been hankering for a 1,000-horsepower electric convertible, a California-based company can give you your fix with a convertible version of the Tesla Model S Plaid.

Newport Convertible Engineering (NCE) specializes in turning various vehicles into top-down cars, and after previously giving this treatment to a regular Model S, this time, it's the Plaid's turn. Suffice it to say, this probably is the closest thing we can get to the Tesla Roadster, which is supposedly still in the pipeline for 2024 if Elon Musk is to be believed.

The Model S Plaid showcased by NCE appears to be a relatively clean build. The soft top roof manages to follow the car's roofline and even has a power-folding function, as seen in the video below (warning: flashing lights).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxABgh3uLT8/

Does it look good? Again, we turn to the age-old adage, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." The folded roof, for example, does not cleanly integrate into the car's rear section. Instead, it is tucked in to form a bulgy mass. The A and B pillars, which have been kept, may also stick out visually, as they have this "cut-up" look despite being covered with trim to smoothen their topmost edges and create structural rigidity with a rollover bar of sorts.

There's also the cost of doing this to your beloved Tesla. No prices are available on the company's official website, but sources say it will hover around $30,000 for the conversion alone. If you want the electronic folding function, you must fork out an additional $10,000.

That sounds stiff, considering that dough can get you the ever-cool Mazda MX-5 Miata. But while their work doesn't look as fancy, it is far more affordable than the 90k drop-top conversion for the Land Rover Defender 90 performed by Heritage Customs.

If a Model S Plaid convertible isn't your fancy, NCE can do similar jobs on various other car models. Their previous lineup of projects varies from large SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class to classic cars to supercars. They even have strange projects to the tune of the convertible Toyota Solara pickup.