My guess is that is THE original clay mock-up. I think Martin mentioned at the MPG talk that it was being destroyed because it was starting to melt. Perhaps they gave it a fitting send-off at Burning Man.
How EcoFriendly Was The Burning Man Festival? « Earth2Tech "The unbranded electric sports car on display was a Tesla wax model they use for wind tunnel testing."
Apparently the Roadster was part of the Green Man exhibit along with the Envision Solar Lifeport solar carport. Also it appears that selected companies were invited to show there but had to agree not to include any brand logos, or talk about the displays. Pseudo non-commercial.
Another shot of the Roadster "mockup"at the Solar Carport at Burning Man. Solar carport and Tesla on Flickr - Photo Sharing! If you want to buy one for your Tesla. Solar Structures, Solar Carports, Solar Outbuildings, LifePort Solar - LifePort System main site: ::WELCOME TO:Envision.com I wonder if Martin can give us a bit more on this "car"?
Yes, I had already come to that conclusion as well. I doubt anyone at Tesla will say much about it. Items on display at last year's "Green Man" Burning-Man (oxymoron) were not supposed to represent any commecial interest. Here they say: "Burning Man is a non-commercial event, no corporate branding will be allowed in Black Rock City" This article is worth a read.
Elon Musk @Burning Man is like any other community, with a lower/middle & upper class "Elon Musk, chief executive of electric-car maker Tesla Motors and co-founder of eBay Inc.'s PayPal unit, is among those eschewing the tent life. He is paying for an elaborate compound consisting of eight recreational vehicles and trailers stocked with food, linens, groceries and other essentials for himself and his friends and family, say employees of the outfitter, Classic Adventures RV. Burning Man is like any other community, with "a lower class, a middle class, an upper class," says Dane Johnson, a Classic manager, standing outside the Musk compound. "We cater to the upper. People with money do not wish to stay in a tent." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576544981864448602.html?mdo=WSJ_WSJ_News_BlogsModule
Thanks. Very detailed article. If burning man keeps growing they will need to start a hillside view section for the high rollers to look down on the unwashed masses.
This is really trying to promote classism. It's not like most other burners do not bring Food = groceries and, "linens"? really? I'd bet they are called towels in the real world.
Wrong. Burning Man is a community with two classes: the original, participating class, and a more recent spectator class. Those who bring air-conditioned RVs, refrigerators, and "linens" are spectator class. Burning Man has always attracted members of the outside world's "upper" class, including some who fly their own private jets into the event's private airport. But the participant class at Burning Man has always been "in" the desert, not merely surrounded by it.
Somehow I think that a particular RV rental firm is not going to get a particular customer's repeat business after their staff spoke with a particular reporter.