Signature or Production

[JeffreyR]

@jkk_ asked what's the difference between production and Signature cars (assuming MS and MX inform M≡)?

That information is definitely floating around the Interwebs. From memory you'll get:

1) most option boxes checked
2) special Signature Red (maybe others) paint option
3) Carbon fibre spoiler and red brake calipers
4) top performance
5) special "Signature" chrome details
6) slight discount from if you try to match options later (Signature paint, calipers, and chrome details are not possible later)
7) down payment of ~30% of asking price (was $40K for MX)

Model ≡ will be different though. By how much we will need to wait to see.

 

[tga]

4) top performance

Not exactly. You got the biggest battery (S - 85, X - 90), but the Signature S came in both P and non-P options. The first MS I ever saw in person was a Sig red, non-P S85.

 

[MassModel3]

I think the first question to be answered is 'will there even be a Signature series?'.

Personally, I'm hoping the first run will be opened first to Tesla employees, since they've been building cars largely unavailable to them. A Signature series might not be indicated for Model 3, since it seems counterintuitive to 'mass market'.

Good grief, bonnie... How dare you hijack this thread with good ideas or meaningful reasoning. No good could possibly come from that!

 

[tdelta1000]

I think the first question to be answered is 'will there even be a Signature series?'.

Personally, I'm hoping the first run will be opened first to Tesla employees, since they've been building cars largely unavailable to them. A Signature series might not be indicated for Model 3, since it seems counterintuitive to 'mass market'.

I asked that very question... Will there be a Sig Mod 3? Bonnie your answer fall right in line with my feelings.

 

[eloder]

I personally will have to pass on a signature. As much as I want one, I probably won't want a signature red and the variable / unknown price ceiling is a bit too much for me. I'll probably be perfectly content with the lowest bare-bones model with cold weather package, maybe autopilot (because it's just too cool!), and maybe AWD.

 

[MassModel3]

Some time back someone posted in these forums their thoughts on why Tesla probably won't create a Signature or Founders version of the car, and it made total sense to me and I'm in total agreement.

With the Model 3, Tesla is trying to break out of the stereotype of being an elitist vehicle for the super rich (or at least very well to do). Why have the first versions of of the 'car for the masses' be high down payment (reservation) versions that are priced completely out of the ballpark for most people? The anti-Tesla press will have a field day if the first thousand vehicles are $70K+ cars.

Personally, I'd be very surprised if there was a Sig version. Yeah, it's quick and easy money for the company, but that short-term gain could ultimately damage the long-term benefit of only producing standard models with prices starting at $35K right from Day 1.

 

[ebwb]

Any company would want to recoup their investments, so I fully expect the handful of Model 3s "delivered" December 2017 to be $70K Signatures.

Thankfully, ICE manufacturers have already established the price differential for a performance model. Tesla can emulate those price and performance differentials while incurring a fraction of the cost, since most of the differences boil down to firmware, the inverter, and maybe a fuse. I'm sure P90D helps subsidize Model S 70 cars with textile seats and no Autopilot.

 

[brianvicars]

I regret posting my comments to Bonnie's response on Jan 4th to my original post & apologize for my inappropriate & confrontational answer. First, I overreacted to Bonnie hijacking my original post. Secondly, I was disappointed that I had not received a satisfactory answer. Since I am still in the dark, I will clarify my question. I was asking for information on the process of downgrading from a Sig3 to a regular production Model 3 reservation. All this is assuming there will be a Sig3. I am trying to determine, early in the process, if putting down $25,000 in March, 2016 for a Sig3 instead of $2,500 for a regular production vehicle would allow me the option of downgrading when offered to configure in July 2018, without loosing my position in line. Putting it another way, will a $25,000 deposit for a sig3 in March, enable me to receive a regular production Model 3 any earlier if I decided to downgrade?
Thanks in advance to anyone, including Bonnie, who may have a constructive response.

 

[MrBigSmiles]

doubt there will be a Sig3 model. Sigs don't exactly equate to a mass-market offering.

 

[gregincal]

doubt there will be a Sig3 model. Sigs don't exactly equate to a mass-market offering.

Don't see why not. Some people seem to equate mass-market with some sort of "car for the huddled masses". It just means they plan to sell a lot. No reason why they can't sell some exclusive ones. All sorts of cars have had limited special editions before.

