UNOFFICIAL: Bluestar Pricing and Options

[vfx]

very interesting article!! Will Tesla Disrupt? - Seeking Alpha

This one was great. JRP3 points out how it's a bit overoptimistic but the gist of the article had me giddy.

 

[aronth5]

very interesting article!! Will Tesla Disrupt? - Seeking Alpha

Interesting article but too optimistic. Should this link be added in the battery thread?

 

[igotzzoom]

My hope for this model is a price under $45,000, 0-60 of 6 flat or less, 200-250-mile range, 5-door, 5-passenger. In terms of specific styling and features, surprise me. As long as it has decent second-row room and cargo space, and a clean, intuitive cabin interface. Whether the styling is a literal scaled-down Model S, or something a little more daring, don't really care, as long as it doesn't look goofy or dorky. I'd prefer if it looked more like the Model S, and less like the Leaf or Prius.

 

[aronth5]

My hope for this model is a price under $45,000, 0-60 of 6 flat or less, 200-250-mile range, 5-door, 5-passenger. In terms of specific styling and features, surprise me. As long as it has decent second-row room and cargo space, and a clean, intuitive cabin interface. Whether the styling is a literal scaled-down Model S, or something a little more daring, don't really care, as long as it doesn't look goofy or dorky. I'd prefer if it looked more like the Model S, and less like the Leaf or Prius.

Welcome to the forum! Nice post. This is pretty much in line with my thinking. Recently Elon has been talking about a Model S at "half Price" which gives Tesla more leeway in pricing as the Model S evolves. With the current Model S starting at $70,570 without the tax credit and no options that puts a bare bone Gen3 around $35,500 in today's dollars. By 2016-2017 $39,999 will likely be the goal by Tesla. However that will quickly increase when you add a few options plus an optional higher range battery pack. I think for many buyers the typical cost will be $45-$50k.

 

[igotzzoom]

Thanks aronth5. Obviously not a current Model S owner. I briefly considered a Volt, and in retrospect, it probably would have worked for me, but at the time, it looked like I'd be putting more miles on it than would make sense with the lease deal. Ended up getting a 2011 Sonata turbo, which seemed like the best balance of performance, practicality and economy that was available at the time. Tempted by the Mazda 6 diesel, but want to hold out for the Gen-III sedan. If it's half what the Model S is, in both substance and price, I know it most definitely won't suck.

 

[Grendal]

My hope for this model is a price under $45,000, 0-60 of 6 flat or less, 200-250-mile range, 5-door, 5-passenger. In terms of specific styling and features, surprise me. As long as it has decent second-row room and cargo space, and a clean, intuitive cabin interface. Whether the styling is a literal scaled-down Model S, or something a little more daring, don't really care, as long as it doesn't look goofy or dorky. I'd prefer if it looked more like the Model S, and less like the Leaf or Prius.

I think your expectations are reasonable. What we know is that Elon has said the Gen3 will look a lot like the S but smaller. He wants it to have a starting range of 200 miles and I expect that the base pack will have that. Whether it's "real world" or not remains to be seen. The base price is $30K but again there is a lot of leeway and flexibility with that. With $45K I think you'll be able to get the upgraded pack which should get you "real world" in the range you want. My guess would be that at that price point you will be lacking a lot of special features and desirable options. At this point it is mostly guesswork but I think with Franz designing the car you will get the great styling you want.

 

[igotzzoom]

I think your expectations are reasonable. What we know is that Elon has said the Gen3 will look a lot like the S but smaller. He wants it to have a starting range of 200 miles and I expect that the base pack will have that. Whether it's "real world" or not remains to be seen. The base price is $30K but again there is a lot of leeway and flexibility with that. With $45K I think you'll be able to get the upgraded pack which should get you "real world" in the range you want. My guess would be that at that price point you will be lacking a lot of special features and desirable options. At this point it is mostly guesswork but I think with Franz designing the car you will get the great styling you want.

With a few exceptions, was generally a big fan of Franz' work at Mazda. Don't know if he was before or after the "smiley face" period, but I've long thought most modern-era Mazdas (mid '90s-present) have been some of the best-looking Japanese cars. The Model S is very handsome in a high-tech, low-key way. It suits its class and price point perfectly. I wouldn't mind a "shooting brake" type wagon profile for the Gen III. Kind of like the Model S rendering done by Theophilus Chin (if you know what I'm talking about) would be fantastic.