Leather vs. synthetic

[johnster007]

Not with the Model 3:

Model 3's Non-Leather Steering Wheel

Ha! Thx for that. Shouldn't have assumed Model 3 would get same as Model S!

 

[DarkMatter]

With the exception of the steering wheel. In order to get Vegan steering wheel you must request it.

I think it might have been a running change to all cars. My April built X steering wheel feels different than any of the older Tesla wheels, and very similar to the white seats in texture.

 

[DarkMatter]

I understand they didn’t actually invent the word Vegan and know how Google works to see the definition but I’m still not sure Tesla didn’t attach the name to the product they were putting in their cars. I know the sales team have been using the term but would have to do more searching of the Tesla site and old Elon model X videos to see where it started.

I misunderstood your statement that Tesla 'coined the phrase' to mean that they invented the word.

It is likely that the OA staff have been using the phrase. They get the opportunity to feel out if it will scare off a potential customer. I can understand not wanting to put it on the website as Tesla has demonstrated that they do not want to scare off traditional luxury buyers. It is nice that they have avoided inventing a word like many others manufacturers do.

 

[Mjezzi]

View attachment 275703
There is a drastic difference in the grade of BMW Dakota and Nappa Leather. I think the Tesla seat material is nice and definitely as good as or better than the base pleather seats in other brand cars. Of course “Vegan, Nappa and Dakota" are marketing terms, Vegan Leather is a marketing term for Tesla’s simulated leather. I would think they add leather to the name to make people think is on the quality level of a leather product and because of that more upscale. The BMW Merino and Nappa leather is surprisingly on par with high end cars where the Dakota is something that could easily be confused with fake leather. I was in a new Rolls Royce (a BMW product) yesterday and the leather in it is very high end but also very similar to the better BMW leathers. The BMW Nappa and BMW Merino (only special order, with additional colors) are dyed full grain aniline leather, the Nappa then gets a very light clear coat for added durability, because of the clear coating it is then called semi-aniline leather. I attached a picture of an X5 Mocha Nappa Leather interior, my last X5 had this interior but with added ventilation seats, extremely nice, smooth, buttery soft leather. Tesla should shoot for interiors on par with this.

That interior makes me think of Alien. No thanks.

 

[New34me]

Yes, I think that's correct. I talked to a Tesla employee who works in production in Fremont (while I was checking out his Model 3 at a nearby Supercharger) and he said that in all the BOMs and such, it refers to the new seating as "PUR" which he understood to be short for polyurethane.

There were rumors going around before that Tesla was using Ultra Fabrics brand of PUR but not sure if that was ever confirmed (or disproved)?

Something like: White Wash | ultrafabrics

Yes, I think that's correct. I talked to a Tesla employee who works in production in Fremont (while I was checking out his Model 3 at a nearby Supercharger) and he said that in all the BOMs and such, it refers to the new seating as "PUR" which he understood to be short for polyurethane.

There were rumors going around before that Tesla was using Ultra Fabrics brand of PUR but not sure if that was ever confirmed (or disproved)?

Something like: White Wash | ultrafabrics

I’m about to order a new 3 Long Range, but I have a OPTION of “PUR seats”. What will I get if I do/don’t check that box, and which one is better in terms of feel and cleaning?

 

[DarkMatter]

I can't speak to the old black, but I love the feel of the old white. Do they not have samples to touch at the gallery? That used to be the case.