Roadster 3.0

[smac]

Uh, no. I've raced an Elise in my Roadster. No timing but I was waaaaaay out in front.

Does depend heavily on variant. They range from 135bhp to 260bhp from the factory in US Spec.

I think this is a fair comparison:
Lotus Elise SC v Tesla Roadster | Evo

The Series 3 (v6 supercharged ones we get here) are over 350 BHP, but you lose a lot of the MPG advantages.

 

[dhrivnak]

No but an Elise/Exige is pretty close 0-60. Would love to see that added to the graph

I had an opportunity to participate in track day at LOG (Lotus Owners Group) 34 last fall with my Roadster as the body, frame and suspension were from Lotus. I was in the bottom half on the Autocross, likely more due to driver, but I ruled the 1/4 mile. None of the 30+ cars could outdo me.

 

[ChadS]

I once took a driving class in my Roadster that included a small autocross course. As we were beginners, we had to have instructors ride with us. As one instructor got in, I joked about the hard part being over now that he was in. He said "No big deal, I've been in lots of cars like this."

I hit the accelerator and took off. His arms flew backwards and he yelled "Oh &%$! Not like this!" He had thought he was getting in a Lotus...

 

[smac]

Great stories both @dhrivnak and @chads !


I completely agree, without launch control as fitted to the v6 Exige, you'd really struggle to beat a Roadster over the 1/4 mile.

I still think it's fairer to include the Elise than a Ferrari, or Corrola. Ultimately they are very similar cars given their history and give very similar utility, i.e. 2 seat convertible with minimal creature comforts.. I'll happily concede the Roadster might be quicker 0-60, but the Elise still ain't a Corolla

 

[JRP3]

I saw the car, it's looking interesting...it's very modern...much nicer...cost, it's not about profit, it's about appreciation

The bit about the Roadster starts at 13:50:

 

[ChadS]

The bit about the Roadster starts at 13:50 in the video above.

 

[GVTesla]

Thanks JRP3! & also ChadS for the pointer. Tesla sure knows how to keep people excited, can't wait to see the first pictures.

"More modern" suggests a more serious change as opposed to (what I thought would be) some small add-ons purely focussed on eliminating some of the swirls and turbulences around the edges of the car

 

[ChadS]

Yeah, I expected just a lower valence and underbody panels that wouldn't be visible; I thought any visible body changes would be WAY too expensive (I am referring more to development time than customer cost, though both matter). Hmm. Well, a few manufacturers are talking about future 300-mile cars, so maybe Tesla really wants to stay in front but can't afford it with the S/X until the gigafactory opens. Tesla had to give us new batteries and the wheel/tire/brake work may be a spin-off from Model III development, but it is hard to see new not-for-profit Roadster body parts as much other than a "thank-you" to Roadster owners.

A few days ago somebody (who has connections) said that the 2.5 nose was 10% worse aerodynamically than the original nose. That seems like a lot; but if true indicates there is a lot they could do with just, say, a front bumper.

It's also nice to hear yet another indicator that pricing won't include big fluffy margins. However, given the small market, it seems it could still be quite expensive even if they price it at cost. I am working hard not to get my hopes up because low prices have never been The Tesla Way.

 

[JRP3]

The bit about the Roadster starts at 13:50 in the video above.

Oops, I thought I linked the video to start at that point

 

[ecarfan]

I can't access the video right now because of bandwidth issue at my current location.

Can someone summarize what Jerome says in the video about the 3.0 upgrade? Anxious to hear...

 

[Jackyche]

Drove the car from SF to LA.

He's seen the car, it looks, "interesting" and more "modern"

He has no details on pricing and timing of availability.

He reiterated that Roadster is high on Elon's mind and they appreciate Roadster owners as part of what got Tesla as a company going.

I can't access the video right now because of bandwidth issue at my current location.

Can someone summarize what Jerome says in the video about the 3.0 upgrade? Anxious to hear...

