During the rebuilding process of the Bionic Phoenix, Tesla invited us to put the car on display for employees at the Tesla Fremont factory, bringing the taste of Pikes Peak to the people that are responsible for building this car in the first place
Since the inception of Unplugged Performance, our goal was always to provide the highest quality aftermarket performance upgrades for the Tesla community and fully realize the enthusiast potential of these vehicles. However, one of our main goals and key focal points is also providing the Tesla community with a great in-depth look into the capabilities of these electric vehicles at their apex, turning them into full-fledged track monsters. One of the ways in which we try to demonstrate and experiment with the capabilities of Teslas is to challenge other vehicles in motorsport. In 2020, we brought our Model 3 to Pikes Peak to compete against many of the fastest hill climb cars on earth. In testing, we suffered a major crash and had to work day and night to patch the car up and get it to run up the mountain.
Once we returned from Colorado, we began rebuilding the car to make it better than ever which included replacing the bent up front frame of the car with a full tube frame and relocating the driver’s seat to a center seat layout in the process. A million other fixes and improvements have been steadily plugged into the car as the Bionic Phoenix rises from the ashes. During the rebuilding process, Tesla invited us to put the car on display for employees at the entrance to the Tesla Fremont factory, where Bionic Phoenix was originally born. Displaying our car and showing a documentary about the experience at Pike’s Peak for the factory works in Freemont California brought a taste of EV racing to the people that are responsible for bringing these cars to the roads, giving them a first-eye look at what can be accomplished when creative people work together.
The display at Tesla Freemont was a homecoming event and a celebration of Tesla that all of their factory workers could engage with, giving them a detailed look into their creation fully rebuilt for the tough racing conditions. The workers were encouraged to sit in the car and explore the build. The unique McLaren F1-inspired central seating position and exposed chassis were big hits. Since the car was totaled at Pikes Peak and reborn with a new round of fabrication work we intentionally left the doors off and kept the car open and exposed to showcase the extensive fabrication work. As a result, the car garnered countless smiles and produced thousands of selfies from the Tesla Fremont staff as they interacted with the car for months whilst going to and back from work on a daily basis.
Right now, the vehicle is back at our Technical Center in Hawthorne, California where we are rebuilding it, preparing it for the next level of performance. The complete rebuild continues as we have just started to shake the car down under its own power after not having been able to drive for nearly two years. We can’t wait to show what this vehicle can do once it’s ready to rock at maximum attack again. We could not do it without the support from you, our customers & fans, and help from our friends at Tesla for making such a wonderful car and for having us at their Fremont facility.
