As you guys know I visited the Tesla Store in NYC and I decided to do a follow up on their new store: Roosevelt Field Mall.
The Store was very Apple-like and felt very high end. We all have to remember the store’s purpose—to provide information and marketing for an amazing company and its product.
Tesla merchandise was fully stocked which I thought was cool as it can engage people with the brand. It’s a play out of Lamborghini and Ferrari’s book --very smart. The set up was brilliant. A pearl white Model S smack dab in the middle of the store and positioned between the 2 Tesla columns. Directly behind the full production Model S was the all famous exo-skeleton consisting of the “skateboard” and air ride suspension.
The walls were aligned with familiar shots of the Model S and merchandise, but most importantly they were adorned with color swatches and huge touch screen panels that gave you information about electric (there was a breakdown of the US Map and energy production in each state which I thought was cool), but there was also a calculator that covered Gas vs Electric savings with sliders that made it very easy to dial in things like MPG, life span of vehicle, electricity rates, etc. This is going to be extremely helpful for those who are skeptical about the technology’s benefits in general. There was also a motor to show exactly what the Model S was powered by and what enables the features of the car.
The back of the store had 2 large screens playing press video with the different wheel options under the screen. I thought this was cool. I did notice one of the rims wasn’t fully painted (the black) I think this should probably be fully coated for those who are anal retentive like myself.
Behind the walls are two customer lounges where reservations are made. There were comfy chairs and Apple computers to pass the time (perhaps for family members who are bored).
I have to give a big shout out to the excellent staff at the store. I eaves dropped on a few conversations and the employees have patience of saints. They went over everything from features to the production ramp up giving people comprehensive information on the background of Tesla and its vehicles. Staff was fantastic, I have to give a shout out to Billy and Paul who really took care of me there (and the other gentleman from Florida—sorry I forgot his name).
Here are some shots of the display car.
The Drive and The Car.
I was very fortunate to get a test drive in a Black/Crème/CF Trim w Panorama Model S Signature Performance Model w Paint Armor and CF Spoiler. We all know about the awesome features of this car on paper and I will let pictures speak for itself.
What I do want to go over is the nitpick’s and reservations that some people have and other details that I usually pick up on.
- Fit and finish were extremely impressive. Last month I went to look at the Beta Prototype Model S and this vehicle has come a long way. Very little panel gap and the entire car feels like a vault which is a very good thing, but the feeling is aided by the silence of the car. In addition, the door thud was spot on and felt very high class.
- The infotainment system is unmatched. The Tegra 3 processor and UI really made everything come together. Everything was cleanly laid out and button sizes on the interface were just right. People can pick this up really easily and everything looks good and is extremely zippy.
- The drive train is that of a rocketship. This is no surprise as Mr. Musk actually makes rockets, but words cannot express the rush one gets. The correlation between my foot depressing the pedal and my smile widening are direct. I couldn’t believe the feeling. I also appreciated the little “woosh” sound you hear when you floor the vehicle. Nothing like the roadster’s but it really gives you a futuristic feeling of driving.
- The steering wheel is amazing, the right thickness, shape, and the material were used. In addition, I thought a nice touch were the scroll wheels and functionality built in them (you can click into them and easily customize the display interface).
- Sound system with EQ were perfect. Right there with Mark Levinson and B&O in the higher end car manufacturers
- Every part of the car was bolted down properly and all the materials just screamed quality and luxury to the touch. I cannot emphasize this enough because the things that I abhor in vehicles are the cheap feeling plastics that look good in pictures.
- The Stalk for cruise control and turn signals. I think this was REALLY overblown. I hit it once but never hit it again after the first turn. Its force of habit and people will adjust quickly.
- The customization in the vehicle’s dynamics were cleanly laid out, very noticeable, and easy to adjust. I like the Sport Steering and Normal Regen set up the most, but I can see where people would like the softer steering settings and regen (those coming from a buttery lexus or high end luxury sedans that want a more sedate experience). The whole issue of “feeling like a big car” is completely mitigated in the steering customization.
- Competition has to watch out. I mean this in all sincerity. I read many threads where people complain that the ICE vehicles offer more value for the money because of more features. But I think about the features given by high end cars… from the likes of an S55 AMG, Panamera, and BMW M5. What are they really offering… Power and tech features. The Model S certainly has the power. The infotainment system alone has all the features that iDrives and “M” Button have, but make it easy to use.
I really don’t know what’s missing except the chunkiness and cumbersome interfaces of its competitors. I am not a fan boy of any kind, I just tell it how it is. The day Tesla products stink I will be the first to say it, but today is not that day.
My message for all who are shorting Tesla, stop doing it. For those patiently waiting for your Model S, remember that the best comes to those who wait. The best is coming. For those who have their Model S already, I hate you because I want one :love:. Finally, for those of you who haven’t experienced the Model S (like myself until today) I suggest you get a move on and experience the future.
