Discussion about production Model 3 #1 (SN1)

[ApertureLabs]

Even though US law requires all new cars from the 2017 model year onward to have a backup camera?



The "hot hatch" style like the Bolt is simple to do, but the problem is the squarer the back of the car, the worse the aerodynamics. The trade off had to do with the aerodynamic design combined with the limitations of putting a hatch on that.

I have an S as well and I didn't realize that the hatch decreased head room in the back. I personally love the increased storage room. I figured it was tradition more than anything that caused so many vehicles to have a trunk as opposed to the hatch like the S. The Bolt is ugly, period. I guess cost & decreased headroom is the reason the 3 has a trunk instead- yes?

 

[JRP3]

Might also be a manufacturing consideration. Having the large rear window and roof opening to access the vehicle during production may speed things up. Model 3 is all about driving down production costs and speeding up production rates.

 

[wdolson]

I have an S as well and I didn't realize that the hatch decreased head room in the back. I personally love the increased storage room. I figured it was tradition more than anything that caused so many vehicles to have a trunk as opposed to the hatch like the S. The Bolt is ugly, period. I guess cost & decreased headroom is the reason the 3 has a trunk instead- yes?

Making a hatch like the S requires a pretty hefty hinge at the top to support the weight of the hatch with that big slab of glass. A traditional trunk lid uses much smaller hinges because it doesn't have to support as much weight.

I love the hatch too. We've gotten some really large things in the car.

 

[Mikeysb]

Okay.. time for the design studio to open already so I can fret over the options.

I am with you. I'm on the East Coast and hoping to get late this year. But I want to see what this car comes with and what options I can get.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Those photos are underwhelming. Is that all there is? Pffft.

 

[BluestarE3]

Those photos are underwhelming. Is that all there is? Pffft.

Was anyone realistically (rather than wishfully) expecting anything significantly different from what's been shown with the alpha prototypes and release candidates? We've already seen some of the tweaks by way of the release candidates over the last few months, so it should come as no surprise that SN1's looks are consistent with its predecessors. It's reassuring that I'll be getting the car for which I plunked down $1,000 last year. So, yeah, no "Saturday night surprise", but to me that's goodness.

 

[GreenT]

Sorry, I should have made it more clear, the unwritten rule is the first production of a Tesla Model goes to who pays the car in full to Elon in person.

First Gen 2 Roadster will go to Konstantin Othmer (Elon required him to go to Tesla HQ in person to pay $200k and sign agreement).

Perhaps it should be noted that Konstantin Othmer's sister is Julie Othmer, the fabulous singer who can be heard in the car on some videos.
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