Let Tesla know what features or tech the Roadster should have to make it even more awesome?

[Lasairfion]

M2 slots for NVMe solid state drives (and relevant boot support) on the MCU for the OS, media, camera footage storage etc. After all, owners will want an upgrade path for more storage later on.

The Best M.2 Solid-State Drives of 2018 if you don't know

 

[ToddRLockwood]

Most obvious necessity is build it zero defect and have parts and service logistics sorted out.

Single seater (like McLaren F1)
"Track Day" version:
* less weight, less battery
* more cooling to batts and motors
* more aero downforce, adjustable
* bolt-in spring/damper/sway (adjustable)
* carbon brake rotors and wheels
* Integrated roll cage and six point harness mounts
* Fire system bolt-in
* Coolant circuit for race suit
* dirt cheap front/rear bumper covers and fenders
* data logging on everything, real time telemetry
* built-in glow-through-panel race numbers, quick release road license plates

No mirrors (360º cameras)
Add lightness
Subtract all froufrou junk in the cabin
Simplify the cabin (detachable touchscreen)
Build a lot of them cheaply (say $120K) to make a global EV race series class.

p.s. that wiper better not be the final solution (if it is, it better have a quick release and fold up for storage in the frunk)

I was going to suggest this same idea. The street version of the Roadster would likely have a Track Mode setting, and perhaps there will be a Performance version. But a "Roadster GT" would be a serious race car for track use only. I think the number one item would be to expand the cooling system so that the GT can be driven on a circuit flat-out until the battery is down to 5%, without overheating. Electric cooling might be necessary. The recent Road & Track test of the Model 3 Performance at Lime Rock Racetrack in Connecticut, while very impressive, had the M3P hitting heat limits after only a few hot laps. They were able to continue driving, albeit at somewhat reduced power.

For GT racing, range might be a consideration. Perhaps a swappable battery pack?

 

[Kgorilla37]

I think the emphasis and obsession with track performance is misguided. To sell more of these cars, they need to be spectacular ‘grand touring’ cars. The primary focus has to be in how it drives (and looks) on the streets. That is what will sell the most cars. The idea that it is also wicked fast won’t hurt at all. But an uncomfortable and impractical ‘race car’ isn’t going to sell. Remember, racing cars involves taking risks, and thus crashes. I don’t seen the new roadster as a car that is good at being in and out of the body shop because of racing accidents. If you want to race; get a late model ICE car, modify it, and race it until you smash it. Then start over. :^)

 

[JoeS]

Regeneration is one of the electric car's distinguishing features, yet on the Tesla it is really dumbed-down for the 'masses' on the S/X/3. Since the new Roadster is an enthusiasts' car, could we please have features such as -

1. Adjustable/programmable regen. Please give us many more options on the screen, perhaps a slider allowing us to adjust it, including a zero regen setting (for highway cruising), and make those options readily accessible so we can quickly change them depending on driving conditions.

2. Recognizing that regen on rear wheel drive vehicles needs to be limited (to avoid locking up the rear wheels), with the Roadster's AWD could we please seriously increase regen to enable true single-pedal driving - oh, and have regen actually bring the car to a complete stop.

2. A regen paddle on the Roadster would be great, with the amount of regen proportional to paddle displacement. For that matter, have the paddle be bi-directional and act as an accelerator as well. I had a convenient joystick on my Gen1 Honda Insight with MIMA which did both of these functions and I loved it. I found the fingertip control superior to my foot-operated accelerator pedal.

As a range-enhancer I've thought that cruise control with a constant-power option (think old-fashioned manual throttle) would avoid the unnecessary acceleration/deceleration spikes that occur with the present constant-speed system. Perhaps blend the two and simply provide an option to adjust the system response time?

 

[rowing guy]

I think that they have a design studio that does special versions - normally for a special price but try to see if they would help here. They turned out a bunch of surf boards that fit into their other cars. Elon gets a kick out of helping people; if you look in the margins you can see him doing all sorts of stuff like this.

That's really good to know. I'll be all over this when the time comes. Thanks for the advice.

In other news, we were able to see a Model 3 and the chair does fit but it's tight and takes up most of the space in the trunk. We're currently looking for a P85D now. It's been a tough search as the car with the color and options we want are hard to come by.

 

[tonybelding]

I think the emphasis and obsession with track performance is misguided. To sell more of these cars, they need to be spectacular ‘grand touring’ cars.

This. I don't care about a drag strip or a race track. My desire is for a GT that I can take on long road trips, make use of that luggage space, make use of that 600+ mile range, make use of that Supercharger network, and then at my destination open up the top and cruise around in style.

I didn't ask for the fastest car in the world. But you know, if you have a 200 KWh battery on board already, then why not?

I would like to keep the gear whine from the original Roadster. Because it's awesome.

I wish for something like the power gauge from the original 2.0/2.5 Roadster.

And I do think that a power retractable top would be cool. BMW did it with the new i8 Roadster, and they sacrificed the rear seats to make it work. Even the top on the Mazda MX-5 RF is pretty slick. If they can do it, Tesla can.

 

[VegasBlue]

While I don't mind the new steering wheel that will make you feel like you're flying a plane rather than driving a car, the thin, narrow stalk that it's connected to looks unfinished, and fragile. They way that it simply goes into a hole in the dashboard looks like an unfinished concept.

That being said, it would be very cool and reminiscent of true formula cars, if the steering wheel retracted towards the dashboard when the car turned off to facilitate entering and exiting the vehicle. I would even prefer this to automatic seat positioning.

 

[ICUDoc]

This. I don't care about a drag strip or a race track. My desire is for a GT that I can take on long road trips, make use of that luggage space, make use of that 600+ mile range, make use of that Supercharger network, and then at my destination open up the top and cruise around in style. .

Yes yes and yes.
great track performance doesn't help me- I don't track my cars. just a few laps for people to measure it against the competition will do. Make is usable.
pretty
fast and with 600k range....
love it

 

[felixtb]

track friendly also means B road friendly and most EV enthusiasts would love to finally be able to swap out their porsche or their mclaren etc for an EV equivalent……. and so track is important for a lot of people, but yes it should be drivable as well and that should not really be a problem these days and specially for an EV. flip a switch or slide a slider on the screen between GT settings for acceleration, suspension, steering feel and break bias and then flick it to another setting for track use and then for city use etc, etc...….. and everybody would be happy most of the time.