The Store was very Apple-like and felt very high end. We all have to remember the store’s purpose—to provide information and marketing for an amazing company and its product.
Tesla merchandise was fully stocked which I thought was cool as it can engage people with the brand. It’s a play out of Lamborghini and Ferrari’s book --very smart. The set up was brilliant. A pearl white Model S smack dab in the middle of the store and positioned between the 2 Tesla columns. Directly behind the full production Model S was the all famous exo-skeleton consisting of the “skateboard” and air ride suspension.
The walls were aligned with familiar shots of the Model S and merchandise, but most importantly they were adorned with color swatches and huge touch screen panels that gave you information about electric (there was a breakdown of the US Map and energy production in each state which I thought was cool), but there was also a calculator that covered Gas vs Electric savings with sliders that made it very easy to dial in things like MPG, life span of vehicle, electricity rates, etc. This is going to be extremely helpful for those who are skeptical about the technology’s benefits in general. There was also a motor to show exactly what the Model S was powered by and what enables the features of the car.
The back of the store had 2 large screens playing press video with the different wheel options under the screen. I thought this was cool. I did notice one of the rims wasn’t fully painted (the black) I think this should probably be fully coated for those who are anal retentive like myself.
Behind the walls are two customer lounges where reservations are made. There were comfy chairs and Apple computers to pass the time (perhaps for family members who are bored).
I have to give a big shout out to the excellent staff at the store. I eaves dropped on a few conversations and the employees have patience of saints. They went over everything from features to the production ramp up giving people comprehensive information on the background of Tesla and its vehicles. Staff was fantastic, I have to give a shout out to Billy and Paul who really took care of me there (and the other gentleman from Florida—sorry I forgot his name).
Here are some shots of the display car.
The Drive and The Car.
I was very fortunate to get a test drive in a Black/Crème/CF Trim w Panorama Model S Signature Performance Model w Paint Armor and CF Spoiler. We all know about the awesome features of this car on paper and I will let pictures speak for itself.
What I do want to go over is the nitpick’s and reservations that some people have and other details that I usually pick up on.
- Fit and finish were extremely impressive. Last month I went to look at the Beta Prototype Model S and this vehicle has come a long way. Very little panel gap and the entire car feels like a vault which is a very good thing, but the feeling is aided by the silence of the car. In addition, the door thud was spot on and felt very high class.
- The infotainment system is unmatched. The Tegra 3 processor and UI really made everything come together. Everything was cleanly laid out and button sizes on the interface were just right. People can pick this up really easily and everything looks good and is extremely zippy.
- The drive train is that of a rocketship. This is no surprise as Mr. Musk actually makes rockets, but words cannot express the rush one gets. The correlation between my foot depressing the pedal and my smile widening are direct. I couldn’t believe the feeling. I also appreciated the little “woosh” sound you hear when you floor the vehicle. Nothing like the roadster’s but it really gives you a futuristic feeling of driving.
- The steering wheel is amazing, the right thickness, shape, and the material were used. In addition, I thought a nice touch were the scroll wheels and functionality built in them (you can click into them and easily customize the display interface).
- Sound system with EQ were perfect. Right there with Mark Levinson and B&O in the higher end car manufacturers
- Every part of the car was bolted down properly and all the materials just screamed quality and luxury to the touch. I cannot emphasize this enough because the things that I abhor in vehicles are the cheap feeling plastics that look good in pictures.
- The Stalk for cruise control and turn signals. I think this was REALLY overblown. I hit it once but never hit it again after the first turn. Its force of habit and people will adjust quickly.
- The customization in the vehicle’s dynamics were cleanly laid out, very noticeable, and easy to adjust. I like the Sport Steering and Normal Regen set up the most, but I can see where people would like the softer steering settings and regen (those coming from a buttery lexus or high end luxury sedans that want a more sedate experience). The whole issue of “feeling like a big car” is completely mitigated in the steering customization.
- Competition has to watch out. I mean this in all sincerity. I read many threads where people complain that the ICE vehicles offer more value for the money because of more features. But I think about the features given by high end cars… from the likes of an S55 AMG, Panamera, and BMW M5. What are they really offering… Power and tech features. The Model S certainly has the power. The infotainment system alone has all the features that iDrives and “M” Button have, but make it easy to use.
I really don’t know what’s missing except the chunkiness and cumbersome interfaces of its competitors. I am not a fan boy of any kind, I just tell it how it is. The day Tesla products stink I will be the first to say it, but today is not that day.
My message for all who are shorting Tesla, stop doing it. For those patiently waiting for your Model S, remember that the best comes to those who wait. The best is coming. For those who have their Model S already, I hate you because I want one :love:. Finally, for those of you who haven’t experienced the Model S (like myself until today) I suggest you get a move on and experience the future.
