Model 3 Mule Musings

[Lonnie123]

Totally possible the red was just a body on a frame to present 3 cars for dramatic effect.... Although one would have been just fine.

I wonder if the push up in time line altered any plans they had to modify the car at all. They now have almost no time to finalize the design and starting getting parts manufactured for volume production.

 

[Genshi]

Totally possible the red was just a body on a frame to present 3 cars for dramatic effect....

Heard on another thread here that's exactly what it was. That those in the audience said the red model ≡ was actually pushed out on stage because it wasn't a working prototype. Haven't seen confirmation, but have no reason to doubt this was the case since it hasn't been seen "in the wild."

 

[Pando]

If you watch the unveil closely, you'll see that before the cars were shown, Elon was between the left and center carousels. The third carousel on the right was hidden behind a movable wall, and the red one was behind it. They didn't push the red one out. They moved the wall instead.

After the unveil you can see the wheel stops behind the wheels, indicating that the car didn't even have brakes. Most likely it was just a shell without even an interior, as it was tinted to the max. It actually looked the best among all three of them.

 

[ummgood]

Perhaps the red one had a near complete interior. They didn't want to accidentally have anyone get a photo of the interior if the doors were opened. There could be multiple reasons the red car wasn't driven. Given the fact that the deadline to finalize the design is just 3 months after the reveal it isn't that far fetched to assume there is a car with a near finished interior. My bet is the red car is that car. Keep it shut for now but I might expect to see the red car opened when the finished interior is revealed.

Even if the red car is drivable having it out in the open risks having things hidden they don't want seen is too risky.

Just my opinion.

 

[melindav]

the Ride the Lightning podcast (#35 following the reveal) mentioned the red vehicle had the same interior as the silver and matte black, but didn't have the battery.

 

[garsh]

Excellent point, ummgood. Given that the red car had the newer handles, I figured it was definitely newer than the flat-black one, and likely newer than the silver one. I was assuming that they didn't have time to fit it with the drivetrain, or had a problem with the drivetrain. But your explanation makes a lot more sense. This is the mule that contains a HUD.

 

[Genshi]

the Ride the Lightning podcast (#35 following the reveal) mentioned the red vehicle had the same interior as the silver and matte black, but didn't have the battery.

Thanks for the confirmation Pando & Melindav. I didn't do a search, but the notion of a non-functional 3rd car made sense given the other details I knew about.

 

[brianman]

Not really the trio. Only the black and silver cars have been out there or seen driven.

I heard a report of a white one in Texas last week from a family member. Unfortunately, no picture.

 

[melindav]

I heard a report of a white one in Texas last week from a family member. Unfortunately, no picture.

there have been a few sightings reported in FL, TX and a NE state (that I don't recall which), but likely another car was mistaken for a Model 3

 

[garsh]

I heard a report of a white one in Texas last week from a family member. Unfortunately, no picture.

Wouldn't be the first time someone saw their first Model X and assumed it was the 3.

 

[brianman]

there have been a few sightings reported in FL, TX and a NE state (that I don't recall which), but likely another car was mistaken for a Model 3

That was my expectation too, but "after checking the website at home afterwards, it definitely looked more like the 3 than your S" (closely paraphrased).

 

[Pando]

The matte black one is most likely the first road-worthy prototype, and it being painted matte black was probably done on purpose to hide it being driven on the outside track before dawn early in the morning.

It was mentioned during one of the test drives that they did road test it outside, but no one seemed to get a glimpse of it.

It's the "stealth prototype"

 

[JeffK]

if only it was radar absorbing paint...