Model S refresh!

[Peteski]

Interesting comments, but Tesla has announced a huge increase in orders for S/X since this reveal. They have ramped up production accordingly and their order books are full.

While some will not order with the price increase and new configuration, even more will find this offering appealing and vote with their checkbooks.

Many posts from current owners say they were hesitant to trade in their existing Model S/X for a new one that was essentially the same experience. Believe this car will give a fresh and better ownership experience.

Agreed. I like the look of the new interior and the performance, but I don't think it's quite enough of a change to tempt me into another MX next year. Plaid models are expensive too and a bit OTT on performance for this type of car. I was hoping for (but not really expecting) an all-new platform, although this does look like a serious refresh.

Given previous issues with driveshafts etc, especially on the MX, I'm wondering how well the Plaid models will cope with the extra torque.

 

[Type2]

Smarter headlights are a no brainer at this price point.

It remains perplexing to me that a company that is so hot on its AI and camera tech has such hopelessly incompetent headlights. I can’t even trust auto high beam on my Model 3 and that’s a well and truly solved problem with a single camera and/or relatively cheap sensors, let alone multiple cameras.

Somehow the car can’t even detect rear lights and we’re supposed to believe FSD is really on the horizon? I get the feeling that these sorts of problems aren’t sexy enough to spend man hours on, it’s like they’re all vanity projects that get to 60-80% completion before the architect gets bored.

I think it’s quite extraordinary that a car costing as much as an MS or MX doesn’t have the very latest lighting tech, especially as it’s touted as one of the most technically advanced cars on the road. Obviously not in every respect. It will be interesting to see if the auto function is any better than the dire lights on my M3, which quite frankly are not fit for purpose.

Tesla’s obsession with AI, machine learning and neural networks means that they refuse to use things like a simple, cheap and reliable infrared sensor for the windscreen wipers. That would be fine if the damn things actually worked properly but they don’t. Decent matrix lights and decent windscreen wipers make a huge difference to the driving experience. I never imagined that buying a Tesla would be a backward step in so many respects.

 

[GRiLLA]

I think it’s quite extraordinary that a car costing as much as an MS or MX doesn’t have the very latest lighting tech, especially as it’s touted as one of the most technically advanced cars on the road. Obviously not in every respect. It will be interesting to see if the auto function is any better than the dire lights on my M3, which quite frankly are not fit for purpose.

Tesla’s obsession with AI, machine learning and neural networks means that they refuse to use things like a simple, cheap and reliable infrared sensor for the windscreen wipers. That would be fine if the damn things actually worked properly but they don’t. Decent matrix lights and decent windscreen wipers make a huge difference to the driving experience. I never imagined that buying a Tesla would be a backward step in so many respects.

Your driving experience is less of a priority than self-driving, once that's sorted these driver features won't matter. Whether people believe Tesla will achieve FSD or not, that's the priority for development.

I'm looking forward to see videos of the 'deep rain' style api deciding on D or R with hilarious consequences.

 

[Type2]

Your driving experience is less of a priority than self-driving, once that's sorted these driver features won't matter. Whether people believe Tesla will achieve FSD or not, that's the priority for development.

I'm looking forward to see videos of the 'deep rain' style api deciding on D or R with hilarious consequences.

But then there are some of us Tesla drivers, believe it or not, who aren’t in the least interested in FSD. I prefer to do my own driving. It does mean that the fact that I’m convinced that full FSD, as in at least Level 4 autonomy, is many years away is irrelevant to me. It also means that I need headlights and windscreen wipers that work.

 

[Peteski]

Your driving experience is less of a priority than self-driving

Be interesting to see how FSD utilises Plaid power, lol.

 

[LukeT]

Your driving experience is less of a priority than self-driving, once that's sorted these driver features won't matter. Whether people believe Tesla will achieve FSD or not, that's the priority for development.

I'm looking forward to see videos of the 'deep rain' style api deciding on D or R with hilarious consequences.

If they can get self-driving to work in the dark rainy trafficky UK winter without their systems coping with it for some basic auto wiper function and the cameras returning an image, I'd be surprised.

 

[Fred42]

Cannot get my head around that steering wheel.

