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Tesla wants to hackproof the Model S

Apparently, Tesla Motors is abiding by the wise words of Chinese military general Sun Tzu to keep its friends close and its enemies closer. The tech-heavy electric vehicle maker attended the recent Def Con conference in Las Vegas, The Wall Street Journal reports, in order to learn about computer-security advances and to attract hackers. Come and get it. But Tesla's there for good reason. The California-based automaker is looking to hire at least 30 hackers from the conference (which is chock full of hacking competitions), according to the Journal. Kristin Paget, Tesla's self-described "hacker princess," notes that with the automotive industry increasingly relying on networked communications for features ranging from on-board entertainment to parallel-parking controls, automakers are very vulnerable to whims of expert hackers. Tesla has a built-in way to play defense since it already regularly sends out wireless software updates for its Model S sedan. In February, Tesla hired Paget away from Apple Computer to improve its virtual shields. Paget previously worked at Microsoft, specifically with its Vista operating system, before joining Apple in 2012. She once gained notoriety for writing a manual on how to build a fake cell tower that was capable of intercepting mobile-phone calls, so she's got a good eye for these things.

Tesla drops Model S prices in Europe due to strengthening euro [UPDATE]

Tesla Motors has been thinking about European Model S sales for years, but things haven't always gone as planned. While sales have been brisk in Norway, the car is less popular in places like Germany, where sales have been slow - less than 100 units sold in the first two months - according to Inside EVs, which prompted the introduction of a special Autobahn package. To reverse the trend, Tesla is putting on its finest plaid polyester suit and is slashing prices like they're going out of style. Yes, we know Tesla doesn't have traditional dealerships and the whole suit thing is an old stereotype, but sometimes you just gotta run with it. Tesla PR in America hasn't responded to our request for confirmation (see update below), but online sources show the drops are fairly substantial. In Germany, for example, Tesla has dropped almost 7,000 euros ($9,700 US at today's exchange rate) off the price, down to 65,300 euros ($90,600), while in Holland, the new price is down 4,000 ($5,500) euros to 66,200 ($91,900). No reason was given for these drops, but we can't help but suspect that demand isn't too strong at the moment. To help increase sales, Tesla recently announced an expansion of its Supercharger network on the continent. The price of the Model S has not dropped in the US, where the base model starts at $69,900 before incentives. *UPDATE: Tesla's director of global communications, Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean, said that our speculation that demand is low is "simply incorrect." She added: "Changes were made two months ago to all the base prices of Model S across our markets in the Euro-zone due to the strengthening of the Euro. We continuously evaluate currency fluctuations to be able to offer our customers the best price for Model S. Prolonged currency exchange rate fluctuations are the reason for the adjustment of the base pricing of the car."

Cost to drop 691 horsepower in your Tesla Model S P85D? $14,600

Not mentioned during the much-hyped announcement event last night for the Tesla Model S Dual Motor "D" and Autopilot "A" options were how much those advancements will cost. Today, Tesla updated the Model S order page and those pesky little numbers are now available. As it turns out, opting for all of the features mentioned last night will add over $18,000 to the price of your $93,400 Model S P85. To get all of the benefits mentioned last night will add over $18,000 to the price of your Model S. Let's start by revealing the D's price. To add the second-motor to either the 60- or the 85-kWh Model S costs $4,000. That drops the 0-60 time by 0.2 seconds and ups the top speed by five miles per hour in the 60 (to 125 mph) and 30 mph in the 85 (to 155 mph). Interestingly, the overall horsepower output (according to Tesla) is 4 hp lower (376 compared to 380), but the car apparently gets the speed benefits by putting 188 hp on each axle. On the P85D, everything's different. Here, Tesla isn't just dividing the motor into two smaller versions. Instead, the old 470-hp motor is replaced by a "High Performance Dual Motor" setup that has a total output of 691 hp, 221 hp in the front and 470 hp in back. That's how you get the headline 3.2-second 0-60 time alongside the same 155 mph top speed, but the price tag jumps to $14,600 for the setup. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last night that the tremendous drop in 0-60 time gets you 10 miles of extra range from the dual-motor setup. But if you don't need the quickness, you can go even further. Without the dual motors, an 85-kWh battery Model S can go 265 miles (EPA numbers). The standard 85D gets its range increased to 295 miles at 65 mph (according to Tesla's numbers) while the quicker P85D can "only" go 275 miles. Dual-motor Model S versions will begin deliveries in February 2015. The A option, officially called the "Tech Package with Autopilot," costs $4,250. This is the way that you can get your Model S to drive itself (on private property) and act as an active safety net to your own driving on public roads. Since all Model S EVs now come standard with a new forward-looking camera, radar and 360-degree ultrasonic sensors, the "Autopilot" part of the package would appear to be mostly a software switch. The rest of the package is rounded out by things like seven years of free navigation map updates, LED running lights, memory seats and more.