Model 3 Mule Sightings

[ohmman]

mod note: renamed the thread to incorporate all future Model 3 mule/prototype sightings. The Model X Mule Sighting thread was probably the most exciting thread in which I've been involved here (and a nod to @Paul Carter for that), so I'm anticipating an elevated experience in this thread. Keep it coming...

 

[vitz]

The more I see it (or at least pictures of the Model 3), The more I'm hoping that we'll have the option to de-badge the car. The back of the car looks so clean without the Model 3 and motor configuration badges.

I think all of the prototypes are like this for the moment (which makes sense), I just hope it's an option on the final production car.

 

[jkk_]

The more I see it (or at least pictures of the Model 3), The more I'm hoping that we'll have the option to de-badge the car. The back of the car looks so clean without the Model 3 and motor configuration badges.

I think all of the prototypes are like this for the moment (which makes sense), I just hope it's an option on the final production car.

Funny, I'm feeling exactly opposite and not just with the model 3 but with all cars in general. If there are no markings in the back they feel "cheap" or juvenile to me. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate that we could choose whether or not to have them. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that.

 

[vitz]

Funny, I'm feeling exactly opposite and not just with the model 3 but with all cars in general. If there are no markings in the back they feel "cheap" or juvenile to me. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate that we could choose whether or not to have them. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that.

As you say, each to their own. With the relatively giant licence plates that we have here in the UK, it'll probably won't make much difference to the look having badges or not - especially a big yellow plate on a blue car (which is what I'm leaning towards).

 

[JeffK]

If there are no markings in the back they feel "cheap" or juvenile to me.

With many brands nowadays you have to pay extra for them to debadge the car.

I, personally, don't appreciate when dealers put their name in stickers on the back of the car in addition to all the brand badging already there.

Badging gets excessive (random pic from the internet):

I want a single small badge simply stating how much better my car is than everyone else's.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

With many brands nowadays you have to pay extra for them to debadge the car.

I, personally, don't appreciate when dealers put their name in stickers on the back of the car in addition to all the brand badging already there.

Badging gets excessive (random pic from the internet):

I want a single small badge simply stating how much better my car is than everyone else's.

To be fair, the strip on the bottom-right, below PZEV, is personalized and user-installed.

I know this, because my wife has overbadged her Impreza.

She sees her car as an appliance, and not something that should be overly aesthetically pleasing. She is the yin to my yang. She would be the Leaf to my Model 3.....

 

[melindav]

Most modern cars badges are only on with adhesive foam tape and can easily be removed with some fine fishing line

 

[jkk_]

With many brands nowadays you have to pay extra for them to debadge the car.

I, personally, don't appreciate when dealers put their name in stickers on the back of the car in addition to all the brand badging already there.

Badging gets excessive (random pic from the internet):

I want a single small badge simply stating how much better my car is than everyone else's.

Yeah no arguments here, I like it simple, if I'd have my with the random picture as an example, I'd drop Subaru (it's already in the badge) and just state AWD and some power indication (cf. kWh) there and just Outback where it is, and drop the additional stickers.

 

[greenemg]

Anytime I've purchased a car, I've made the dealer remove any/all dealer badges, stickers, etc.

Just tell them you'll be happy to leave their advertising on your car for the right price.

 

[greenemg]

Also, I suggest that the admins sticky this thread going forward so we have quick access to any and all photos that start appearing.

 

[WileyTheMan]

For

Anytime I've purchased a car, I've made the dealer remove any/all dealer badges, stickers, etc.

Dealerships in CA don't seem to add badges like that. What they do bet on, however, is the general laziness of the consumer that leaves the dealership license plate frame on.

Anyway, to stay on topic: I keep an eye out for mules every day, but work/live in the south bay so I'm not holding my breath. Any test driving they do will be near HQ which is on the peninsula or the factory which is (basically) east bay.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

While I might not get to see any mules during pre-production, if Tesla wants to start testing APv2.0 in the New England winters later this year, I hear the Commonwealth of MA is looking to set aside some land they own for such endeavors.....


Former Massachusetts Army base floated as testing ground for self-driving cars

 

[jkk_]

While I might not get to see any mules during pre-production, if Tesla wants to start testing APv2.0 in the New England winters later this year, I hear the Commonwealth of MA is looking to set aside some land they own for such endeavors.....


Former Massachusetts Army base floated as testing ground for self-driving cars

Finnish law already allows automated vehicle trials without any permits. So, they can combine cold weather testing with AP testing and come here where they can use the whole country

 

[Zaphod]

That nose doesn't look the same. May be angle but it looks like it points over and curves back rather than the blunt flat nose of reveal.

Exactly the same. When the photos were at the reveal, the cars were more up at eye level, so definitely viewing angle coming into play.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Finnish law already allows automated vehicle trials without any permits. So, they can combine cold weather testing with AP testing and come here where they can use the whole country

our government would invalidate the testing if it didn't occur here...

 

[Bokonon]

While I might not get to see any mules during pre-production, if Tesla wants to start testing APv2.0 in the New England winters later this year, I hear the Commonwealth of MA is looking to set aside some land they own for such endeavors.....

Former Massachusetts Army base floated as testing ground for self-driving cars

Are they going to saturate the test track with salt and sand, so that the [already-faded] lane markers are completely invisible? Maybe dig a few foot-deep potholes? Or drag a dummy wearing an all-white ski outfit across the track every few minutes? It's important to test against real-world conditions.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Are they going to saturate the test track with salt and sand, so that the [already-faded] lane markers are completely invisible? Maybe dig a few foot-deep potholes? Or drag a dummy wearing an all-white ski outfit across the track every few minutes? It's important to test against real-world conditions.

HAHAHAHAHA...true New England conditions.....

but seriously, the portions of the former base they've identified as potential sites have gone mostly unused for 20 years now, so the road markings are already faded if not gone.

not to mention it's next to a wildlife refuge, so there's no telling what will jump out of the woods.


Maybe they can get autonomous winter testing and some of their crash testing out of the way all at once.

 

[voip-ninja]

With many brands nowadays you have to pay extra for them to debadge the car.

I hope you realize that a "badge delete" can be done in about 10 minutes with a hairdryer and some dental floss.

 

[ProphetM]

While I would be fine with the lack of badging evident on the mules, I have no problem with the existing badging on the Models S and X. I'm just glad that Tesla does not seem to be following the trend of the last several years for making the badging larger and larger. Logos are beginning to reach comical levels of enormity. It seems to be worst with Ford, Dodge, Buick and Mercedes. I saw a Dodge pickup the other day (oh look, a banner ad for exactly the one I'm thinking of!) that had 'RAM' spelled out in chrome on the tailgate; it was so large that with just those 3 letters it had to have been at least two feet across, if not three.

 

[ummgood]

While I would be fine with the lack of badging evident on the mules, I have no problem with the existing badging on the Models S and X. I'm just glad that Tesla does not seem to be following the trend of the last several years for making the badging larger and larger. Logos are beginning to reach comical levels of enormity. It seems to be worst with Ford, Dodge, Buick and Mercedes. I saw a Dodge pickup the other day (oh look, a banner ad for exactly the one I'm thinking of!) that had 'RAM' spelled out in chrome on the tailgate; it was so large that with just those 3 letters it had to have been at least two feet across, if not three.

Don't forget the larger than life logo on the front of the Infiniti QX80. I think of it as a branding iron when you rear end another car. Kinda marking your territory.

For me I hope they have a 'black out' package. All chrome on the car is black chrome etc... That is what the flat black mule is and I want that on my car just with the midnight silver paint instead of flat black.