Model S range and interior update imminent?

[diplomat33]

Model S with Plaid Performance and rear facing seats coming Oct/Nov 2020:
Elon Musk: Tesla Model S 'Plaid' with new rear-facing seats coming Oct/Nov 2020 - Electrek

 

[ucmndd]

Model S with Plaid Performance and rear facing seats coming Oct/Nov 2020:
Elon Musk: Tesla Model S 'Plaid' with new rear-facing seats coming Oct/Nov 2020 - Electrek

Imminent!



(.... 3.5 years later....)

 

[badboy1980]

Imminent!



(.... 3.5 years later....)

lol.... agreed!!

 

[Gen3]

I bet Tesla makes more interior room in MS by putting seats forward like in the M3. Looks like an interior redesign.

 

[DanCar]

I bet Tesla makes more interior room in MS by putting seats forward like in the M3. Looks like an interior redesign.

Yeah, they are not changing the exterior dimensions, so nothing else they can do except move 2nd row forward 2-3 inches, which sounds like a good idea to me. I wonder if they add heating and A/C to third row.

 

[BrianKH]

My following post from July looks like it is holding up fairly well (aside from the timing as to when the car will be available) with the events taking place this week in Nurburgring this week:

It may be wishful thinking but I just don't see Elon ceding the market to the Taycan (I understand some believe the Taycan is closer in size to the Model 3 but pricing is certainly closer to the S). The Model S is Elon's baby - it is what brought the company to this point in time to where it has the ability to dominate the BEV market. With the recent announcement of the Taycan having 30,000 reservations, I have a hard time believing Tesla will allow this segment of the market to slip away from them.

From a strategic standpoint, wouldn't it make the most sense to allow Porsche to fully announce the Taycan (with all of its specs and pricing) and then shortly thereafter announce an update (not a "refresh") that makes the Taycan look like outdated technology. With Porsche's rollout of the Taycan due in September, the end of the federal tax credits on December 31, moving the battery investor day to early next year together with CraZ8's info indicating an update has been moved to the first quarter all add up to something significant happening in early 2020 for the Model S.

 

[erik_k]

Elon confirms rear facing 3rd row resurrected and coming late next year with more room.
Elon Musk on Twitter

I was under the impression that rear facing seats were still possible to order off menu by phone or in a showroom. Has anyone tried in the past 6 months?

 

[Kafka]

I was under the impression that rear facing seats were still possible to order off menu by phone or in a showroom. Has anyone tried in the past 6 months?

If so, I would be interested. Just ordered a LR Performance, will follow-up. Any other off-menu items that I should go for (e.g. sunroof)?

 

[tpoltron]

I bet Tesla makes more interior room in MS by putting seats forward like in the M3. Looks like an interior redesign.

I hope they do as I find it less easy to get into our S with the front seat too far back behind the B pillar. At first I rejected this idea as too difficult in the existing chassis but if they go to a Model 3 style dash that is much shallower front to back it should be doable. Just have to figure out how to push the pedals forward.

 

[Dithermaster]

If so, I would be interested. Just ordered a LR Performance, will follow-up. Any other off-menu items that I should go for (e.g. sunroof)?

None that I'm aware of. Since at least June (if not before) there are zero off-menu Model S/X items that can be ordered. Neither Sunroof nor Rear-Facing Seats are available, except in inventory or used cars. Only Model 3 has any current off-menu things.

 

[CraZ8]

I hope they do as I find it less easy to get into our S with the front seat too far back behind the B pillar. At first I rejected this idea as too difficult in the existing chassis but if they go to a Model 3 style dash that is much shallower front to back it should be doable. Just have to figure out how to push the pedals forward.

I think the triple motor might allow for a lower floor in the trunk area and more head room that way for a third row. A new shallow dash still does not allow for a new firewall/ pedal placement without changing some stampings in the front footwell area. Perhaps you could change the design of the pedals and their angle and be able to move both sets of seats forward an inch or two but that seems like a lot of extra effort for a couple of inches. Just my take

 

[S100D]

I think the triple motor might allow for a lower floor in the trunk area and more head room that way for a third row. A new shallow dash still does not allow for a new firewall/ pedal placement without changing some stampings in the front footwell area. Perhaps you could change the design of the pedals and their angle and be able to move both sets of seats forward an inch or two but that seems like a lot of extra effort for a couple of inches. Just my take

If Tesla installs a $35,000 dash, Model 3, in a $100,000+ thousand dollar Model S/X, they will kill the Model S/X because not many people will buy one. All of the other premium brand autos will have premium dashes in their new cars.

