Last summer Tesla changed suppliers for rear brakes on the Model Y Performance. Until that point, the vehicle came equipped with high-performance Brembo brakes front and rear, but all examples built after Tesla switched to Mando in August apparently now get smaller rear calipers and the same brake pads as fitted to the Model Y Long Range.
ZEVcentric measured the rotor diameter and it is still the same as in the Model Y LR, but just like before the caliper change, it’s 2 millimeters thicker in order to extend its life. The Performance version of the Model Y, let’s not forget, has 450 horsepower and is really quick, being able to sprint to sixty in 3.5 seconds, so it needs all the stopping power it can get...
And Tesla didn’t want to make it obvious that the Performance rear calipers were now the same as on the lesser LR model, so the manufacturer decided to hide them behind plastic covers. These do a good job of fooling you from a distance, but getting up close and touching them, it becomes immediately apparent that they have a different texture and finish compared to the front calipers.
Give them a flick, however, and it becomes clear that they are actually made of plastic. This makes them similar to a whole host of cheap caliper covers available online for those who just want the performance brakes look on their car, but without the actual improved stopping power.
Tesla hasn’t changed the wording on its official website, still listing the Model Y Performance as having “Performance Brakes,” just as before the August change. Perhaps it would need to be adjusted now to only refer to the front brakes, which still feature the same big four-piston Brembo calipers, although with different thicker rear disks, Tesla could argue it still has a different setup to the Long Range model.
To be fair, though, most of a car’s braking is done through the front axle. Switching rear calipers shouldn’t have a huge impact on real world braking performance, although this would need to be tested in order to be confirmed. Let us know in the comments if you recently bought a new Model Y Performance and which rear calipers you have on your vehicle.
