Current or wannabe Tesla S owners can now opt for a Performance Plus option that adds a bit of range and a lot of extra handling -- and the whole idea came from none other than McLaren. After a journalist told Elon Musk that his nimble sedan was nonetheless outdone by a McLaren MP4-12C supercar (duh?), Tesla's engineers got to work tweaking the suspension and adding new Michelin tires. The latter boosts range by 6 to 12 miles over the stock rubber, while the whole package adds more cornering grip and acceleration "while maintaining ride quality," according to the company. Current owners can get the option retrofitted for $13,000, but if you're still kicking tires, it'll add $6,500 to your total Tesla S bill for the up-rated suspension bits, plus another $3,500 for the optional 21-inch wheels. Sounds tempting for a poor-man's McLaren, and given the new financing options, you might even be able to justify it.

Update: We've updated this post to clarify pricing. The 21-inch wheels are not included in the $6,500 Performance Plus package.

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Source: Autoblog Green