Change from alcantara to cloth on PUP???

[Moderatefan]

I know why Tesla made the change, and that's because alcantara has become too expensive for Tesla and they're cheaping out. When you think about it it's the only logical thing:

They removed alcantara from the Model S and X dashboards some time ago. Why would they do that? It was generally well-liked. It's known that there is a near monopoly on alcantara, there are only a couple suppliers and arguably only one in North America depending on the article.

It is not that expensive(someone else previously mentioned), maybe if you don't go for the brand name
Lt Gray "Alcantara" Type Suede 5 Yards Auto Headliner Fabric | eBay
This piece would probably be enough for several cars.

 

[T34ME]

Not true. I have built 2 tract homes from one of the largest in the country. You spend a day at their design center and pick everything out that is over the base. It is all on a build sheet and very detailed.

True, what you see in the model home is not necessarily what you get. You do go to a design center in most cases and pay extra for options. The build sheet may say "crown molding 6" but it won't say the exact design. It is whatever is available in the price you have agreed to pay. I have seen some customers who will say. "that is not like the crown molding in the model home." And the design center will say, "that is not the crown molding you specified. You said 6" crown molding and the model home has 7" crown molding." I have seen this scenario many times.

 

[SMAlset]

Franz clearly wanted to create a future forward car with the Model 3. Alcantara has been used for years and maybe Franz thinks of it more like Frocked Wallpaper, remember that fuzzy stuff that is so awful now and dated looking? The Model 3 is a trend setter car. Just watch; just like he designed a clean dash others will follow. People's perceptions will change and other manufacturers will want to more or less follow suit to be "like" Tesla. Things go in and out of fashion and maybe alcantara's time has come.

 

[MotoEvCA]

It is not that expensive(someone else previously mentioned), maybe if you don't go for the brand name
Lt Gray "Alcantara" Type Suede 5 Yards Auto Headliner Fabric | eBay
This piece would probably be enough for several cars.

 

[phil0909]

I think the issue has been magnified due to how many people have pre-ordered this car. You have people weighing in that aren't current owners.

Not current owners?? They must be barbarians! Surely no one cares what THEY have to say. Why are they even allowed in this forum?

 

[HumanGenome]

Just took delivery of 3454 today and got the textile headliner. Was not expecting much but was blown away by how much I like it. It is clean and soft to the touch (but not soft like the cheap all cloth Subaru uses that pressss in really deep)

This basically erases any doubt I had about the quality and attractiveness. I choose my words carefully because I still am unhappy with the communcation but I think the quality argument is moot.

Pics! Model 3 Delivery (bonus textile headliner pics)

 

[phil0909]

Has it occured to anyone that they didn’t provide a specific list of interior materials precisely so they could be flexible with the supply chain if necessary?

No, it has not. Because that would be a terrible idea. When you're mass-producing a car, you don't want a flexible supply of whatever materials happen to be available. You want a solid, rigid, guaranteed reliable supply of the exact materials specified for your product.

 

[Daniellane]

Alcantara headliner...mentioned as part of PUP in this very thorough Edmunds Model 3 Review

 

[ohmman]

mod note: 5 posts moved away.

 

[bonnie]

mod note: 5 posts moved away.

Thanks, Dad.

 

[seattlite2004]

I can pronounce Cordoba and Corinthian Leather better than Ricardo. I practiced for years to impress the ladies. Saying Vegan Leather sounds so pedestrian in 2018.

Ricardo Montalban - The Master of Pronunciation

Ricardo...Corinthian Leather....classic. Corinthian leather was the first thing I thought of when Tesla introduced "vegan" interior, Toyota "SofTex", and of course...Alcantara. Thanks for the vids!

 

[T34ME]

Pics! Model 3 Delivery (bonus textile headliner pics)

DAYAM ! That looks nice. Hopefully they will run out of fake suede alcantara before I get my car so they won't have to put it on the vanity mirror covers! I wonder how easy it will be to dye black?

 

[run-the-joules]

I wonder how easy it will be to dye black?

THIS is a great question. I imagine that would not be a fun or cheap process though.

 

[T34ME]

Ricardo...Corinthian Leather....classic. Corinthian leather was the first thing I thought of when Tesla introduced "vegan" interior, Toyota "SofTex", and of course...Alcantara. Thanks for the vids!

When I bought the MBZ years ago, I asked about the perforated seat material and was told, "it is premium Mercedes Leather."

 

[T34ME]

THIS is a great question. I imagine that would not be a fun or cheap process though.

IF DIY it will be very cheap. If I screw it up I can always replace with 'premium Mercedes Leather' (Naugahyde).

 

[Xminus6]

Door panels are black Alcantara on ours delivered today.

 

[TEG]

Pics! Model 3 Delivery (bonus textile headliner pics)

Wait! Hold the phone!
Is that a cloth SEAT? :

 

[sperkin]

Wait! Hold the phone!
Is that a cloth SEAT? :
View attachment 273040

That's not a picture of a Model 3.

 

[Brandon332]

That's not a picture of a Model 3.

Yeah that's also a standard door handle in the background too

 

[SMAlset]

I noticed the seat edge too and wondered what I was seeing.