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So… Highland is out…

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#1,761
FastLaneJB said:
FastLaneJB said:
Also this is the UK part of the forum so frankly it’s a UK based discussion.
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That’s weird, it doesn’t matter which part of the forum this is, if you’ve guys decided to buy an American car just because they are pretty good (I can see various people poking fun at this but that is not new) and then suddenly want the car to be catered also to your market and sensibilities just because it is ‘UK market’ - for that this is not chicken tikka masala that can be catered and modified to British taste. I just can’t believe.


FastLaneJB said:
So remember we are talking about new car sales. There will be lots of Tesla owners, espdcially in the US where Model 3 was around longer that have a second hand car. I suspect in the UK the average age of a person that buys a new Model 3 is probably a bit older and is going to be less willing to give up on their stalks.
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Just to give some perspective about ‘UK market’ and sales: Tesla sold 12944 Model 3 and 34495 Model Y in 2023 in UK; and Tesla sold 82786 Model 3 and 132636 Model Y in California alone. I hope atleast that gives some perspective.
Btw all the data about the demography is not from 2014 it is the 2023 demographic data. And the reality of Tesla buying crowd is majority of them are not the typical car buying crowd and that is true for even UK market.

And also to give some UK market insights Tesla has sold around 5500 Model 3 H in Feb and March trailing. I am sure you are aware the delivery started on the 27th of Jan. If you extrapolate that numbers and even add 1000-2000 people dissatisfied with stalks Tesla will possibly touch the same numbers as last year at the end of this year.
 
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#1,762
Insurance costs alone means tesla owners are likely to be older here.. plus it's not a cheap car by any stretch.. a big part of it is going to be company cars which trends older too.

And yes if any manufacturer wants to sell in the UK market they need to cater for that market. Most of the cars we buy are japanese and german and they make changes for our market because they like money.
 
#1,763
Tony Hoyle said:
And yes if any manufacturer wants to sell in the UK market t
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The numbers are peanuts and you know the hard real storey why Tesla stopped making RHD Model S and X. They are market disruptors and unfortunately it is Elon’s way or highway. And the hard real truth is Tesla can survive without selling a single car in the UK market. And I hope that is not what you guys want…who knows?
 
#1,765
Zilla91 said:
Because a further drop in sales is exactly what they want 🤦‍♂️
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Context matters, look at the second placed BMWs numbers. Jeep and Ford had sold less than 400 cars combined both American car companies. VW had sold less than 500 cars and Volvo around 600 with their new EX30 also on board.

1712310095351.png
 
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#1,766
FastLaneJB said:
I feel also be pretty sure that if they left the stalks in, no one would be complaining in the UK that they hadn't removed them.
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I think if they left the stalks in in any market no one would have complained! Stupid hangover from the Yoke which hasn't proven to be much of a success. I love Tesla and would have definitely considered an upgrade to a Highland but at this point it's a dealbreaker. You cannot indicate or change gear without taking your eyes off the road. You have to look momentarily at the wheel/screen - an extra step and inconvenience that wasn't there before. Even with switching high beam on or off (for going into well lit areas) you now have to look at the wheel.

There are plenty of other auto makers that are catching up. The new Audi Q6 / Porsche Macan has a brand new version of Android OS that initially looks like it's better software than Tesla's. Supposed to have an Apple Watch app that lets you unlock the car, why doesn't Tesla have this? The ID3 has a front bumper camera. The Polestar 3 has Dolby Atmos. Where is this from Tesla?
 
#1,767
WilburT said:
I think if they left the stalks in in any market no one would have complained! Stupid hangover from the Yoke which hasn't proven to be much of a success. I love Tesla and would have definitely considered an upgrade to a Highland but at this point it's a dealbreaker. You cannot indicate or change gear without taking your eyes off the road. You have to look momentarily at the wheel/screen - an extra step and inconvenience that wasn't there before. Even with switching high beam on or off (for going into well lit areas) you now have to look at the wheel.

There are plenty of other auto makers that are catching up. The new Audi Q6 / Porsche Macan has a brand new version of Android OS that initially looks like it's better software than Tesla's. Supposed to have an Apple Watch app that lets you unlock the car, why doesn't Tesla have this? The ID3 has a front bumper camera. The Polestar 3 has Dolby Atmos. Where is this from Tesla?
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I don’t disagree with your post but, from what I’ve seen, a lot of the alternatives are at a much higher price point. When I bought my first M3 I thought they were expensive but their current peers for performance and range seem to be getting crazy expensive.

