BEN-CTGT$168,788−40.7%BMW-M5SD$104,066−15.6%BYD-SEAL£29,595−35.3%FER-296G$343,866+1.7%LAM-URUS$253,114−9.8%LRV-RNGR$85,875−25.6%LUC-AIRP$36,448−49.7%MBZ-G550$147,980−4.6%MBZ-EQSS$38,218−62.2%POR-911C$130,210−3.9%POR-TAYC$69,900−31.8%POR-MACE$69,675−13.3%TSL-MDLS$90,191−18.0%VOL-EX90$47,883−38.7%COH-BH52£2,330—COH-SIG6£3,460—COH-MSIG£1,589—MON-NO02£1,109—MON-PET2£880—PAD-64EX$410—BBR-KENS$2,850—CRT-LOVE$6,983−12.2%CHA-CF11$7,630−34.8%GYD-STLP$2,495+32.0%GUC-HB53$1,090—HRM-BK25$31,000+129.6%HRM-KL28$30,500+111.8%LRP-SWLK$730−36.5%LVT-KP50$1,410−48.0%MCL-MAYA$2,350—AMO-INTE$304−23.0%CHA-BLEU$105−39.3%CRD-AVEN$384−24.7%DIO-SAUV$160−7.5%HER-TERR$69−52.4%LAT-KHAM$50—MFK-BACC$323−10.3%PDM-LAYT$282−29.5%RAS-HAWA$92—TFD-OUDW$250−16.7%XER-NAXO$220−24.1%APG-R510$50,600+49.3%APG-R500$40,019—CAR-SANT$6,867−20.6%GSK-SNOW$4,611—OMG-SPMW$4,800−38.5%OMG-SPMS$6,100−32.2%OMG-SMDV$4,335−35.3%PAT-CALA$32,000−14.7%PAT-NAUT$190,000—RLX-SUBD$15,795+39.2%RLX-SUBN$14,595+45.2%RLX-SUBG$16,195+36.1%RLX-GMTB$18,010+50.1%RLX-DAYT$36,200+114.2%BLA-ORIG$100+20.5%GLF-18YO$115−8.0%HAK-12YO$156—HIB-HARM$100—JWK-BLUE$170−22.7%KAV-SOLV$249—LAG-16YO$90+28.6%PAP-15YO$1,995+565.0%RED-12YO$75—MAC-12SO$89−11.0%MAC-18SO$350−16.7%YAM-12YO$190—
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Tesla Model S and Model X: The Cars That Forced an Industry to Change
Electric Cars

Tesla Model S and Model X: The Cars That Forced an Industry to Change

Before them, electric meant compromise. After them, every luxury brand had a plan. How two cars rewrote the rules.

MAN TARGET EditorsOctober 23, 2026 4 min read

Remember what electric cars looked like before 2012? Small. Slow. Earnest. Then a long, low saloon arrived from California and made everyone in Stuttgart, Munich and Tokyo look up. The Tesla Model S did not just sell. It embarrassed an industry into moving.

2012 to 2015: the cars that changed the question

The Model S answered a question nobody had dared to ask: what if an electric car was the most desirable car on the street? It had real range ambition, startling acceleration and a minimalist cabin dominated by a huge touchscreen. Owners were not making a sacrifice. They were showing off.

Clean, low and instantly recognisable: the Model S became the shape of the electric revolution.
Clean, low and instantly recognisable: the Model S became the shape of the electric revolution.

The Model X brought the idea to a large SUV, with seating for families and falcon-wing rear doors that opened upwards like a show car. Polarising? Absolutely. Memorable? Impossible to forget. It proved Tesla was not a one-car wonder. It gave families space and gave everyone else something to stare at.

The real disruption: charging and software

The cars were only half the story. Tesla built its own Supercharger network, so long trips felt possible. It sent over-the-air software updates, so a car could improve after you bought it. Its charging connector was later adopted as a standard by other carmakers in North America. Every rival now plans around those ideas. Few products have shifted an entire sector's priorities so fast.

Some cars win comparison tests. A rare few change what the tests are measuring.

Tesla has since ended production of both models in 2026, which makes the used market more relevant than ever. Their legacy is already secure. Whether one belongs in your garage today is a different question. For many owners, a well-kept example remains a remarkable car: quick, spacious and still sharp to look at. Buy with your eyes open.

  • Check Tesla's official site for what is currently offered in your country.
  • On a used car, request a battery health check and full service history.
  • Confirm what warranty remains, and what is transferable.
  • Check which software features transfer with the car and which do not.
  • Compare charging access in your region before you commit.

Key takeaways

  • The Model S launched in 2012 and proved an electric car could be desirable.
  • The Model X followed in 2015, known for its falcon-wing rear doors.
  • Tesla's charging network and over-the-air updates set new expectations.
  • Production plans, specs and prices change: check Tesla's official site and buy used with care.
#tesla#model s#model x#electric cars#luxury ev

FAQ

When did the Tesla Model S launch?

Customer deliveries of the Tesla Model S began in 2012.

What is special about the Model X doors?

The Model X uses upward-opening falcon-wing rear doors, one of its signature design features since its 2015 launch.

Is a used Model S a good buy?

It can be, with care. Get a battery health check, verify remaining warranty and check which features transfer to a new owner.

See where Tesla's flagships sit in our luxury EV Rankings.

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