Build quality: alignment of trunk

[contaygious]

Well even if that one is bad at least it seems to match the door gaps

 

[CyberDutchie]

Because of this thread, I've been obsessively trying to find other cars with similarly complicated panels on the trunk. The result? Nada. It seems most fastbacks/hatchbacks (whatever you want to call them) get some straight close lines by using the rear window. Other cars in the same segment seem to have vastly simpler lines where panels meet. It leads me to wonder if someone in the Tesla design shop isn't kicking themselves for creating something that's clearly fairly troubling. I'm sure they'll fix it, but it must be consuming time they'd rather spend elsewhere. My view is that the trunk panel shape is unecessarily complicated, and while it adds to the uniqueness of the car, it clearly has some downsides.

Maserati GranTourismo has some similar curvy panel lines for the hood, doors, and trunk. Although it's not a hatchback. But the gaps look really tight, even on white.

 

[Adm]

Maserati GranTourismo has some similar curvy panel lines for the hood, doors, and trunk. Although it's not a hatchback. But the gaps look really tight, even on white.

I disagree. The hood lies in the same plane (2-D) as the quarter panels and the nose. The same goes for the trunk. Tesla needs to solve a 3-D puzzle which obviously is much harder.

 

[CyberDutchie]

I disagree. The hood lies in the same plane (2-D) as the quarter panels and the nose. The same goes for the trunk. Tesla needs to solve a 3-D puzzle which obviously is much harder.

To me it looks like the same trajectory on the trunk, just a smaller size trunk. This may be a better picture for comparison:

 

[brianman]

@mulder1231 - In you first picture, I didn't see any gaps along the curves but I'm not sure I saw a car in that picture.

 

[pete8314]

The second picture helps, but to me that now just looks like basically the same truck design as many other modern sedans (and my current A5, for that matter). There's no matching from the roof down the C pillar, which seems to be the main challenge on the S.

 

[MikeK]

@mulder1231 - In you first picture, I didn't see any gaps along the curves but I'm not sure I saw a car in that picture.

Yes, I'd say we've clearly discovered an effective way to not see any panel alignment issues...

 

[onlinespending]

Yes, I'd say we've clearly discovered an effective way to not see any panel alignment issues...

haha...yes. gaps? what gaps? And you can't include that second Maserati pic. It's clearly rendered

 

[Robert.Boston]

Yes, I'd say we've clearly discovered an effective way to not see any panel alignment issues...

Hmm, does that mean they're shipping each Model S with its own gap-distracter?

 

[brianman]

Hmm, does that mean they're shipping each Model S with its own gap-distracter?

Hah. Personal delivery indeed.

 

[stopcrazypp]

The second picture helps, but to me that now just looks like basically the same truck design as many other modern sedans (and my current A5, for that matter). There's no matching from the roof down the C pillar, which seems to be the main challenge on the S.

Agreed. That design is used in most sedans and in some sedan-like hatchbacks (where the "gap" is integrated into the rear window glass and there is no body colored strip surrounding the rear windows). The job of the Model S is a lot harder. Maybe the next version they will use a more "conventional" design.

 

[CyberDutchie]

Agreed. That design is used in most sedans and in some sedan-like hatchbacks (where the "gap" is integrated into the rear window glass and there is no body colored strip surrounding the rear windows). The job of the Model S is a lot harder. Maybe the next version they will use a more "conventional" design.

Ok, I get it. But I see much more curviness, especially the back view, and around the hips--gorgeous all around! (I'm talking about the car ;-))

 

[dmetcalf]

Hmm, does that mean they're shipping each Model S with its own gap-distracter?

Not sure my wife will like her new title of gap distracter

 

[jerry33]

Ok, I get it. But I see much more curviness, especially the back view, and around the hips--gorgeous all around! (I'm talking about the car ;-))

There was a car in the picture?

 

[MikeK]

For what it's worth, as I was driving around yesterday, I actually saw two cars on the road whose rear hatch gaps were as wide as the ones we've seen on some Model S. An Audi Q7, and an Infiniti FX35.

As with the Model S, the gaps are most visible from certain angles. The Q7's most-visible angle is similar to Model S. I notice that the Infiniti in the photo also seems to have a misaligned hatch, or maybe the camera is slightly off center.

Anyway, I still hope that we will see tighter gaps on the Model S. The car looks much better when the gaps are tighter, as the photos earlier in this thread show, on the design prototype and the hand-built betas that were at the October Fremont event.

 

[contaygious]

My hatch is a lot cleaner on my 03 fx
2003 Infiniti FX - San Francisco, CA owned by contaygious23

 

[4sevens.com]

In fairness to Tesla, look how far we've come since the early Beta prototypes:

View attachment 8232

(This was at the Model X & Signature Colors event at Santana Row in March.)

I'm very concerned about gaps and fitment... My pearl white is scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year and I absolutely will not accept deliver on something close to this....

or this

View attachment 8312

 

[bonnie]

I'm very concerned about gaps and fitment... My pearl white is scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year and I absolutely will not accept deliver on something close to this....

Would you accept something like this?

 

[4sevens.com]

Would you accept something like this?

Of course not! I'm not buying THAT ^^!

I'm just saying I will not accept delivery of a defective or poorly made product. I will be spending 6 figures for a product that should be perfect.
And to quote Elon, “We will never make a bad product. Tesla will never ship a product unless that product is very compelling,”

Anything close to these pictures I will be refusing delivery.

 

[bonnie]

Of course not! I'm not buying THAT ^^!

I'm just saying I will not accept delivery of a defective or poorly made product. I will be spending 6 figures for a product that should be perfect.
And to quote Elon, “We will never make a bad product. Tesla will never ship a product unless that product is very compelling,”

Anything close to these pictures I will be refusing delivery.

As should anyone. But we've already seen that the cars delivered are substantially different than the beta pictures you've posted. So I think you're going to be fine.