I used to consider the Tesla brand on somewhat of a parity to the German marques but now I think it’s better to compare them to those from China and far east. Even then, the price of BEVs from Kia and Hyundai are 🤯 to me.
 
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#1,770
spdpsba said:
That’s weird, it doesn’t matter which part of the forum this is, if you’ve guys decided to buy an American car just because they are pretty good (I can see various people poking fun at this but that is not new) and then suddenly want the car to be catered also to your market and sensibilities just because it is ‘UK market’ - for that this is not chicken tikka masala that can be catered and modified to British taste. I just can’t believe.



Just to give some perspective about ‘UK market’ and sales: Tesla sold 12944 Model 3 and 34495 Model Y in 2023 in UK; and Tesla sold 82786 Model 3 and 132636 Model Y in California alone. I hope atleast that gives some perspective.
Btw all the data about the demography is not from 2014 it is the 2023 demographic data. And the reality of Tesla buying crowd is majority of them are not the typical car buying crowd and that is true for even UK market.

And also to give some UK market insights Tesla has sold around 5500 Model 3 H in Feb and March trailing. I am sure you are aware the delivery started on the 27th of Jan. If you extrapolate that numbers and even add 1000-2000 people dissatisfied with stalks Tesla will possibly touch the same numbers as last year at the end of this year.
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It's an American car that is designed to be global. No we aren't the biggest market for them but we also aren't the only market that has roundabouts and will have people taking issue with the lack of stalks.

The sales figures for Model 3 Highland are going to be inflated initially while you get the Tesla fans that want the new shiny buying it along with some regular buyers but I believe it'll drop off. As I've said I don't know how much it'll drop but it will drop.

The point is that Tesla wants to sell their American car to UK customers, UK customers do have other choices so they need to make their American car compelling enough to UK buyers. I think for the most part they absolutely do of course but the stalks is a bit of a home goal that will be a drag on sales of an otherwise excellent car.


spdpsba said:
The numbers are peanuts and you know the hard real storey why Tesla stopped making RHD Model S and X. They are market disruptors and unfortunately it is Elon’s way or highway. And the hard real truth is Tesla can survive without selling a single car in the UK market. And I hope that is not what you guys want…who knows?
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He has a lot of sway but ultimately he answers to shareholders and if the direction he pushes the company in is downwards he won't be at the helm of it forever.
 
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#1,771
FastLaneJB said:
but I believe it'll drop off. As I've said I don't know how much it'll drop but it will drop.
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You have seen the numbers above in UK.
FastLaneJB said:
He has a lot of sway but ultimately he answers to shareholders and if the direction he pushes the company in is downwards he won't be at the helm of it forever.
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Tesla without Elon is Apple without Steve jobs when he was alive. I am sure you are aware of the course Apple took when Jobs wasn’t with them. Tesla without Elon will crash and burn and that will be the end of the market leading brand.
 
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#1,774
spdpsba said:
You have seen the numbers above in UK.

Tesla without Elon is Apple without Steve jobs when he was alive. I am sure you are aware of the course Apple took when Jobs wasn’t with them. Tesla without Elon will crash and burn and that will be the end of the market leading brand.
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Numbers for a car that's been on sale for a few months, as I said wait for the bubble to end and then lets compare.

Steve Jobs was a great leader but Apple hasn't just failed and died without him. Elon is both a great leader with some Redneck in him. Some of the stuff he says and does hurts Tesla and doesn't help it.
 
#1,777
spdpsba said:
It did till 1999 and Jobs had to resurrect the whole of the company. However, the whole thing is different when someone is dead and Apple’s success since 2011 boils down to Tim cook’s mastery as a delivery guy.
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Right but Apple was a failing company and Steve turned it around. He left Tim with a highly successful tech giant to just keep ticking over.

Tesla is a successful EV company at this point and while they had a bad quarter, I don’t see them being a company that won’t survive in the car OEM bloodbath that is likely coming over the coming years as new startups and even legacy makers potentially fail. Elon could leave at this point and assuming someone semi reasonable took his place I think it would be fine.
 
#1,778
#1,779
Its probably fair to say that they already created a 25k car albeit its not a tesla...

Be whatever may be, it could get interesting towards next year with either a cheaper smaller car or some price restructuring unless they just want to remain in the luxury car tax bracket imho.
 
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