Model S Refresh

[Olle]

I would expect that the MS and MX will be soon be upgrading to the new 2170 batteries and I would expect it to happen prior to the M3 launch. If the M3 has more advanced batteries when it's launched, MS and MX sales may suffer and Tesla does not want that to happen. In fact, if I were in the market for a MS or MX right now, I think I would wait for the new batteries.

I doubt it. 2070 cells in S and X will eventually happen, but not now. The resources to reengineer, validate and retool for that battery pack are instead needed for Model 3. Most Tesla owners I met can't name 18650 and definitely not 2070. Nobody will think of them as different. Unless they, like us, read up on every single little detail on this forum 20 hrs a day. But then they will lose their job and can't buy a Tesla anyway.

 

[Destiny1701]

Who and what kind of hints are you hearing? I am about to take delivery in a week for my 100d

If your taking delivery it means your car is already out of production. Enjoy it!

Hints were around more in the premium package or ultra premium (something like that) ...head up display, rear reclining seats, auto open/close doors, revamped steering wheel, more leather colour options for seats, restyled steering wheel, rear seat controls/entertainment.

Again this is all hints from a production line worker who is family to a service SC tech. The same hint source predicted exterior fascia re-design in 2016.

 

[Mrwatchdawg]

Well what a credible source told me was that self closing doors wouldn't come to the Mode S, at least this Body style, due to the weight of the system adds around 70 pounds per door.

 

[Destiny1701]

Well what a credible source told me was that self closing doors wouldn't come to the Mode S, at least this Body style, due to the weight of the system adds around 70 pounds per door.

In the end as mentioned, just hints nothing I or even the SC staff can say with full conviction.
I guess we will all have to wait. The central message is that something to the interior is coming which is beyond just seat style or center console.

 

[ecarfan]

Hints were around more in the premium package or ultra premium (something like that) ...head up display, rear reclining seats, auto open/close doors, revamped steering wheel, more leather colour options for seats, restyled steering wheel, rear seat controls/entertainment.
Again this is all hints from a production line worker who is family to a service SC tech. The same hint source predicted exterior fascia re-design in 2016.

Some of those "hints" I find plausible (revised steering wheel because Model 3 has a different steering wheel, more interior color choices, power front doors like the X) and some I don't (HUD and rear reclining seats). But what do I know...

I want more paint color choices.

 

[EV-lutioin]

Agree new Panamera should be the benchmark

Never driven one, but the Panamera looks a bit busy to me.... lots of buttons and gauges. It looks like there are 13 buttons on the steering wheel alone not including the three sticks and the button thingy on the bottom right. I'll bet it's a sweet ride and having lots of buttons and gauges is appealing to many drivers, but I think Tesla is going for the opposite approach. For better or worse (depending on your opinion), minimalism has been Tesla's mantra for interior design.

 

[lunitiks]

Well said @EV-lutioin, I agree completely. Also I think less is more when it comes to steering wheel buttons. It's absolutely frustrating to have to look at the wheel, think, look at the road, look at the wheel again and think some more, try a button, fail, look at the road (etc.) This has become a foul routine when driving my wifes Leaf.. I even think the steering wheel on my S could be better with less buttons. Have to solve it some other way, of course, but you don't always need *everything* at your fingertips

 

[rightnow]

Tesla has started to look at the panemara for design and luxury cues. Look at the 2017 interior of the Porsche...an absolute tech marvel. They also hired over Volvo's chief of interior design to 'modernize' the S...ha...Oxymoron for the most modern vehicle in existence.

I wouldn't be surprised at HUD, different screen set ups etc

Have u seen the new volvos? They are freaking amazing interior. The head hunter really did an awesome job.

 

[gowthamn]

Well said @EV-lutioin, I agree completely. Also I think less is more when it comes to steering wheel buttons. It's absolutely frustrating to have to look at the wheel, think, look at the road, look at the wheel again and think some more, try a button, fail, look at the road (etc.) This has become a foul routine when driving my wifes Leaf.. I even think the steering wheel on my S could be better with less buttons. Have to solve it some other way, of course, but you don't always need *everything* at your fingertips

But touch screens are distracting too. You need at least 2 clicks to access anything. Sometimes 3. Buttons are better for frequently used features.

 

[whitex]

Well said @EV-lutioin, I agree completely. Also I think less is more when it comes to steering wheel buttons. It's absolutely frustrating to have to look at the wheel, think, look at the road, look at the wheel again and think some more, try a button, fail, look at the road (etc.) This has become a foul routine when driving my wifes Leaf.. I even think the steering wheel on my S could be better with less buttons. Have to solve it some other way, of course, but you don't always need *everything* at your fingertips

How is this different than having to navigate multiple levels of menus on a touch screen (so no tactile feedback like from a physical Button)? You have to take your eyes off the road for as much as 3 seconds when the big screen is slow to turn headlights on or off. Yes there is Auto setting, but:
1. While it works ok-ish on our AP1 car, AP2 seems to turn on headlights based on factors unknown to me. They were on on Sunday late afternoon for example in perfectly sunny weather.
2. Headlights are not the only things, try to navigate to seat heaters for the kids on the back. Again, the driver has to take their eyes off the road for a long time (longer than headlights if you were on a different menu before).