Imagine how great the Model 3 would have looked if they had put a 15 inch screen vertically in the Model 3 with the rest of the interior that looked like the Model S/X.

 

[Fobble]

Yeah, they are not changing the exterior dimensions, so nothing else they can do except move 2nd row forward 2-3 inches, which sounds like a good idea to me. I wonder if they add heating and A/C to third row.

If they are going to do exterior updates, I prefer light updates to make MS looks sharper and sleeker instead of drastic changes, as current exterior still looks quite fresh

 

[MountainRatMat]

If Tesla installs a $35,000 dash, Model 3, in a $100,000+ thousand dollar Model S/X, they will kill the Model S/X because not many people will buy one. All of the other premium brand autos will have premium dashes in their new cars.

Imagine how great the Model 3 would have looked if they had put a 15 inch screen vertically in the Model 3 with the rest of the interior that looked like the Model S/X.

Imagine if Apple had put a physical keyboard on the iPhone, the S/X interior feels dated. I am in favor of the design language of the Model 3, and Semi. More premium materials/feel in the S/X would help but I am in favor of moving towards the design language in the Model 3.

 

[wdolson]

I hope they do as I find it less easy to get into our S with the front seat too far back behind the B pillar. At first I rejected this idea as too difficult in the existing chassis but if they go to a Model 3 style dash that is much shallower front to back it should be doable. Just have to figure out how to push the pedals forward.

The Model X moved the firewall a little forward compared to the S, but they were still able to get all the equipment in the front because the X is taller so there is more vertical space. They could shrink the frunk further or eliminate it to move the firewall forward to where is in the X, but it would require a redesign of the body and I don't think they are going to do that until the full redesign in a few years.

If they do put a Model 3 type dash in the Model S/X I expect they will further drop the price to a point where the S/X is only a minor premium over the Model 3. The Model S is suffering low sales because the Model 3 does 80-90% what the Model S does for 2/3 the price. It used to be 1/2 the price, but Tesla has been ratcheting down the price of the S. A current S as close as possible to my 2016 S is currently $20K less than what I paid.

 

[tpoltron]

If they do put a Model 3 type dash in the Model S/X I expect they will further drop the price.

I think Tesla has better marketers than that. Many people just want to pay more, you just have to give them a reason. It could be ventless with a landscape display like the Model 3 while still having more premium materials, a heads up display, cooled ventilated seats etc.

I totally agree about the Model 3 making the current S look overpriced though. The S really needs to surpass the 3 on door pockets, phone chargers, coat hooks etc.

 

[heltok]

After reading this article:
Tesla Model S Plaid Powertrain: Everything We Know

It seems that at some point over the next year Tesla will update the cooling system of the car. I assume when they do this they will also update the battery cooling and the battery. 2170 seems likely. Imo the big question is when this will happen? In March like Raven? With 100kWh and 130kWh options and Plaid in Q3. Imo Q1 would be a good quarter for the upgrade, take the pain in one quarter. But Q1 might be dedicated to Y ramp, thus Q2?

 

[wdolson]

I think Tesla has better marketers than that. Many people just want to pay more, you just have to give them a reason. It could be ventless with a landscape display like the Model 3 while still having more premium materials, a heads up display, cooled ventilated seats etc.

I totally agree about the Model 3 making the current S look overpriced though. The S really needs to surpass the 3 on door pockets, phone chargers, coat hooks etc.

Elon's master plan talks about advancing emission free transportation, not making lots of money. Selling 50-100K Model S a year goes more towards that goal than selling 1K or even 20K at a much higher price. Also the profits from selling 100K cars is usually higher than from selling a relative handful of overpriced cars.

 

[FlatSix911]

Elon's master plan talks about advancing emission free transportation, not making lots of money.
Selling 50-100K Model S a year goes more towards that goal than selling 1K or even 20K at a much higher price.
Also the profits from selling 100K cars is usually higher than from selling a relative handful of overpriced cars.

Shh... don't tell Porsche

 

[wdolson]

Shh... don't tell Porsche

Porsche has the best of both worlds, they sell about 250K overpriced cars a year.