Model 3 Mule Musings

[Lonnie123]

The original trio of Model 3 prototypes seem to be "out there" quite a bit... Tesla certainly isnt hiding the car. A bit of a different strategy with previous releases it seems.

With that said they are obviously not the finished product and changes will come.

What do you guys think the Model 3 Mule situation will be? Will they be out in the open, or will they do stuff like with the X and try to obscure certain things. Obviously we dont have the falcons not aligning to open the floodgates of comments, so I wonder what will be the big things on the 3 Mules to look out for.

 

[plankeye]

EM said they are still tweaking the nose a bit, so we might see mules about with some type of masking on the front. But that probably won't be for a while (almost a year?), until they have final prototypes ready for final road testing and what not.

 

[JeffK]

I don't know, if the final design is supposed to be done by June 30th and they're going to start work on tooling, one would think the front end design will be complete by then and will not change into next year. If it did, then this would cause a delay.

 

[eisbock]

EM said they are still tweaking the nose a bit

You know, Elon did say this, and I feel like we'll end up with the stache, but I'm not convinced the nose will be tweaked at all.

Why would Tesla film promotional videos of the Model 3 out in the open if they were going to change a distinguishing feature? Wouldn't those videos be useless? Unless they're planning a big advertising push before Part 2 of the reveal. Even then, that doesn't make any sense either, because you'll be advertising one thing, then selling another.

Unless Tesla plans to start advertising really soon, like any minute now. Or maybe it's for the website, kinda like how you see the S driving around. Seems like a waste of money if the nose was going to be changed dramatically. Anybody know if they filmed the same sort of videos with the X?

 

[Dan Detweiler]

I really think the big surprises in the months to come will be inside the cabin...not outside.

 

[garsh]

I'm not convinced the nose will be tweaked at all.

Why would Tesla film promotional videos of the Model 3 out in the open if they were going to change a distinguishing feature?

Exactly. They're not going to change it. It's unmistakenly a Tesla. It's difficult to find a design language that is both attractive and unique to your brand, and Tesla has nailed it.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

With the current timeline they're hurtling towards, I think we'll see the final mules in Q4. Lines up with the Gigafactory going online (and gives Tesla a chance to test batteries made there in "the real world"). And as others have said on this thread, I think the outside is done (except maybe the trunk, as Elon mentioned on Twitter they were going to work on the size of the opening).

The finished interior will be the biggest change we see....and maybe some new colors?

If you're going "mass market", you have to expand the color palette at least a little, right?

 

[garsh]

I feel like we'll end up with the stache

I don't. The X and S have the cut-line for the frunk at the front edge of the car, while the 3 has the cut line on top, further back. The X and S need the mustache, otherwise that cut line would make the frontend look funny - something like this (excuse my horrible photo editing skills):

 

[StraightDave]

You know, Elon did say this, and I feel like we'll end up with the stache, but I'm not convinced the nose will be tweaked at all.

Why would Tesla film promotional videos of the Model 3 out in the open if they were going to change a distinguishing feature? Wouldn't those videos be useless? Unless they're planning a big advertising push before Part 2 of the reveal. Even then, that doesn't make any sense either, because you'll be advertising one thing, then selling another.

Unless Tesla plans to start advertising really soon, like any minute now. Or maybe it's for the website, kinda like how you see the S driving around. Seems like a waste of money if the nose was going to be changed dramatically. Anybody know if they filmed the same sort of videos with the X?

I think all this early advertising is the point - generate interest and generate more cash to produce the car. Why hide a product you are trying to promote?

 

[JeffK]

He said if they changed it he was talking about adjusting by the mm for aerodynamic purposes. It will not look different in any way.

 

[ZachShahan]

He said if they changed it he was talking about adjusting by the mm for aerodynamic purposes. It will not look different in any way.

interesting. i don't recall that detail. not questioning, but do you have a link/source for that?

 

[eisbock]

interesting. i don't recall that detail. not questioning, but do you have a link/source for that?

OP is confusing separate tweets from Elon. In one he said every mm matters as far as drag is concerned, and another he said they were tweaking the front because somebody said the car looks great except for the front.

 

[JeffK]

Elon Musk on Twitter
Elon Musk on Twitter

I've extrapolated it won't look terribly different from these two posts.

 

[eisbock]

I don't. The X and S have the cut-line for the frunk at the front edge of the car, while the 3 has the cut line on top, further back. The X and S need the mustache, otherwise that cut line would make the frontend look funny - something like this (excuse my horrible photo editing skills):

Right, but what's to stop Tesla from moving the cut line down to match the S/X?

 

[eisbock]

Elon Musk on Twitter
Elon Musk on Twitter

I've extrapolated it won't look terribly different from these two posts.

Actually it doesn't look like the second .1mm tweet has anything to do with the nose.

 

[JeffK]

Actually it doesn't look like the second .1mm tweet has anything to do with the nose.

Depends if you consider the nose to be an edge or contour...

 

[GregRF]

The original trio of Model 3 prototypes seem to be "out there" quite a bit... Tesla certainly isnt hiding the car.

Not really the trio. Only the black and silver cars have been out there or seen driven. The red one seems to be a bit of a mystery. It has the newer door handle like the silver, so seems like it was made after the black one, so I'm guessing it would be fully functional. It was also heavily tinted, maybe hiding the new style controls?

 

[garsh]

Right, but what's to stop Tesla from moving the cut line down to match the S/X?

Time. They've got to start building these things soon. That kind of change would require CAD redesigns of the frunk hood as well as the front bumper covering. It might also require a different latch, if the aerodynamic forces on the frunk (with can exposed mustache slot in the front) now differ.

Plus, the Model 3 front looks better, so there's that too.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Not really the trio. Only the black and silver cars have been out there or seen driven. The red one seems to be a bit of a mystery. It has the newer door handle like the silver, so seems like it was made after the black one, so I'm guessing it would be fully functional. It was also heavily tinted, maybe hiding the new style controls?

Word from people who were at the event is that the Red one did not get on stage under its own power, aka it was pushed out there when the lights were down. So maybe it was just a shell (no drivetrain)?

 

[JeffK]

... or it's the only one with a functioning HUD

but yeah, there was no wear on the tires of the red model