Tesla appears to be gearing up for a long-awaited refresh of its flagship sedan, as a camouflaged Model S prototype has been spotted undergoing high-speed testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany.
The appearance of the vehicle aligns closely with recent comments made by Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy, who confirmed a late-2025 update is in the works for both the Model S and Model X.
According to photos of the test vehicle captured by InsideEVs, the prototype hints at a number of design changes, most notably at the front and rear, both of which were covered in camouflage. The covered front and rear bumpers have visible additions like a more aggressive front splitter and rear diffuser setup.
There is also the long-awaited front bumper camera. Also new are the 21-inch wheels, which look very much like the wheels found on the new Model 3 Performance.
While the core body and headlights appear largely unchanged, the prototype clearly reflects what Moravy described as the vehicles receiving “some love” later this year. During an appearance on the Ride the Lightning podcast earlier this year, Moravy kept the details vague but confirmed that Tesla was not abandoning its low-volume, high-impact premium models.
“Just give it a minute, we’ll get there,” he said when asked about upcoming updates to the Model S and Model X. Speculation has pointed to several long-requested features that could be included in the refresh, such as a front bumper camera—seen on the test vehicle—and new interior ambient lighting.
Tesla last refreshed the Model S in early 2021, when it introduced the controversial yoke steering wheel and removed traditional gear and turn signal stalks. That update also brought the blistering-fast Plaid powertrain, cementing the Model S as the benchmark for EV performance. However, sales have declined in recent quarters, prompting speculation about the future of Tesla’s flagship sedan.
While Tesla has yet to announce an official launch date, the refreshed Model S is expected to debut later in 2025 as a 2026 model year vehicle.
This Nürburgring sighting follows on the heels of another performance-focused prototype: the new Model Y Performance, also spotted testing at the same track this week.
