Tesla Roadster Sport Model

[vfx]

Yes! Exactly my feelings on it too. I do like the new interior though - so if they could give the upgrades to that and the motor with leaving my original exterior I may be interested... if I can figure out how to come up with the additional cost.

Typically boutique car makers like Tesla is (at this point) will put together a custom mix and match car whatever way the customer likes. At 100K it's only right.

Personalizing is easier for them than the manufactures putting out a dozen cars a minute. The big faceless companies only offer two or three models and you are forced to buy the entire "sport" or "luxury" model to get specific feature you want like a built in Nav system or special wheels.

Tesla would do well to limit the Sport's visual exclusivity to just a paint color like they did the Signature Green.

 

[TEG]

Sort of funny the way this parallels sports models in the ICE world.
In that case you get something "bored and stroked" with more displacement.
(Like the way the Nissan Z car went 240z, 260z, 280z, 300z, 350z, 370z, etc.)

So eHotRodding involves more windings. And just like the "hand built" AMG engines, the best eMotors are hand built as well. (I keep envisioning someone with tiny hands at a lab bench looking through a magnifying lense using tweezers to wrap ultra-fine, hair thin strands of wire for hours... I guess it can't be as microscopic as doing micromotors for RC cars and such.)

At some point (both with ICE cylinder mods, and eMotor windings) you have done all you can do, and you have to switch to a "bigger block". I wonder if DT2.0 will have a larger eMotor housing.

 

[SByer]

I'm going to have to dig into this. As an early "patient" buyer, I've got the lower lock-in price, and June delivery date that really makes this an interesting deal. But I really like the color combination I chose. It's interesting that information on this has been as thin as it has been.

 

[Palpatine]

I'm going to have to dig into this. As an early "patient" buyer, I've got the lower lock-in price, and June delivery date that really makes this an interesting deal. But I really like the color combination I chose. It's interesting that information on this has been as thin as it has been.

That is how I feel. I really like the interior redesign and the new power and higher efficiency and better suspension.

But I also like Radiant Red a lot more than I like Fusion Red. So this new third shade of red is really a concern for me.

To me, Fusion Red is nice to look at occassionally, but I would not want it every day.

Radiant Red is going to look classic forever.

This new Sport Red could be anywhere in between and I have a tough time committing to this upgrade without seeing what it looks like in person.

The ideal scenario would be to allow us to accept the new power upgrade, the other options, but keep our exterior color selection. I don't see what the big deal is over the exterior only being available in this one unique color.

 

[WarpedOne]

At some point (both with ICE cylinder mods, and eMotor windings) you have done all you can do, and you have to switch to a "bigger block". I wonder if DT2.0 will have a larger eMotor housing.

True, but Tesla ain't even near that yet.
Next step would be stronger PEM, stronger ESS, better cooling.
In that order.

 

[malcolm]

If you look closely at the right-hand dial on the dash it has both green and white scale markings - this could be the power meter. White is power out, green is regen?

I think the upgraded controls are fantastic. Now just provide right-hand drive and it'd be perfect. :wink:

 

[vfx]

If you look closely at the right-hand dial on the dash it has both green and white scale markings - this could be the power meter. White is power out, green is regen.

I think the upgraded controls are fantastic. Now just provide right-hand drive and it'd be perfect. :wink:

Is that (still) a tach?

 

[TEG]

Is that (still) a tach?

It does indeed look like it may be the kW "motor power" meter we asked for instead of a tach!

 

[TEG]

By the way, the fact that all of this appears to be a computer rendering, not photos of a prototype, gives a bit of concern that this idea is still a bit of work in progress right now.

 

[Palpatine]

I just got off the phone with my salesperson at Tesla Motors.

There is going to be more than just one color for the Sport. There were many people who want the Sport option, but not in Red.
They will likely be making more or all of the colors available for the Sport model.

It seems that about 100 undelivered owners in 2008 have expressed serious interest in upgrading.
So much so that they might change it so that 2008 is only 500 Roadsters.

There are even people with cars on the line in England that want the upgrade. So Tesla might just produce those cars, try to change the colors to something more common, then deliver those early to standard Roadster owners with 2008 VINs.

Then the first batch of 2009 Roadsters will be the 100 (or so) 2008 VINs that opt for a delay to get the Sport option.

There is more info on options coming, but not at the point where my salesperson could give me exact details. The decision makers are in Detroit at the auto show and it is taking time to get this all resolved.

 

[Kevin Harney]

Sounds VERY STRANGE to hear you say the decision makers are in Detroit LOL

 

[Palpatine]

This is my speculation, but I think based on this news that standard Roadsters between 500-600 will actually benefit the most by getting their car about a month earlier than expected.

2008 = 500 Roadsters
2009 = 700 Roadsters

The 2008 VINs who take the delay will actually be classified as 2009 models.

 

[Palpatine]

Sounds VERY STRANGE to hear you say the decision makers are in Detroit LOL

Yeah, that is weird. But at the end of the day, Elon is making the decisions.
So far I like the decisions being made. Tesla is one of the most responsive companies that I have ever seen. If their customers clearly have a preference for something, Tesla makes it happen.

At least that has been my experience so far.

 

[SByer]

The 2008 VINs who take the delay will actually be classified as 2009 models.

Well now, that's an interesting glitch to consider...

 

[doug]

Thank you, James, for keeping us all updated. :smile:

 

[graham]

The 2008 VINs who take the delay will actually be classified as 2009 models.

I bet a lot of people who have "stuck it out" on the waiting list as a 2008 still really want their car to be listed as the first production year. The Sport is appealing, but if owners can both get the Sport, and be listed as a 2008 car I think many will want it that way.

 

[Palpatine]

I bet a lot of people who have "stuck it out" on the waiting list as a 2008 still really want their car to be listed as the first production year. The Sport is appealing, but if owners can both get the Sport, and be listed as a 2008 car I think many will want it that way.

It would be somewhat inaccurate to call any Sport model a 2008 Roadster. The Sport model was never even announced until January 2009. I don't think even today on 1/13/09 that they have this fully fleshed out.

If someone wants a "classic" Roadster from 2008, they should stick with their original VIN. If someone wants the Sport model, that makes sense for Tesla to make it a 2009 year design.

The interior is very different and it should not be confused with the 2008 model year.

Just my opinion.

 

[TEG]

I tend to agree, James.

Also, what criterion does Tesla need to follow when publishing model years?
How far into 2009 can they go and still call something a 2008 model?
Is it based on when the chassis was made?

I think there are some guidelines and/or regulations. A car company can't make a brand new car right now and call it a 2005 model (for instance).
Auto regs get updated, and (I think) at some point in 2009 they expect new cars to be 2009 models meeting the 2009 regs.

 

[malcolm]

(Is Malcolm just observant, or an insider?)

Neither - just a nerd with a paint programme :biggrin:

 

[TEG]

Neither - just a nerd with a paint programme :biggrin:

So why would having a paint 'programme' make you more inclined to notice the colorations on the mock up dashboard? Were you zooming in on details out of curiosity?