Left-hand drive Model S and Model X
An unusual corner of the UK Tesla market, and one that generic valuation systems handle badly.
Written by G, founder · Published · Last reviewed
The short answer
Tesla stopped producing right-hand-drive Model S and Model X, and subsequently sold left-hand-drive examples in the UK. A left-hand-drive car has a narrower buyer pool here, which affects value — but for a specialist it is a known quantity rather than an unknown risk.
- Right-hand-drive Model S and X are the older cars, and rarer as a result
- Left-hand drive narrows the audience but does not prevent a sale
- Generic valuation tools frequently misprice these cars in both directions
How this situation arose
Worth understanding before you read a valuation of your car.
Tesla discontinued right-hand-drive production of Model S and Model X, and later offered left-hand-drive examples in right-hand-drive markets including the UK. The result is a used market containing both: older right-hand-drive cars, and newer left-hand-drive ones.
That is unusual, and it is exactly the sort of thing a trade guide has no column for. A system that prices on registration, age and mileage will not distinguish between the two, which is how these cars end up mispriced.
What it means for value
Three effects, pulling in different directions.
- 01A narrower buyer poolFewer UK buyers actively want a left-hand-drive car, which lengthens the time to place it and is reflected in the figure.
- 02Newer specificationThe left-hand-drive cars are generally the later ones, so they often bring a newer interior, better hardware and a stronger warranty position.
- 03Right-hand-drive scarcityA good right-hand-drive Model S or X is now a finite thing. Scarcity supports value where condition and history are strong.
- 04Export potentialLeft-hand drive is a positive rather than a negative outside the UK, which affects where a car ultimately finds its buyer.
- 05Condition still dominatesAs with every Model S and X, pack condition, suspension history and door operation matter more than the steering wheel position.
- 06Declare it plainlySay which it is when you request a valuation. It changes how we assess the car, and we would rather know at the start.
What to do when you sell
Three practical points.
State it up front. A left-hand-drive car valued as right-hand drive produces a figure that will not hold, which helps nobody.
Gather the history. On Model S and X this matters more than on any other Tesla, and it matters more still on an unusual specification. Our Model S page covers what we look at.
Expect a specialist conversation. This is precisely the sort of car where a generic online valuation and a specialist one diverge most.
Keep reading
Everything else worth knowing before you sell.
Pack configuration, suspension and hardware generation.
Doors, seating and specification.
What matters most on an older Tesla.
The eight inputs behind every figure.
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