Model 3 Mule Sightings

[AnxietyRanger]

Okay, I'll say it. That interior is definitely NOT 100x more polished than Model 3. It is, however, at least 100x busier than Model 3's interior and I think that is much to the detriment of the XC60.

<snark on>
It looks like they got finished designing the dash, then said, "Wait a minute. We've still got lots of bells, whistles, buttons, and dials leftover." Then, they went back and crammed it all in, wherever it would fit. They even added what looks like a centrally located, dash-mounted tweeter that you get to stare at the whole time you're driving. Now that's brilliance, that is!
<snark off>

Yes, with Model 3 they also designed everything and then only had one thing left over...

 

[flamingoezz]

im not a big fan of that center speaker either (i think it is only in the upgraded speaker package), but my overall point was that the curves, stitching and inlays in the dash, the angle on the armrest, etc are small details that make the car look finished. The straight lines and boxy look definitely make it look like a rough draft.

I know I'm talking about another tier of car, but the lucid interior released a week or two ago looks futuristic/minimalistic without looking like it lacks effort. It is possible to make something simple that ALSO looks good. thats why I originally said it looks like Tesla ran out of budget on the car. I don't think they intended the M3 interior to look like this.

Well there's always something for somebody right? Because personally... that interior to me is very unappealing to say the least. Air vents are huge - there's a strange circle thing on the dash.. screen is TINY.

 

[Trev Page]

This photo shows something I had not seen before (but perhaps has already been commented on somewhere in the more than 2,000 posts in this thread): in the front bumper directly in front of the headlight is a small round cutout. What is that? Removable piece for the tow eye bolt? No matter what it is, this white 3 looks fantastic!

That's the cap for the tow bar receptacle. Model S and have it as well but hidden in the lower black fascia

 

[T34ME]

Tell me that doesn't look 100x more polished than the straight lines that the model 3 has EVERYWHERE.

It doesn't "feel like a spaceship." It feels like a not very well designed "car". You either embrace evolution and the future or not. You either recognize and accept Elon's vision or not.

 

[plankeye]

agree to disagree then. To me, the only thing in the interior of the M3 that looks like they spent ANY amount of time on is the seats. there is zero detail in the rest of the interior. You can convince yourself it is simplistic or minimalistic. I call it not trying.

I call it easy as hell to clean!!

 

[cdub]

Everything Tesla has done so far sorta makes sense in the grand scheme of things, but the one thing I can't wrap my head around is why they are taking such a huge risk on an already risky car. The whole point of Tesla was to give people what they want in an electric package to accelerate sustainable transportation. The attitude of "you won't care" does not strike me as furthering this goal. You need to create something that is both novel and desirable and Tesla absolutely nailed that with Model S. People want a Model 3 because it's supposed to be a baby S.

"Apple should pull the plug on the iPhone… What Apple risks here is its reputation as a hot company that can do no wrong. If it's smart it will call the iPhone a ‘reference design' and pass it to some suckers to build with someone else's marketing budget. Then it can wash its hands of any marketplace failures… Otherwise I'd advise people to cover their eyes. You are not going to like what you'll see." - John C. Dvorak, tech columnist, 2007

 

[22522]

Tesla is shifting attention to the occupants of car. The people.

There is kind of a no-man's land between hybrids (a lot of stuff to monitor and break -Tesla could not compete with advantage there), ICE cars (less to monitor) and pure EVs (not so much to worry about).

Since there is not so much to worry about, the no-man's land of instrumentation will look lacking - sparse in a bad way - not enough clutter, as if something is missing.

Tesla chose to avoid no-man's land and go all the way to clean. So clean, you have forgotten what might be missing.

There are not many people who could have done better than Tesla did with the 3 interior. No one comes to mind.

I have not seen any of the transitional models, but when you look at the outcome and think through the way transitions might have looked, Tesla made the right call in a big way.

 

[McHoffa]

Notice the rough-cut sticker over the rear quarter glass? I wonder what that could possibly be hiding...

That would be my quick crappy photoshop job of tinting the windows

 

[Laban]

Yes, with Model 3 they also designed everything and then only had one thing left over...

The Model 3 dash is made thinner to achieve the rider forward + more room in the cabin design of the Model 3. I'm thinking that the thin dash makes it rather difficult to do something like the Model S/X solutions.

Also notice how the competition uses tiny screens, and/or have them protruding up above the dash:

I prefer the Model 3 interior, and Audi (A4 sedan) is supposed to be the "leader" in the interior design area.

