Tesla Motors Club

When Tesla first started up they built a clay model to validate the body styling.
(This model has since been destroyed)

They also built a "buck" for aerodynamic testing.
And a "mule" which is drivable but was cobbled together from a non-Tesla vehicle with custom bodywork.

Then they built "Engineering/Evaluation Prototypes" (EPs) to figure out what refinements were needed for production.

Finally they built "Validation Prototypes" (VPs) to test the refinements before putting them into production.

Along the way they had to crash test a number of the prototypes so not all still exist.

From the Tesla blogs:

If you wish to play “spot the difference” between our photographs of the EPs and VP1, here are some to look out for:

* Headlamp and tail lamps (or headlights and tail lights) – The EPs had functional place holders while VPs are fitted to production intent.
* Seats – The VP seat shell has a wider base and trim detail has evolved.
* Centre console – We modified the profile to match the seat change.
* Heating and ventilation – Controls and graphics were adjusted for clarity.
* Center High Mounted Stop Lamp, pronounced “chimsel.” It was repositioned to improve rear visibility."

Click to expand...

--Validation Prototypes--

VP32: Sterling Silver
VP31: Electric Blue; Gray microfiber
VP30: Thunder Gray (in Europe, no known photos)
VP29: Electric Blue; two-tone black/gray(grey)
VP28: ?
VP27: Very Orange; premium two-tone, rally 1, black/orange, black head restraint
VP26: Fusion Red; premium two-tone, traditional, beige/black, black head restraint
VP25: Thunder Gray; custom leather red/black two-tone interior (including steering wheel)
VP24: Arctic White; black
VP23: Sterling Silver; premium two-tone, black/red, red head restraint
VP22: Electric Blue; premium two-tone, rally 1, dark gray/light gray, light gray head restraint
VP21: Radiant Red; premium two-tone, rally 2, beige/black, beige head restraint
VP20?: Electric Blue; black; crashed on the streets of southern France
VP19: Sterling Silver; custom leather red/black two-tone interior (including steering wheel), black head restraint
VP18: Radiant Red; microfiber -- converted to the Brabus Roadster
VP17: Radiant Red; microfiber
VP16: Glacier Blue; cream
VP15: does not exist
VP14: Green; was in the UK, currently in the US used for engineering
VP13: Very Orange; premium two-tone, rally 1, black/orange, black head restraint
VP12: Black; saddle
VP11: Thunder Gray; microfiber
VP10: Sterling Silver; black
VP9: Electric Blue; black
VP8: ?
VP7: ?
VP6: ?
VP5: Jet Black; black
VP4: Arctic White; black
VP3: Racing Green; black
VP2: ?
VP1: Signature Green; premium two-tone, traditional, black/beige, black head restraint