2010 Roadster production starting

[Palpatine]

Someone on the owners website posted that they received a notification that production is starting on their Roadster 5/18/09 and it is a 2010 Roadster with a VIN assigned of #517.

Then another person posted that 2008 Roadster production will end at 500 Roadsters. This does not includes the founders series or the VPs.

Here are the quotes with names removed.
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Just got my build week (5/18) and VIN (517) for my Roadster 2.0 My original wait list number was 632. Ted Merindino says there will be no 2009's and they are jumping to 2010's to get back on the standard automobile thing of the new model year starting in the Fall. So... I brazenly changed my year on the spreadsheet to 2010.

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2008s go up to VIN 500.

This number does not include Founders cars (27), EPs (2?) and many VPs (at least 30 - now used for sales) manufactured along the way.

They will then jump to 2010 to "catch up"

 

[AnOutsider]

I bet if they made even one 2009, it would end up being a collector's item. Well tesla, good for you. Here's to hoping all the planned changes work out

 

[Lancelac]

So James, doesn't that mean yours will be going into production next week? I thought all the former 2008s that did the Sport upgrade would be made before #501?

On a seperate note, from what I've divined, they will be simultaneously making the first European cars at the same time, so they are expecting the rate of "US" VIN numbers to be about 20 per week for a while.

 

[Palpatine]

So James, doesn't that mean yours will be going into production next week? I thought all the former 2008s that did the Sport upgrade would be made before #501?

I think the plan was to make the Sport Roadsters as the first vehicles in 2010. So they would start at VIN #501. But certain options become available on the production line at different times, so that is messing with the order.

Because my Roadster has executive leather, it does not start production until June 8th. That is when the interior carbon fiber and executive leather become available on the production line in England. When that was determined, Tesla gave me to option to reconfiguring my Roadster if I wanted it sooner. But I decided I could wait three extra weeks if I get the interior that I want.

I was told that there are 3 sport models in front of mine because they are Roadster Sports without the interior carbon fiber or executive leather options.

So I guess the Sport suspension upgrades are available on the production line prior to June 8th.

 

[TEG]

This number does not include Founders cars (27), EPs (2?) and many VPs (at least 30 - now used for sales) manufactured along the way.

Thanks for the update... Small point, but there were a lot more than 2 EPs, perhaps 10, although some of them did succumb to crash testing.

 

[vfx]

Tesla always said they would have 600 cars in the first year. I guess they just don't all go to customers.