New features in Premium Upgrades Package

[RayK]

Yeah there's a tab labelled Seats on that screen IIRC. However I only remember the two outside rear seats having the temperature controls. Don't recall it for the center seat.

I guess I'll have to turn them on tonight and see if they work. No need to use them so far.

 

[ℬête Noire]

I don’t think so, there are tons of people that want a Tesla, but can’t afford a $50k+ car. ...... And to some it’s about getting away from ICE, not about the upgrades.

Those two sentences strike me as contradictory unless you believe that the only people that would like to move away from ICE to BEV are ones that can afford a $50K+ vehicle.

In my experience there are indeed people that would like a Tesla but don't actually think they can afford one because in their mind they've written down that Tesla = $100K vehicle.

 

[SageBrush]

Those two sentences strike me as contradictory unless you believe that the only people that would like to move away from ICE to BEV are ones that can afford a $50K+ vehicle.

@AnarchyEOD should do a little arithmetic that includes tax credits and fuel savings, and learn how to install inexpensive PV for even more savings.

 

[beantownrich]

Is it strange that on the new Tesla site they don't list RWD as an option unless you're in the design studio. I hope they don't eliminate it once they clear through their stock of pre-built cars. I don't want a unicorn haha!

 

[Twiglett]

I'm guessing that they are still adjusting what they'll be able to include in the base model.
They're still tweaking the profitability projections using the reality of current production, so maybe its cheaper for them to leave things like power adjusting steering position.
We won't know for sure until December

 

[electracity]

I'm not so sure about that. Most German cars in this sector have very little standard equipment and pretty much everything is a paid option. A base 3-series BMW without any selected options would be a very sparse vehicle indeed! You probably wouldn't even get nav, only a very basic sound system, cloth manual seats, manual gears and certainly no fancy driver aids.

A quick look on the BMW configurator shows a base 318i SE at £28K on the road, but you can easily get up to £35K+ without going bonkers with options. Plus a 318i has nothing like the power of a Model 3, so you would probably be comparing against a 340i starting at £43K before options.

I think many buyers will compare the base 3 to a Honda or Toyota, not German cars.

Musk declared that the model 3 was a BMW 3 series equivalent, but he can't require the market to accept his position.

 

[ForeverFree]

The car drives like (or better than) a 3 series. Accord or Camry do not even remotely come to mind while driving it.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Strip it too much and there will be little demand for the car. For $35,000.00 you can get some really good ICE cars that have many more features. This mid end market will be a different to crack. Looks like the high end market is getting saturated hence the need to open orders to anyone willing to buy the high end models. This time next year if production hits and maintains the rate promised will be much harder to sell in.

It's not the high-end getting saturated that's the problem, it's the lack of AWD and performance. Both would expand the number of people with reservations ready to buy.

 

[Peteski]

I think many buyers will compare the base 3 to a Honda or Toyota, not German cars.

Musk declared that the model 3 was a BMW 3 series equivalent, but he can't require the market to accept his position.

I suppose it will vary in different markets, but here in the UK most people would be coming from a similarly priced BMW, Audi, Merc into a Model 3. Also a few early EV adopters "upgrading" from Nissan Leaf, Prius, BMW i3 etc but that's a much smaller market. I don't think Honda and Toyota even have cars to compete directly with the M3 in the UK, certainly not with the same kind of performance.

Maybe other markets differ but I wasn't at all surprised that Musk picked the BMW 3 series as an obvious target. Sure you can go from a Honda Civic to an M3, but they are hardly directly comparable vehicles!

 

[ℬête Noire]

I'm guessing that they are still adjusting what they'll be able to include in the base model.
They're still tweaking the profitability projections using the reality of current production, so maybe its cheaper for them to leave things like power adjusting steering position.
We won't know for sure until December

December of 2019? Because no way we see the base vehicle in December this year, not even orders opening up for it. SR+PUP will be first.

 

[Twiglett]

I think many buyers will compare the base 3 to a Honda or Toyota, not German cars.

Musk declared that the model 3 was a BMW 3 series equivalent, but he can't require the market to accept his position.

With no reference I could also claim that "many buyers" will compare it to a Skoda or a Trabant - doesn't actually make it so though

 

[electracity]

With no reference I could also claim that "many buyers" will compare it to a Skoda or a Trabant - doesn't actually make it so though

It's simply a question of price point. People will compare the base model 3 to cars of similar price. Why would you believe that if Skoda builds a $35K equivalent vehicle that some buyers would not compare it to the model 3?

 

[ℬête Noire]

It's simply a question of price point. People will compare the base model 3 to cars of similar price. Why would you believe that if Skoda builds a $35K equivalent vehicle that some buyers would not compare it to the model 3?

And if the comparison is favourable?

NOTE: That's not comparing the $35K version, yet. He'd have the $49K version. Still "The steering, brakes, and balance were all on par with my expectations of a sport sedan—think E46 M3". That's a lot more expensive car he's talking about there in the M3 line, another $15K-$20K on top for the base price, although he's also talking about an older BMW M3.

EDIT: You really don't expect the SR to compare well with a 320i? Frankly, the experience of modern EVs is in the range of transformative. The drivetrain is just that different that it feels fun.

 

[electracity]

And if the comparison is favourable?

NOTE: That's not comparing the $35K version, yet. He'd have the $49K version. Still "The steering, brakes, and balance were all on par with my expectations of a sport sedan—think E46 M3". That's a lot more expensive car he's talking about there in the M3 line, another $15K-$20K on top for the base price, although he's also talking about an older BMW M3.

EDIT: You really don't expect the SR to compare well with a 320i? Frankly, the experience of modern EVs is in the range of transformative. The drivetrain is just that different that it feels fun.

Don't get your point. Of course many people will consider the Model 3 the best car to purchase at various price points. But many people will not consider the model 3 the best car at their price, and instead perhaps buy a Skoda (if there is such a thing as a new $35K Skoda).

 

[ℬête Noire]

Don't get your point. Of course many people will consider the Model 3 the best car to purchase at various price points. But many people will not consider the model 3 the best car at their price, and instead perhaps buy a Skoda (if there is such a thing as a new $35K Skoda).

And that's what matters, right? Many people saying "yeah, here's a good car for my money at the amount of money I am willing to spend". Then they spend it; Hand it over to Tesla and drive away in the Model 3.

Someone, in fact "many people" asserting that it's not worth it because it's more expensive than a Corolla and doesn't add anything extra above the Corolla? Besides providing a hearty laugh, in what way does that matter? Those are simply people that are using shorthand to express that they have no use for extra that is there (and certainly won't be getting a C-class/S4/3-series/Infiniti etc either, they're in a different market)....or they are some shade of delusional.


EDIT: And this is all before you factor in TCO is going to be lower for the Tesla. I could have a 320i or I could have a Model 3 and $100-$200 left in my pocket every month from fuel savings (YMMV, in a more literal sense than usual).

 

[Knightshade]

With no reference I could also claim that "many buyers" will compare it to a Skoda or a Trabant - doesn't actually make it so though

This reminds me of a time I was renting a car in germany and had specifically reserved a BMW 3 series... I get to the rental place and they give me a Skoda Superb.

I say I reserved a BMW, they point to the thing where it says "BMW 3 series or equivalent vehicle"

I said I assure you, this is not an equivalent vehicle.

They said this is what we have you can take it or not have a car.