 

[ecarfan]

Okay thanks. The most interesting thing to me is that he is implying a noticeable change in the exterior appearance. That is more than I expected for visual changes. Hmm...I have seen old posts saying that a true "fastback" rear deck piece woth a completely different rear window would significantly help the aerodynamics. But that would be an expensive item to produce in limited quantities in carbon fiber in multiple paint colors. So maybe the major exterior change is the front bumper and spoiler, and possibly the rear spoiler.

 

[sethr]

So maybe the major exterior change is the front bumper and spoiler, and possibly the rear spoiler.

I wonder if another change could be to the sides - perhaps there are changes that improve the airflow (which also pushes water onto the sills)? I confess ignorance about aerodynamics, but it seems logical to me that a change that decreased water into the sills might also improve aerodynamics, or vice versa.

 

[ecarfan]

Okay I just listened to the section of that video where Jerome talks about the Roadster upgrade. @Jackyche summarized it very well. I remain quite intrigued that Jerome said the upgraded Roadster looks "very modern" which clearly implies that the aerodynamic changes are significant and quite noticeable. Frankly, I think the Roadster design looks "very modern" as it is right now but I think Jerome is using the phrase to indicate that the look of the car is changed quite a bit. Wow. This is really getting interesting.

It as funny in the video when Jerome said "I know they drove it to LA" nd then immediately said "Oh is that public?" as if he was afraid that he had let some secret formation slip out. Sounded like he was genuinely concerned he had said something he wasn't supposed to.

Just before he said that he was talking about how JB and Elon really wanted to continue to improve the Roadster and the 3.0 upgrade was their way of thanking Roadster owners for their support. Good to hear, yet again.

 

[pharma5]

Interesting comments from Jerome - thanks for posting. Sounds like they are trying to keep the cost reasonable (i.e., not a source of profit).

I reiterate the hope that the three points of the Roadster 3.0 will be available separately. For me this is a matter of keeping the original appearance of a modern classic car. For others it may be an opportunity to take get the aero and rolling resistance upgrades while using their current battery as long as possible.

That said, I'm curious if there will be any special requirements in order to get the upgrade. (Any reason to think sport suspension would be needed...?)

Guessing that next official info will come around the Ides of March...

 

[JRP3]

I wonder if it includes a different hood. The open louvers always looked like an aerodynamic nightmare to me.

 

[m0rph]

I start to believe the aero changes will be significant: Front bumper + splitter, rear bumper + diffusor, rear spoiler and perhaps even side skirts? None of these original parts are made in CF (on the non-sport), if I'm not mistaking. So it shouldn't cost too much either, if they are doing the early adopter a favor, I think $ 3k should be enough for the whole package, or $ 5k with CF splitter and rear spoiler. Excluding paint work & installation that is.

 

[dhrivnak]

I wonder if it would be easy to allow bi-directional power so the new Roadster could act as a battery for home solar? That could be revolutionary making EV'S and solar more compelling. I think all the hardware is in place to enable it. The Leaf has a version that can do this. For me that would really up the bar for sustainability.

 

[ecarfan]

"Easy"? I think not. While almost anything is "possible" , Tesla is not going to be making that capability available in the Roadster.

 

[spiderguy]

After watching the video, it's clear that Jerome was not prepared to answer any questions about the Roadster. I believe him when he says that he saw the car, but it may have just been a darting glance, rather than any type of extended study. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that Jerome said, "much nicer" and "more modern" just as puffery, unaware of the exact cosmetic changes. I'm not saying that's the case; it's simply the impression that I came away with.

In comparison, Jerome is very detailed and specific when asked if early Model S cars would be able to utilize the new technology. He talks about the rake of the windshield, the headliner, wiring, etc. Compare this to his initial response to the Roadster question, which he says is "interesting". Then, not wanting to appear unknowledgeable in the area, just ad libs, "much nicer", "more modern". Of course, the lack of detail could be because Jerome knows that information is not yet public and doesn't want to leak secret information.