 

[electracity]

Exactly! I feel the same way. This is just taking the Model S design concept to the next level. Simplicity is beauty.

I agree that the interior looks good IF they are using soft touch materials. We could be looking at hard surfaces.

 

[Model 3]

his photo shows something I had not seen before (but perhaps has already been commented on somewhere in the more than 2,000 posts in this thread): in the front bumper directly in front of the headlight is a small round cutout. What is that? Removable piece for the tow eye bolt?

There are some pictures of a blue PC with this round cutout removed and that tow eye bolt visible in it's place - and some wires hanging down.

 

[McHoffa]

Thanks McHoffa.

The proportions in the back have definitely changed... and not in a good way. The new version looks more like a Prius. The old one was sexy as hell. I sure hope the camera angle is playing tricks on us because if it's not then Tesla managed to take the 3 out of S3XY.

The back ends are exactly the same... I wasn't sure which Prius you think the Model 3 looks like, so I compared it to all of them

 

[McHoffa]

The Model 3 dash is made thinner to achieve the rider forward + more room in the cabin design of the Model 3. I'm thinking that the thin dash makes it rather difficult to do something like the Model S/X solutions.

Also notice how the competition uses tiny screens, and/or have them protruding up above the dash:

I prefer the Model 3 interior, and Audi (A4 sedan) is supposed to be the "leader" in the interior design area.

Yeah, and here is the BMW 3 series... the little screen looks so out of place, and the rest looks like a mess to me

or the Mercedes C class

 

[Petra]

Yeah, and here is the BMW 3 series... the little screen looks so out of place, and the rest looks like a mess to me

or the Mercedes C class

Also, when are car makers going to learn that glossy black plastic almost always looks and feels like cheap trash?

 

[Az_Rael]

Also, when are car makers going to learn that glossy black plastic almost always looks and feels like cheap trash?

Not a fan of the Piano Black interior on the Model S I am guessing?

 

[vigge50]

I would assume exactly that. Certainly on many other cars it looks like that.

It is too low and one-sided (?) to be a headlight washer...

That's something I have wonder about, why don't Tesla have headlight washer? Is that just a prof that Tesla is design in and for California?

 

[T34ME]

I wasn't sure which Prius you think the Model 3 looks like, so I compared it to all of them

Thanks McHoffa! The TM3 looks like a Prius as much as the Roadster looks like a Model X. They all have four wheels!

 

[Big-T]

During Q&A: "Franz, on behalf of the members of Tesla Motors Club, where's the HUD?" *person promptly removed from the event*

...and, before anyone asks, I'm not going to be the one to ask him that question.

I know it's meant to be funny but in all seriousness I hope someone there does ask this question as well as other questions that maybe don't come off as "I've drank the cool-aid and am all in" but still in a respectful/objective way.

You know as soon as the the first handful of reviewers get their hands on the car (motor trend, consumer reports, kbb, etc) they're doing to be wondering many of the same things and will put that in their reviews - which is what the masses will be reading when deciding to either get a new higher specced Honda/Toyota or try out this new fangled Tesla they've been hearing about.

There's no Q&A between Elon and the crowd during the reveals so far, so this IS the time to ask about things like how AP info is going to display on just one screen, what the steering wheel controls (if any) will do,exactly how the trunk was re-designed, etc, etc.. If the questions aren't asked now, they'll just be asked again by the buying public come decision time for a new car in 2018.

 

[trils0n]

Prius is taller and narrower than the Model 3 (I spent 10-15 mins walking around the red Model 3 prototype at the Gigafactory Party and shot this short video (sorry about the sound, just mute volume), and have seen the white RC in person). Totally different proportions. Prius -- tall and narrow. Model 3 -- low and wide. Side by side in person you'd never mistake the two.

Interior: The Model 3 interior, even more so than the Model S interior seems to be all about the lines! Model S interior has beautiful flowing lines (reminds me of Worf's tactical station behind Captain Picard's chair on the Enterprise). Model 3 seems to be a similar design style, all about these really clean, stark lines. What I've seen I think looks great, with nice proportions, but some people think that style looks plain or boring. I would love to see a Model S done in the Model 3 style, as I think some of the brushed metal strips in the Model S aren't quite the right proportion/radius/too fat. (See original IC border vs current design, but apply that idea to rest of the car)

 

[Petra]

Not a fan of the Piano Black interior on the Model S I am guessing?

Well, I did say almost always... but, no, I'm not a fan.