 

[MassModel3]

Putting it another way, will a $25,000 deposit for a sig3 in March, enable me to receive a regular production Model 3 any earlier if I decided to downgrade?

doubt there will be a Sig3 model. Sigs don't exactly equate to a mass-market offering.

MrBigSmiles, you're debating the question rather than providing any kind of constructive answer. Although I fully agree with you on this point, it's not relevant to what brianvicars is asking.

How about putting it this way: Historically, have signature reservation holders of prior Tesla models (Model S, Model X, Roadster) been able to convert their signature reservation into a standard production reservation? Simple question. And sorry, but I don't know the answer.

 

[Model 3]

Putting it another way, will a $25,000 deposit for a sig3 in March, enable me to receive a regular production Model 3 any earlier if I decided to downgrade?

Nobody knows, but I will try my best to guess based on what happened earlier.

No, I will not expect that to be possible. What people that has that kind of money laying around for a sig deposit do is to reserve both a sig and a production car, then cancel one of them when they have decided.

 

[gregincal]

Nobody knows, but I will try my best to guess based on what happened earlier.

No, I will not expect that to be possible. What people that has that kind of money laying around for a sig deposit do is to reserve both a sig and a production car, then cancel one of them when they have decided.

I think sometimes they've tried to accommodate signature holders downgrading by giving them a cancelled production spot, but there really is no guarantee. Best to assume it isn't possible (i.e. you'll go to the back of the line if you switch from signature to production).

 

[brianvicars]

Nobody knows, but I will try my best to guess based on what happened earlier.

No, I will not expect that to be possible. What people that has that kind of money laying around for a sig deposit do is to reserve both a sig and a production car, then cancel one of them when they have decided.

Thank you Model3, you have answered my question posted almost a month ago. I plan on depositing for both Sig 3 and Production models when reservations open in March. That was easy. I was confident that I would get a satisfactory answer to my post if I just waited long enough, and we all know that Tesla reservation holders have an infinite amount of patience, don't we?

 

[neroden]

I think the first question to be answered is 'will there even be a Signature series?'.

Personally, I'm hoping the first run will be opened first to Tesla employees, since they've been building cars largely unavailable to them. A Signature series might not be indicated for Model 3, since it seems counterintuitive to 'mass market'.

Oooh, interesting view.

I bet there will be a Signature series. There are actually a lot of people who have the *money* for a Model S but didn't really want such a big car, and a Signature series would probably sell to them pretty well.

To avoid the branding issues, maybe it should actually be called something else; there are high-trim variants of every car. And it's imperative to release the pricing and options for the standard model before the Signature series starts shipping, unlike what they did with the X.

- - - Updated - - -

@jkk_ asked what's the difference between production and Signature cars (assuming MS and MX inform M≡)?

That information is definitely floating around the Interwebs. From memory you'll get:

1) most option boxes checked
2) special Signature Red (maybe others) paint option
3) Carbon fibre spoiler and red brake calipers
4) top performance
5) special "Signature" chrome details
6) slight discount from if you try to match options later (Signature paint, calipers, and chrome details are not possible later)
7) down payment of ~30% of asking price (was $40K for MX)

Model ≡ will be different though. By how much we will need to wait to see.

I'd bet the calipers and carbon fiber will not be present. It'll just be a max-specced Model 3 with a special paint color and a slight discount on the total of the options.

Instead of the $40K down payment, however, I'd guess more like a $20K down payment.

- - - Updated - - -

I love the name 'Builder Series'. Let it be so.

There's already a Founder series prior to the Signature Series -- why not have a Builder series before the Model 3 Signature series.

 

[JeffreyR]

I'm with you on the $20K for Signature reservations. So if the 30% also holds that would mean... 20K = 30% * X and so X is about $65K. I hope you'd get red calipers for that :smile:

 

[MrBigSmiles]

Well...OP assumes a sig3 will be available, hence the question of whether to convert a reservation. I'm just saying that I don't think a Sig model will be offered. I could be wrong but that's what I'm thinking.

MrBigSmiles, you're debating the question rather than providing any kind of constructive answer. Although I fully agree with you on this point, it's not relevant to what brianvicars is asking.

How about putting it this way: Historically, have signature reservation holders of prior Tesla models (Model S, Model X, Roadster) been able to convert their signature reservation into a standard production reservation? Simple question. And sorry, but I don't know the answer.