FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
I think Elon will keep the Model S going if not to compete with Porsche using the upcoming tri-motor Plaid version.
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Model S range and interior update imminent?
- Thread starter Thorbjorn
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I think Elon will keep the Model S going if not to compete with Porsche using the upcoming tri-motor Plaid version.
As had been said by many and Elon himself (on a podcast as I recall), the S will be refreshed soon to accommodate the Plaid framework. Plaid-S people will basically be the beta-testers for the Cybertruck and the Roadster innards. WRT what happens on the interior that is anyones guess but if I were to bet I would put my $$ on the next update being an S-plaid variant (with retention of raven model and current interior and relaunch of the pano roof and third row seating) so engineers can get data on how it fares in the real world.
100 times as many cars are bought in the $40k price range than $100k. If Tesla's mission is saving the planet and they can sell more cars than they can make, then the mass market cars should have priority. Having said that there is value in having a halo car and having the higher margin on S contribute to their next mass market car.
I think they keep the S in production because Elon wants it. Since the Model 3 has become available in large numbers, the S and X have suffered. I like the S more than the Model 3, but I would have bought a 3 when I bought if it was available. They have been ratcheting down the price of the S and X since the 3 was introduced. The S now costs 25% less than it did 4 years ago with more range and a more capable self driving system as well as some other upgrades.
If the S/X get down to less than a $10K premium over the 3/Y they can probably sell a fair number of them, but the 3/Y will continue to sell better. The S and X are bigger than most cars sold around the world. the 3/Y are large for many countries and are the most common size for American cars. The only sedans that have been selling at all the last few years are the Accord, Camry, Corolla, Malibu, Fusion, etc. In the US consumers prefer SUVs and in most of the rest of the world consumers prefer hatchbacks.
The 3/Y are the right size and right price for the market. The S and X have always been a bit too large for most people. My SO likes smaller cars. She loves the tech and power in the S, but does not like the size at all. She has said if money was no object she'd be getting a SpaceX Roadster. She thinks the 3 and Y are too big for her. Her tastes run smaller than the norm, but most Americans either prefer something the size of the 3/Y or they go for a big pickup. The S and X are in a size niche that consumers have left behind.
The starting price of the S is now $75K and about the only features to add are some trim and full self driving. But as I said above, the S and X are too large for cars outside North America and are on the too large side for North American consumers today. And when a more expensive car is available, there are always more sales of the cheaper cars. BMW makes the 3, 5, and 7 series, and the 3 Series is the best seller by a wide margin.
Tesla is basically making the Model S into the 4 door sports car of the line up. When the Plaid version comes out they will probably sell a fair number of those the first year to people replacing their P100Ds, but the non-Performance version will probably be kept in the line up because it won't cost much to make the cheaper car.
Need ICE alternative vehicles in all meaningful market segments to crush ICE and continue to lead the EV competition.
MichaelJava95
Member
Fast forward to 2020, I purchased a 2016 75D with 32k miles and 4 year warranty and all features except fsd and air suspension for 42k + taxes and fees
Taking advantage of coronavirus deals like a boss Agree on all the above. And those features could be optional extras for all I'm concerned. Most luxury vehicles at a similar price point do not come standard with cooled or massage seats. Honestly, it would not take that much work to get the Model S to the level of a BMW 7-Series. It would just involve a bunch of (probably expensive) optional extras and maybe a slightly higher base price.
The Raven suspension is great, much better than a 5-Series or E-Class and comparable to a 7-Series or S-Class. Of course, none of those cars can slam you into your seat or give you the Tesla grin.
The Model S is beginning to come down to the price point of the Lincoln Continental. $66K gets you an AWD Continental with a pretty posh interior including ventilated seats and a number of amenities not available on the Model S. IMO the Model S is a better car with better cargo space, a hatchback, and energy efficiency completely impossible in an ICE. But in creature comforts the Continental is more bang for the buck than the Model S.
European luxury cars have always been more expensive in the US than domestic options. The Model S has the import cars beat in both price and in many aspects of performance.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
WTF... Lincoln Continental non sequitur?
The Continental is considered a luxury car.
European luxury cars are a great deal in North America! A nicely specced BMW or Mercedes costs around 60% of the price of the same car sold in Europe.
Who cares what’s logical or not, this is about fun. Why have an AMG e or s class? Why have a car that goes 200+mph? Why do anything fun? If it’s a faster/more aggressive version of the S, as long as it doesn’t take away from daily drivability, why not, count me in. There is a (slimmer than mass) market for a car like this, not to sell tons of units, but as a statement product and one that appeals to a particularly lucrative/loyal segment of your customer base...shoot bring it on.
They are generally more expensive than domestic luxury cars though. The Model S has been the most expensive sedan from an American car maker for most of its time on the market. It's now dropped to where its price overlaps with the most expensive sedans from Lincoln and Cadillac, though both have starting prices way lower than the S.
The Model S continues to sell so well because its market transcends the luxury sedan market. First off it isn't really a sedan, it's a fastback with a hatch, and secondly it appeals to a large number of people who would never give any consideration to an ICE luxury car. A lot of those buyers are now refocused on the 3 and Y, but there are still some.
Back in 2015 I saw a survey of Model S owners. Something like 70% said they had never owned a car that cost more than $60K before. I'm probably an outlier in that group. I've only bought 2 new cars in my life, a Buick I bought in 1992 for $21K and the Model S that replaced it in 2016. (I've never owned a car with a CD player.)
When I started looking to replace the Buick, I was looking in the $30K to $40K range. My leading candidate before looking at the Model S on a lark was a Subaru Outback. If the Model 3 had been available, I would have gone with it, even though I do like the S a lot more.
This threading is almost 3 years old.
Imminent refresh: 3 years maybe, 6 years definitely.
Imminent refresh: 3 years maybe, 6 years definitely.
Nda721
Member
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
There are not many Continental owners period.
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