Model X Mule Sightings

[J1mbo]

It's in typical condition for a mule. You see lots of camo'd Jag/Land Rover mules driving around Coventry, UK which are in much worse state than that (but still road legal).

Looks like those ultrasonic sensors at the base of the falcon wing doors are here to stay?

 

[InTheShadows]

It's in typical condition for a mule. You see lots of camo'd Jag/Land Rover mules driving around Coventry, UK which are in much worse state than that (but still road legal).

Looks like those ultrasonic sensors at the base of the falcon wing doors are here to stay?

They would almost have to be for the proximity sensing for the door to open.

I wonder if they have a dual purpose on helping with blind spot detection as well.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

The latest mule image certainly adds a bit more fuel to the fire that the Model X might have a retracting spoiler or something new in the spoiler area, as well as there not being a rear view mirror at all.

 

[EchoDelta]

Has anyone done a map of sightings and sighting routes & schedules?

 

[vandacca]

Based on this picture I want to say that these are OLD body panels that are magnetically held on to the car as Camo. Any thoughts on this ?

I've been saying all along that the doors (both front and falcon doors) do not belong on this body, due to them being badly aligned . Therefore, I believe that the actual production doors will have a slightly different style/shape. I think that the crease on the lower portion of the doors will be replaced by something a bit more stylish.

The missing trim also appears to show a gap where in previous photos had what looked like a camera (about the same level as the fog lights). That seems to indicate that there is a room for the camera body to fit through the panel.

Finally, the bottom of the falcon door window appears to have a horizontal black strip that might have been carbon fibre. It looks like its been damaged on the left-side.

This mule has seen better days.

 

[PokerBroker]

We just need to map the route and set up wildlife cameras!

 

[Earlian]

Model X Mule Spottings

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way: It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

 

[bonnie]

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way: It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

Yep.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way. It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

I doubt they are playing with us. The mule looks so bad by now, I think a more likely reason is they are just working on it. By this I mean, whatever department is using it, whatever they are testing on it, is making changes necessary constantly for that purpose and everything else is left kind of hanging there. Of course it is camoed, and of course some parts are not final, but I doubt fooling us is much of a priority beyond that. It probably looks that bad simply because lot of testing, lot of changes are constantly being done to it to test various systems...

Summarizing so far the expected changes compared to the 2012-2013 prototypes:

- Nosejob
- All-around cameras
- "Lighter" falcon wings design
- Larger windows on the sides, sportier lines
- Spoiler?
- New interior
- New lights
- Slightly shorter wheelbase? (Assuming Model X prototype wheelbase was longer than Model S as some mentioned)

The totality of course will look much different to the prototype, but mostly due to small changes here and there and a new nose - that is my guess at this point. Will keep watching mules for more clues, if possible.

 

[Earlian]

Model X Mule Spottings

I don't say it will go like this, but it can.

Just take the falcon wing doors. I can't remember of one mule photo, where the doors fit good, they all look like someone tinkered them on the car in a hurry. IF they are testing for months and they can't even fit them better since 2012, I do get worried because of other reasons. So my hope is for a redesign at the side, perhaps other front doors and or (crazy dream) single-big-falcon-wing-doors for front and rear ?!?

Ok, probably I should take some days off and visit the MX-Waiting-Rehab facility.

 

[vandacca]

Just take the falcon wing doors. I can't remember of one mule photo, where the doors fit good, they all look like someone tinkered them on the car in a hurry. IF they are testing for months and they can't even fit them better since 2012, I do get worried because of other reasons. So my hope is for a redesign at the side, perhaps other front doors and or (crazy dream) single-big-falcon-wing-doors for front and rear ?!?

Last November (over at the Tesla forum), I half-jokingly proposed that Tesla should have a double set of falcon doors (if they're so great, why not?). I thought they could name it the DragonFly or the Model-XD (D=dual falcon wings).

At the time, someone suggested replacing both front and rear doors with a single large falcon wing design, but I don't think that is a good idea. I would think that a huge door would look monstrous and unappealing, not to mention the inconvenience of having to open the driver-side door to let someone out/into the back 2 rows.

However, after seeing the mules, I'm 100% confident that Tesla hasn't gone that route.

 

[aronth5]

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way: It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

That's why they are called mules! I mean have you ever seen a really nice looking mule?

 

[brianman]

That's why they are called mules! I mean have you ever seen a really nice looking mule?

I was going to look for an amusing image on the internet for this one, but figured the search term might be dangerous.

 

[dirkhh]

Or maybe they'll drop the falcon doors for something more conventional? That could be the big surprise...

 

[bonnie]

Or maybe they'll drop the falcon doors for something more conventional? That could be the big surprise...

You're lucky I can no longer give negative rep.

- - - Updated - - -

I was going to look for an amusing image on the internet for this one, but figured the search term might be dangerous.

I've made a similar mistake in the past. And shrieked as results filled my screen. That wasn't exactly the search term, but I've learned to be a little more careful.

 

[dirkhh]

You're lucky I can no longer give negative rep.

Hehe, shouldn't have given up that Moderator hat
I think that would be awesome. Elon coming out on stage, telling the world "ha, gotcha good, didn't I? only a fool would build a car with wing doors... I mean, think about it? What about a roof rack? What when it snows... and you fools ate it up... here I present you the SIX DOOR Model X"

:snicker:

I've made a similar mistake in the past. And shrieked as results filled my screen. That wasn't exactly the search term, but I've learned to be a little more careful.

Yeah... yesterday a "washing/wrapping/opticoat/whatever" obsessed friend got her Model S back from yet another coating / wrapping / whatever session. And so I wanted to send her a picture of a really dirty muddy Model S with a funny note like "hey, I saw your car".

Note to self: don't search for "dirty model s" on a work computer. :redface:

 

[Merrill]

I was going to look for an amusing image on the internet for this one, but figured the search term might be dangerous.

Here is a cute one!!

- - - Updated - - -

I was going to look for an amusing image on the internet for this one, but figured the search term might be dangerous.

Here is a cute one!!

 

[Dutchie]

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way: It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

Do you really think these guys have nothing better to do than driving around in a mule just to fool us?

 

[bonnie]

Do you really think these guys have nothing better to do than driving around in a mule just to fool us?

Just because the body is different doesn't mean real data isn't being collected.

 

[Aljohn]

At this point 120-180 days from deliveries, Tesla would have to have molds finalized for stamping and assembly details worked out -- robots, fitting and such. So IMHO the mules are purely camo. Those last panels are hung on to something to place on the road for technology gathering. Speculation of the Nvidia hardware, they don't have to turn on the hardware immediately. They can do the same as with the Auto Pilot hardware. It seems good speculation, because if Tesla added the Nvidia hardware to the chassis, they may be doing the same to the Model S. Therefore would not announce prior to placing on both platforms.