There's a really good reason that that yoke shape has always been the reserve of aircraft and racing cars and never drifted across to production cars. It's form over function in the worst possible way in my eyes, bordering on dangerous. I can't wait for motoring journalists to get their hands on them. I'm looking forward to seeing Chris Harris try and catch one in a slide. Or maybe I should be dreading the answer to the question "what happens when you need to turn the wheel quickly through 360 degrees" being, "ah well Sir, our variable ratio steering rack means you'll never have to turn it past 90"! No, no, no.

Not to mention the stalk indicator removal. I've used steering wheel switches on a Huracan, and when the wheel is upside down it was easy to forget in the moment which direction I needed to push for 'left' at the next roundabout exit, let alone which bloody hand I was going to use to flick it.

It appears the yoke is designed to retract into the dash when the car is driving itself. So the design is functional.

 

[Fred42]

I presume they will simply deliver the old spec cars they ordered

They're almost nonexistent. Tesla nearly sold out inventory and no more are being made.

 

[ShadowSix]

It appears the yoke is designed to retract into the dash when the car is driving itself. So the design is functional.

Functional when? When do they expect FSD to be trusted enough to be able to completely remove driver involvement to such an extent that you disable his ability to intervene if required?

I'm sorry, but that's absolute tosh, for the lifecycle of this car at least.

 

[Peteski]

Functional when? When do they expect FSD to be trusted enough to be able to completely remove driver involvement to such an extent that you disable his ability to intervene if required?

I'm sorry, but that's absolute tosh, for the lifecycle of this car at least.

+1 not going to happen in 2022 for sure. Still be mandatory hands on and literal FSD a million miles away.

 

[Peteski]

They're almost nonexistent. Tesla nearly sold out inventory and no more are being made.

Yes so it would appear. I guess our market is not so critical for them.

 

[Caterman]

For me, I'm glad I got mine delivered before the refresh, I want to drive a car, I can do Forza GP or whatever on my computer at home.
While the interior looks a quality upgrade, there is still a question mark over the real world build quality for me.It's bad enough on a £70,000 car let alone an £80,000+ car

 

[Peteski]

For me, I'm glad I got mine delivered before the refresh, I want to drive a car, I can do Forza GP or whatever on my computer at home.
While the interior looks a quality upgrade, there is still a question mark over the real world build quality for me.It's bad enough on a £70,000 car let alone an £80,000+ car

It will be interesting to see if build quality improves with the refresh. I wonder if they will PDI them?

 

[12Pack]

Agree with the posts here about Tesla prioritizing self driving and other supposedly wow tech (like the joke steering wheel) over the car itself, and actual driving. Probably comes from a Elon himself who’s only performance driving experience was to famously crash his super car.

But this does address my main concerns: a decent suspension, better seats, a bit more upscale interior and noise cancellation. Certainly the Germans are far ahead on physical tech as that’s mainly they’ve been working on in their ICE cars.

 

[12Pack]

Well, apparently the yoke steering wheel is approved in The Netherlands...
“In a statement to local media outlet RTL Nieuws, the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW), which supervises vehicle and driving licensing, registration, and control in The Netherlands, revealed that the Model S and Model X refresh’s uniquely-shaped steering yoke would be allowed for public use."

 

[MrBadger]

Well, apparently the yoke steering wheel is approved in The Netherlands...

But maybe not in the US

NHTSA Wants to Talk to Tesla About Half-Circle Steering Wheel

 

[Mark-R]

The DfT has confirmed the U-shaped steering wheel is legal in the UK:

Tesla’s new U-shaped steering wheel is legal in the UK, DfT confirms

 

[Medved_77]

Is the gear selection now capacitive touch? Is this the override for when the car can't tell which direction to go in based on surrounding objects?

Not sure if the upside down coffee cup will be part of the final design?

Also seems to have a regular steering wheel.

 

[nxsynjs]

I thought it was mentioned the gear selection can be overridden on the touch screen.. But surely a couple of up//down buttons on the back of the yoke would work well enough>

 

[MP3Mike]

It looks like there is a pretty big improvement to the Cd for the Model S. From 0.23 to 0.208:

Pulled from this video.

(Which just beats out the reported Cd for the Lucid Air of 0.21.)