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Signature or Production
- Thread starter brianvicars
- Start date
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- Model 3
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
I'm expecting a sig series, maybe not a founders. The builders series idea is neat, but can also be spun as negative, (See, they won't even release the affordable car to the public, only insiders!)
The builder series would be great PR for Tesla and to address the tax credit concern an option for Tesla would be to limit the builder series to 1 or 2 thousand cars. If there is more interest than that they could either limit it based on seniority or have a lottery.
Either way it would be great way to recognize employees.
I like the idea of employees getting dibs on first ones but I don't know if it's realistic since the company needs to start making as much money off them as possible. Maybe a more suitable way to go would be they get a discount and go to the front of the line after Signature series when high prices aren't as important (more on that in a few). I'm also hoping they learned how incompetent media was with the X launch, with them freaking out about signature prices, even though it was said multiple times that the lower priced ones would be introduced over time. It was infuriating to see, even Wall Street and tech analysts, when they'd harp on it having a "starting price" of 125k, but talking about it as though it was the base price.
I'm excited about the unveiling in March, and I understand the draw of a couple hundred million in deposits, but not sold on the reservation setup as it seemed to be for the X.
I think they'd want to go forward with a Signature series in that it's just a fully optioned version with a slightly different badging that they can ask more reservation fee for, so for a little extra money the holder gets to be first in line. I can imagine a big number of these that would need to be capped and would be taken pretty quick but at least that way when you introduce it you can say the actual base price while showing people that if they want it soonest, they'll need to pay for a Signature fully loaded model. Let's say 10,000 Signature cars for $10000 deposit each, that's extra $5,000 to get in front of line but paying for a minimum tricked out version, keeping price average high for first year. So people that want the base version would need to wait, as I would be willing to wait, since I can understand them wanting to get highest average price on first ones they make to pay their bills and getting an extra $50 million in reservation fee isn't too bad, like a $50 million 0% loan. I see the Founder and Signature versions as more along the lines of a way to reward those that support the company over really long time with big deposits and faith instead of being a "not for the masses" luxury idea. It's a better way than what most car makers do with having 3 or more models of same car with pretty minor differences between them as good, better, and best. Tesla's simpler badge of P85D gives you all the major info you want and things like better radio or different seat fabric are things that don't need to be differentiated with meaningless SL, XL, Limited, and other such nonsense of most car makers.
I'm excited about the unveiling in March, and I understand the draw of a couple hundred million in deposits, but not sold on the reservation setup as it seemed to be for the X.
I think they'd want to go forward with a Signature series in that it's just a fully optioned version with a slightly different badging that they can ask more reservation fee for, so for a little extra money the holder gets to be first in line. I can imagine a big number of these that would need to be capped and would be taken pretty quick but at least that way when you introduce it you can say the actual base price while showing people that if they want it soonest, they'll need to pay for a Signature fully loaded model. Let's say 10,000 Signature cars for $10000 deposit each, that's extra $5,000 to get in front of line but paying for a minimum tricked out version, keeping price average high for first year. So people that want the base version would need to wait, as I would be willing to wait, since I can understand them wanting to get highest average price on first ones they make to pay their bills and getting an extra $50 million in reservation fee isn't too bad, like a $50 million 0% loan. I see the Founder and Signature versions as more along the lines of a way to reward those that support the company over really long time with big deposits and faith instead of being a "not for the masses" luxury idea. It's a better way than what most car makers do with having 3 or more models of same car with pretty minor differences between them as good, better, and best. Tesla's simpler badge of P85D gives you all the major info you want and things like better radio or different seat fabric are things that don't need to be differentiated with meaningless SL, XL, Limited, and other such nonsense of most car makers.
I don't really understand the importance people are placing on the media's interpretation of Tesla's product rollouts. It doesn't matter. The fact that the media got Model X pricing wrong makes no difference to the viability of Tesla. They have a massive backlog of orders and plenty of time for the media to correct it's mistakes. Anyone remotely interested in the X will figure out the cost well before Tesla would need an order from such a person. Same thing for Model 3. It doesn't matter if the media bashes Tesla for doing a higher-priced sig series first. People are going to want this car badly. Clearly Tesla will have plenty of time to educate the consumer on costs during the ramp of production. If a sig series had any effect, IMO it would just add to a feeling of exclusivity and luxury. Yes this is a mass-market car. The iPhone is a mass market phone, but it has still had a feel of luxury and exclusivity through the majority of its product lifecycle (launching with only one carrier, slowly rolling to other carriers, affordable but still premium, etc.).
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Mad Hungarian
Member
If correct that really is awesome and the right thing to do, considering how hard these folks have worked the last few years.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
There is no way to answer something that is not yet happening - once Tesla is taking reservations, then their policy of what they will or won't do might be available. Any other answer is just speculation.
Mad Hungarian
Member
This is 100% on the money (pardon the pun :biggrin
.No matter what the media reports on pricing these cars are going to be sold out for a looooonnnng time.
I also think that the higher the average initial sale price may create more incentive for the competition to finally invest and start building some exciting EV alternatives, not boring econoboxes like the Bolt. Isn't getting the rest of the automotive world on board also part of the master plan?
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
I did not find her response "condescending" at all, but quite rational. You are overreacting.
This entire thread is speculation about what Tesla may do. There is no "correct" or "right" answer at this point.
The question you posed in your OP cannot be answered. We know almost nothing about the Model 3 and we definitely know nothing about the ordering process. Obviously. We are just going to have to wait and see.
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bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
LoL Rick
Like Buttah
@bonnie - e-hug! A good friend of mine is going through the same thing with her mother and it sucks.
I also love the idea of employees getting first dibs. They've earned it.
Returning to the original question, can you downgrade from signature to production and keep your place in line? I would think not, since that would mean production cars getting delivered while sigs are still waiting, throwing the whole system out of whack. But right now it's probably anyone's guess what they will do when the time comes.
I also love the idea of employees getting first dibs. They've earned it.
Returning to the original question, can you downgrade from signature to production and keep your place in line? I would think not, since that would mean production cars getting delivered while sigs are still waiting, throwing the whole system out of whack. But right now it's probably anyone's guess what they will do when the time comes.
MitchJi
Trying to learn kindness, patience & forgiveness
It's common for companies to offer various benefits to employees, company stores, the option to buy stock at a discount etc. I think Tesla should offer employees a discount on the M3, something like five percent for each year of employment. Tesla can and should easily prioritize deliveries to employees. If every employee in the company takes two, (10k total) and assuming a first year production of only 75k it's not a huge deal.
Regarding the original title, I haven't seen any comments, what is the difference between signature and production models*?
*) Yeah, I understand that at this point, no one knows details regarding the Model 3, least of all if there even will be signature model, but rather, what have been the differences in Model S and Model X if they are any kind of indication? And I don't mean delivery dates / order etc but the differences in the cars themselves?
*) Yeah, I understand that at this point, no one knows details regarding the Model 3, least of all if there even will be signature model, but rather, what have been the differences in Model S and Model X if they are any kind of indication? And I don't mean delivery dates / order etc but the differences in the cars themselves?
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