 

[Destiny1701]

Never driven one, but the Panamera looks a bit busy to me.... lots of buttons and gauges. It looks like there are 13 buttons on the steering wheel alone not including the three sticks and the button thingy on the bottom right. I'll bet it's a sweet ride and having lots of buttons and gauges is appealing to many drivers, but I think Tesla is going for the opposite approach. For better or worse (depending on your opinion), minimalism has been Tesla's mantra for interior design. View attachment 231320

Actually the entire centre console of it is touch screen interface...not a lot of buttons at all vs the previous gen interior. Steering wheel perhaps but the rest is beautifully crafted in my opinion.

 

[Tanquen]

Never driven one, but the Panamera looks a bit busy to me.... lots of buttons and gauges. It looks like there are 13 buttons on the steering wheel alone not including the three sticks and the button thingy on the bottom right. I'll bet it's a sweet ride and having lots of buttons and gauges is appealing to many drivers, but I think Tesla is going for the opposite approach. For better or worse (depending on your opinion), minimalism has been Tesla's mantra for interior design. View attachment 231320

Plus, even while you're on the inside you'll still have that nagging icky feeling in the back of your head about how awful the outside looks.

 

[xyeahtony]

The last refresh was about one year ago, and it took 4 years for that refresh are we really expecting something different in yet another year? Tesla's full focus is FSD/AP2 and Model 3/Semi.

If we're talking about incremental upgrades, then i think eventually all Model S's will be D models by the end of the year.

 

[eye.surgeon]

I don't want dual motors or stupid gimmicks like auto opening/closing doors. I like my sedans fast and RWD. If I lived in the snow I'd get dual motors, thank goodness I don't.

 

[DÆrik]

Never driven one, but the Panamera looks a bit busy to me.... lots of buttons and gauges. It looks like there are 13 buttons on the steering wheel alone not including the three sticks and the button thingy on the bottom right. I'll bet it's a sweet ride and having lots of buttons and gauges is appealing to many drivers, but I think Tesla is going for the opposite approach. For better or worse (depending on your opinion), minimalism has been Tesla's mantra for interior design.

We just had a Porsche Cayenne as a rental car while in California for the VIP event, the WHOLE center console was clustered mess of buttons..... It was ridiculous. Tesla has certainly gone with the right look of minimizing physical buttons. Just sitting in the car gave me anxiety with all the buttons.

Thanks Erik

 

[DIL]

Never driven one, but the Panamera looks a bit busy to me.... lots of buttons and gauges. It looks like there are 13 buttons on the steering wheel alone not including the three sticks and the button thingy on the bottom right. I'll bet it's a sweet ride and having lots of buttons and gauges is appealing to many drivers, but I think Tesla is going for the opposite approach. For better or worse (depending on your opinion), minimalism has been Tesla's mantra for interior design. View attachment 231320

I test drove one. It looks gorgeous and everything feels superb. The new (2018) Panamera has very few physical buttons. Everything is embedded in glossy surfaces with haptic feedback. And you can order a steering wheel with no buttons.

 

[dknisely]

I agree that the next big upgrades will be 2170 packs (probably mid-2018, and substantial, perhaps 100/130 as the options) and an AP3 sensor set once they figure out what is actually required for FSD, plus an obvious replacement of the NVIDIA box as soon as they figure out what it should be, since the current one is entirely inadequate, IMHO. I originally thought these would come sooner, but based on the state of progress, I don't see them before 2018. There has to be a late 2017 bump for sure, but that will probably be cosmetic (probably appealing, but not substantial). HUD seems to be too much to expect given R&D total commitment to M3 for foreseeable future.

I'm rather happy that my 12/2016 S is holding up, but obviously extremely disappointed with the rate of feature progress. Since M3 appears to have the same sensor set, I doubt a MS bump on the sensor set will happen soon.

 

[FlatSix911]

Tesla has started to look at the panemara for design and luxury cues. Look at the 2017 interior of the Porsche...an absolute tech marvel. They also hired over Volvo's chief of interior design to 'modernize' the S...ha...Oxymoron for the most modern vehicle in existence. I wouldn't be surprised at HUD, different screen set ups etc

Agree new Panamera should be the benchmark

As a long time Porsche owner and enthusiast I can assure you that the Panamera is considered the ugly stepchild of the family

 

[JonG]

Tesla tend to constantly tweak that major updates - I can only think of the MS facelift. They'll also want to key identity, hence the strong exterior styling clues on all cars and the near identical dash on MS and MX. The MS seats were updated virtually silently as well.

If the new M3 dash if better than the current one, it may get adopted, although I doubt.

They could put upgraded graphics on the cockpit, move towards the Audi virtual cockpit type thing, the current display is low on contrast and resolution and showing it's age.

 

[brianman]

I don't want dual motors.... I like my sedans fast and RWD.

The dual motor S/X flavors have higher top speeds (in some cases) and acceleration (in most cases) than the RWD ones.