It's Spring! The Model S Design Studio is Live!

[spatterso911]

Hmm, did anyone else notice that the interior does not include:

• Grab handles above the doors
• Small hooks above the rear doors, to hang a jacket

I certainly use those hooks on a regular basis -- I don't drive in my suit-jacket to avoid creasing, and hanging it above the left rear passenger door is very convenient (and standard on every competing vehicle I've driven). The grab handle was something that my (now deceased) arthritic mother always used to help on entry and egress. I'd put those hooks on a higher priority list than the grab bars, inasmuch as they aren't nearly as intrusive.

Did anyone fiddle around with the backseat? It appears that there are fold-down arms built in back there -- yes, no? If so, did they have any cupholders?

I too took notice of the lack of headliner handles (OSH) in any beta I sat in. The bulges in the rear seat aren't functional AFAIK, they are sewn in and do not fold out. I wonder if the seat hinges are behind them to allow the seat to fold forward.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Did anyone fiddle around with the backseat? It appears that there are fold-down arms built in back there -- yes, no? If so, did they have any cupholders?

Hi Robert,

I was in the white beta when it visited Florida. There were no fold-down armrests. The Tesla rep said it had something to do with the 60-40 fold-down seatbacks. No cupholders in the back either.

I'm guessing they offer the revised center console it will have one or two cupholders for rear passengers.

Larry

 

[Tommy]

Hi Robert,

I was in the white beta when it visited Florida. There were no fold-down armrests. The Tesla rep said it had something to do with the 60-40 fold-down seatbacks. No cupholders in the back either.

The Tesla rep. would be mistaken than. I own a Lexus 350RX that has 60-40 fold-down seatbacks and Lexus has integrated both cup holders and arm rests into the seats. The wheel doesn't always have to be reinvented.

 

[Andrew Wolfe]

Hi all,

My wife and I have been debating the importance of matching the color of the interior to the color of the exterior. Assuming our color selections are fixed as presented in the Design Studio, in selecting an interior color, which is more important to you, matching the interior to the exterior, or matching to the headliner color?

Thanks.

Larry

I always match the exterior to the interior. I.E. I pick the interior color first. That's the view of the car I see most. Then I pick an exterior that goes with it.

For the last car (my daughter's car - but one I borrow at will) - that meant picking the red leather with black-anodized aluminum trim first - then getting a matching exterior (white). I never would have chosen a white exterior first.

 

[Norbert]

Revisiting the MB E-class configurator was instructional. Note that MB, like Tesla, keeps nearly all of the (gray/black) interior the same regardless of the leather color. Audi, OTOH, uses the same silver-white headliner for the black, brown, and gray leather, but shifts to a cream headliner for the tan leather. BMW changes most interior elements to match or complement the interior upholstery--even the dead pedal is color-coded!

Interesting, MB uses dual-tone interior as well. As far as interior colors are concerned, I have to admit that I like the "almond" color. It's warmer than gray, but not as yellow/orange as beige (tan is more like beige). i think I'd choose almond if it were available on the S. However I like all 4 of Tesla's dash trims better than the 2 MB trims (although I'm sure some would like those).

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Btw, did anyone else notice the two "gills" at the bottom of the headliner for the A pillar on the driver's side? You can see them in the interior view staring right at the steering wheel and the touchscreen. What are they?!

 

[Tommy]

Btw, did anyone else notice the two "gills" at the bottom of the headliner for the A pillar on the driver's side? You can see them in the interior view staring right at the steering wheel and the touchscreen. What are they?!

Those are defogging vents to keep the side windows from fogging up.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Btw, did anyone else notice the two "gills" at the bottom of the headliner for the A pillar on the driver's side? You can see them in the interior view staring right at the steering wheel and the touchscreen. What are they?!

I'm guessing its a vent to defrost the portion of the window where the side view mirrors are.

Larry

 

[jomo25]

OK, cream pillars and headliner with gray interior is pretty bad combo. If the headliner is always cream, that's definitely a minus. I'm hoping its a "bug" in the studio. Otherwise, really only tan and black are the viable interior colors.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I'll repost (from the TM boards) an idea I had last night -- Tesla should assemble kits of all the exterior paints (on curved surfaces) and all the interior materials. A reservation-holder puts down a $100 deposit, Tesla ships a kit. When you send the kit back, Tesla refunds $80, keeping $20 for shipping/handling/kit-degradation. (Take the numbers as "for instances".)

Many reservation holders live a long ways from a Tesla store, and the cost of getting all the relevant decision-makers to a store may be steep. These kits -- similar to ones made available to Roadster reservation holders -- would solve the problem in a way that the Design Studio can't.

 

[roblab]

OK, cream pillars and headliner with gray interior is pretty bad combo. If the headliner is always cream, that's definitely a minus. I'm hoping its a "bug" in the studio. Otherwise, really only tan and black are the viable interior colors.

I have understood that having light upper level colors on the interior is for visual continuity. You are generally looking out bright windows, and the surround is light. Less contrast. You don't need to see your feet or other distracting things below the seats, so that area is dark. It's for us ADD people.

 

[Robert.Boston]

But you can have a "light upper level color" for the headliner without creating a color clash: use cream for the tan, and silvery-grey-white for the other colors.

 

[efusco]

I'll repost (from the TM boards) an idea I had last night -- Tesla should assemble kits of all the exterior paints (on curved surfaces) and all the interior materials. A reservation-holder puts down a $100 deposit, Tesla ships a kit. When you send the kit back, Tesla refunds $80, keeping $20 for shipping/handling/kit-degradation. (Take the numbers as "for instances".)

Many reservation holders live a long ways from a Tesla store, and the cost of getting all the relevant decision-makers to a store may be steep. These kits -- similar to ones made available to Roadster reservation holders -- would solve the problem in a way that the Design Studio can't.

I like that, I'd like samples of the interior stuff in particular as I'm not wanting to upgrade to leather, but if the microfiber stuff is cheap/or doesn't look good or durable I'd consider the extra expense. Exterior paint isn't as big an issue for me.

But being at least 8 hours drive from the closest Tesla store definately puts me at a disadvantage for all the color/material matching.

 

[dsm363]

New blog post from GeorgeB
Its time to build your Model S | Blog | Tesla Motors
Slower than our usual 3 min response time

 

[strider]

OK, cream pillars and headliner with gray interior is pretty bad combo. If the headliner is always cream, that's definitely a minus. I'm hoping its a "bug" in the studio. Otherwise, really only tan and black are the viable interior colors.

Or if you're getting a Sig you can get the same cream/white color for the rest of the leather (build a Sig with the "white" interior).

 

[ferrarimanf355]

The tan interior looks good, but the black interior with the red accents looks good, too.

 

[vfx]

...

• Small hooks above the rear doors, to hang a jacket

I certainly use those hooks on a regular basis -- I don't drive in my suit-jacket to avoid creasing, and hanging it above the left rear passenger door is very convenient...

 

[spatterso911]

Don't think that will be compatible with the headrests in the Model S, though. Perhaps the rear headrests??

 

[brianman]

Don't think that will be compatible with the headrests in the Model S, though. Perhaps the rear headrests??

There is no spoon...err, rear headrest.

 

[vfx]

Don't think that will be compatible with the headrests in the Model S, though. Perhaps the rear headrests??

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