Mysterious Clay Model?

[stopcrazypp]

And to REALLY put this thing to rest, there's a photoshop overlay of the Model X prototype on the clay model. Comparing to my previous overlays, it looks like the X's front and rear overhangs are much shorter than the Model S, assuming the wheelbase is still the same.

Side point: if we found this out a year ago, we would have had a year early scoop of the Model X!

 

[Norbert]

View attachment 4156
And to REALLY put this thing to rest, there's a photoshop overlay of the Model X prototype on the clay model. Comparing to my previous overlays, it looks like the X's front and rear overhangs are much shorter than the Model S, assuming the wheelbase is still the same.

Side point: if we found this out a year ago, we would have had a year early scoop of the Model X!

Now I know why I didn't feel like posting in this thread.

The Model X wheelbase is longer, I think about 4+ inches, if that allows you to estimate the length compared to the Model S.

 

[grisnjam]

To put this thing to rest, I think AnOutsider nailed it. The Model X clay model shown here is likely what everyone thought was the "BlueStar" or S coupe. I guess no one expect the Model X to be so similar to the Model S.

That and assuming the same wheel base tended to undersize the X. The X has a 4 inches longer wheel base then the S.

 

[WhiteKnight]

So Model X has been hiding in plain sight for over a year now.

That reminds me of that picture of a clay Model X that was taken from another Tesla video by someone on this forum that was then picked up and used by Autoblog.

So they had the clay 18 months ago. That probably means Franz and team will start working on BlueStar very shortly if they have not already.

 

[doug]

So I guess that clay model was at reduced scale given the size of the people behind it. Still there seem to be some minor differences, and I do think this shape (at the appropriate scale) would be fine for a coupe.

I'm going to change the title of this thread.

 

[stopcrazypp]

So I guess that clay model was at reduced scale give the size of the people behind it. Still there seem to be some minor differences, and I do think this shape (at the appropriate scale) would be fine for a coupe.

I'm going to change the title of this thread.

The differences are mostly in the greenhouse (the clay model's is not as tall). Although that may be from the perspective (the clay model is seen from mostly top down, the profile pictures for the Model X is seen either from the middle or slightly below). There's some details missing on the side in that clay model picture also (which are present in the clay model picture from AnOutsider).

The other major differences is the a-pillar is a lot farther back in the clay model (basically exactly in the same position as the Model S), and the d-pillar is more forward (again like the Model S).

The clay model is basically a Model X with a Model S greenhouse or a Model S with Model X front and rear ends.

But the picture of the prototype they demonstrated fits perfectly in the horizontal dimensions (in terms of wheelbase, wheel size, and overhang size).

 

[JRP3]

Front overhang of the clay seems a tad shorter.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Front overhang of the clay seems a tad shorter.

That's from the perspective. The clay model is seen from slightly rear-to-front. The profile picture shown for the Model X is dead in the middle (perhaps even slightly front-to-rear).

If you look at the original picture of the demonstration prototype that I used for the my overlay (seen from almost exactly the same angle horizontally), the front/rear overhang and wheelbase is proportional:

 

[vfx]

I don't buy it. The clay does not resemble the X. Especially if you look at all the design sketches of the X. Why would they clay up a low greenhouse when the drawings clearly show it with a SUV rear end?

 

[ElSupreme]

I don't buy it. The clay does not resemble the X. Especially if you look at all the design sketches of the X. Why would they clay up a low greenhouse when the drawings clearly show it with a SUV rear end?

Yeah I think that is a clay model of something other than the X. At first it looks right, but look at the angle of roofline going into the tailgate. It is way off. The clay model could never have handled 7 people.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I don't buy it. The clay does not resemble the X. Especially if you look at all the design sketches of the X. Why would they clay up a low greenhouse when the drawings clearly show it with a SUV rear end?

Yeah I think that is a clay model of something other than the X. At first it looks right, but look at the angle of roofline going into the tailgate. It is way off. The clay model could never have handled 7 people.

Look at my previous overlay. The bottom portion fits perfectly. I don't think that is just coincidence.

The greenhouse however is different (compare the distance between the a-pillar and the front wheels; it's exactly the same as a Model S if you look at my previous overlays, clearly different from the Model X). The rear of the greenhouse is also slightly different (it's further back on the X).

Assuming it's the X, I would think that is a Model X in the intermittent stages (they started with the Model S and then modified it to the X we see today). Remember, the purpose of a clay model is to be able to freely rework the design (you can easily add and subtract to the shape). It is by no means just a final 3d visualization of the design.

I'll try overlaying this picture later (the vertical perspective is a bit closer to the clay's, although horizontal is way off; you can see the hood in both cases):

 

[vfx]

Look at my previous overlay. The bottom portion fits perfectly. I don't think that is just coincidence.

Remember the wheelbase difference.

 

[dpeilow]

I'm with vfx and elsupreme on this. The clay is a car, not any kind of SUV/CUV.

 

[JRP3]

That's from the perspective. The clay model is seen from slightly rear-to-front. The profile picture shown for the Model X is dead in the middle (perhaps even slightly front-to-rear).

The front over hang in this picture of the X is longer than what was unveiled.

 

[bonnie]

The front over hang in this picture of the X is longer than what was unveiled.
View attachment 4196

View attachment 4195

Great catch. The website photo looks better, I'm hoping that's the production design.

The back looks slightly longer, too. I wonder if they were working off an S platform for the first prototypes.

 

[rabar10]

The front over hang in this picture of the X is longer than what was unveiled.

+1 nice catch! The rear overhang is also longer in the top pic, though it's not nearly as obvious.

 

[Bearman]

The front over hang in this picture of the X is longer than what was unveiled.

That might be an optical illusion because of different focal length lenses used on the camera, a telephoto lens will compress the perspective of the image and make it look flat whereas a wide angle lens will distort proportions.
The last picture seems to be taken with a wide angle lens at a slight angle and at closer distance than the first picture which looks like a perfectly perpendicular telephoto shot taken at a longer distance. However i have not seen the car in real life so others might be able to reveal if the car was any different than the one on the first picture.

Example:

 

[JRP3]

I actually prefer the shorter version myself, looks stockier, more SUV like.

 

[WhiteKnight]

That might be an optical illusion because of different focal length lenses used on the camera, a telephoto lens will compress the perspective of the image and make it look flat whereas a wide angle lens will distort proportions.

I think you are right. In fact there's a decent chance that the clay model is a Model S with this "optical illusion" happening.

By the way, Bearman is this a picture of your girlfriend?

 

[Bearman]

By the way, Bearman is this a picture of your girlfriend?

I'm afraid not