Not willing to wait for the new Tesla Roadster, one car enthusiast demanded a Tesla convertible, immediately. And Italian design house Ares Design was more than happy to take on the challenge. Slicing the roof and rear doors off the Model S, it turned sedan into Model S convertible. The new car packages Tesla's unrivaled electric performance in a breezy open-top 2+2.
Being that the Model S is a four-door, Ares' work wasn't quite as simple as peeling the roof off. It could have converted the sedan into an awkward four-door convertible, but it instead chose to remove the rear doors and create a cleaner two-door drop-top. After removing the roof, this involved cutting away the B pillars to make room for a longer pair of front doors. To compensate for the loss of the structural components, Ares reinforced the chassis below the cockpit and rear seating and at the sides.
The rear and profile views of the Ares Model S convertible show some considerable bulging of the rear deck, and this is where Ares added in custom-built paneling to accommodate the retractable fabric roof when open.
Beyond the drop-top-related transformation work, Ares added on its carbon fiber aero kit and customized the interior with an ice white and gray leather package and custom rear seats. Orange accents leap out against the neutral backdrop, helping to fulfill the customer's interior vision.
It's not quite as effortlessly gorgeous as Ares' De Tomaso Pantera revival, but few cars are. Take a look at the new Ares convertible from all angles in the photo gallery and decide for yourself: success or waste of a Model S?
Source: Ares Design
Then there are all the fastbacks, hatchbacks, semi-fastbacks, 2+2 half doors, and in one case a flat out 4 door fastback sedan (a brougham) that various manufacturers have the gall to call "coupes".