The US electric car specialist Tesla charges Flak for reducing the rear brakes of its performance SUV Model Y – and then hides the change.

The Brembo rear brakes originally assembled in Italy – to match the unmodified Brembo front brakes – were replaced last August with cheaper and smaller Mando brakes from South Korea, which has now prompted complaints about potentially weaker stopping power.

The new rear brakes have smaller discs and calipers – like those found on the Model Y Long Range – but the change is camouflaged by a snap-on red plastic cover that’s a similar color to Brembo’s signature red and shaped to match the original four-piston calipers for the performance model.

“At one point Tesla decided to put caliper covers on the Performance Y. What does that mean?” independent Tesla Performance parts supplier and Speed ​​Shop, ZEVcentric from California in the USA, wrote on Twitter.

“It’s a smaller caliper and rotor, which is the same on LR (Long Range). So now you’re just paying for the same brakes, just red.

“In Tesla mode, there is a greater likelihood of saving costs,” ZEVcentric said on the social media platform.

Despite the brake change last August, the Australian Tesla configurator still lists “Performance Brakes” as one of the features of the top-line Model Y, along with “lowered suspension” and “21-inch over-turbine wheels”.

After EV databasethe Tesla Model Y Performance produces up to 393 kW and 660 Nm from its two electric motors, although Tesla does not provide any official specifications.

Tesla claims that the Model Y Performance can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds before hitting a top speed of 250 km/h.

drive Tesla asked Australia for comment on the brake change, but it is company policy not to respond to media requests for comment or clarification.