I guess I need to report back.
So, Friday evening of opening night, I went over to Fashion Island to look at the Tesla store. It is located in the previous spot for the Apple store (Apple isn't gone; they just moved around the corner and down toward Nordstrom's, so there will probably be some interesting conversations about intersecting strategies here.)
It was around 7:00pm, and it was busy. Not 90-minute-wait-for-a-Disneyland-ride crazy busy, but there were a lot of people milling around in the store. But it was also well-stocked with Tesla staff. At least six of them, probably eight, I'd say. There was a gray Roadster, a Model S chassis, a white Model S roped off, and a manned cappuccino machine. Several large-screen tvs were showing silent film clips of the Roadster and Model S. The roped-off Model S had a short 5-6 person line to get in and sit in the car and to listen to the spiel from one of the staff.
At the rear of the store is a small area with chairs and a circular coffee table (or perhaps in sales parlance, the "high pressure room") where it looks like a sale would come to its conclusion. Or possibly where small children can be corraled as their parents chat with the sales rep.
It was less than a 10 minute wait before getting into the car. Sitting in the driver's seat was -- seductive. New car smell and all. Seats that are comfortable and adjust even to me. I'm 6'-4" (192 cm), so "I live in a 9/10 scale world." I have gotten used to being the one who pushes the ergonomic envelope when it comes to products designed for 98% of the population, but I fit *much* better than their tiny Roadster. Inboard armrests on each seat slide back a bit to reveal a cup holder. The Tesla rep mentioned that the headrest design is still under development, so the current large bump will be replaced with something that will be up/down adjustable.
The sales pitch centered on the infotainment system, and it is amazing. That 17" (~45 cm) display is *huge*, being so close to your fingertips. I scooted the seat rather far rearward, but my right knee was still in danger of getting jabbed by the pointy bottom left corner of the display.
My biggest gripe about that center infotainment console is that it is almost *too* alluring. A list of your favorite tunes, the display of the car as you open the sunroof, the power management system, the GPS map, the climate control, the link to your cell phone, the list just went on and on. We have two BMWs, and when each was new, we have almost killed ourselves because we got too involved in pressing buttons on the center console instead of actually driving the car. I swear the second time we looked up, the entire front view were brake lights. We screeched to a stop, leaving enough room between us and the car in front of us to set a 50-cent piece across the gap between his back bumper and my front bumper. I predict that this kind of exciting revelation that you actually need to drive the *car* and not the *touchscreen display* will happen to more than one ill-fated Tesla. Oh, the Tesla staff dismissed it with a desultory wave of the hand, stating that the user interface is so much more intuitive than ever before, and it will have voice-command capability. (Whew.)
My second biggest gripe is the lack of storage places for automotive bric-a-brac. On the center of the floor, usually where the center hump is on ICE cars, has what reminded me of a large secretarial IN/OUT tray on the floor going all the way between the front seats as a place to toss or dump your stuff. I suppose it will be fine for my wife's purse, but not a place to plop my cell phone, sunglasses, the garage remote, and gas purchases record book. (Oh. I guess I can deep-six that last one.) Time will tell if more compartments show up in the door, or overhead behind the sun visor, or above the rear view mirror.
But theese peeves are tiny compared to the overall features of the car. The interior is comfortable, roomy for four adults, and appointed nicely enough to compete with the likes of BMW or Jaguar. I didn't get the impression of the ultimate in coachwork the way I do when I'm aboard a Gulfstream, nor does it scream "I'm trying to be classy!" I just felt right at home, save for the iPod-like driver's speedometer (& more) display and the TV-like infotainment system. Those two items reveal a peek at the giddy new technology that is the future.
But back to the Tesla store itself.
What, exactly, is Tesla's grand plan? Will the mall paradigm succeed? I dunno. There *is* a lot of foot traffic, and there *is* a lot of interest. Whether this translates into deposits and eventual sales, I cannot say.
But here's my take on what Tesla is scheming: This is a short-term strategy to get the Tesla name out to the upper-middle (and up) class of people, and to be able to teach them about battery powered cars, maybe even do a test drive at a place where your guard is down (i.e., not at a car dealership). You may indeed decide on a new car the way one decides to pick up a new bauble for your significant other, or pick up a new pair of jeans, but I think that the plan is to educate, not to sell. As it is today, most of the people around us will *not* actually get into their car and go to a Tesla dealership when they are in the car-buying mood. It just isn't on their radar. So having a place in the mall may indeed be an effective way to address that issue and worm their way into your mind. Tesla will be in your head when you start thinking about a new car.
People may remember that this is what Saturn did with the EV-1 back in the 80's. Showrooms in shopping malls. It was short-lived, but it *did* generate a lot of interest.
The biggest bugaboo is the rent. Renting space in a successful shopping mall is not for the faint of heart, nor for the light of pocketbook. It has to be a rather pretty penny that Tesla is paying every month, especially since they will not be able to deliver anything for over a year. (Water bottles and t-shirts excepted.) I can't see this continuing forever. So it is probably a plan to create brand awareness, generate interest, and educate the buying public about the advantages of going electric. Once Tesla becomes a household name, they may dump such a pricey storefront and shift to a more traditional car showroom and parking lot.
-- Ardie
Amazon.com > cars > Tesla > Model S > virtual test drive > click to buy
