Will There be a Signature Model 3?

[davewill]

Wow, that was intelligent. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

It had as much factual content as your own post....and I rather agree with him. I don't see any reason why Tesla would make a $100K version of the Model 3. Nor do I see why anyone would buy one. I figure Tesla needs to be making and selling the Model 3 at at least 5-10 times the volume they have been selling Model S...to start.

 

[strider]

It had as much factual content as your own post....and I rather agree with him. I don't see any reason why Tesla would make a $100K version of the Model 3. Nor do I see why anyone would buy one. I figure Tesla needs to be making and selling the Model 3 at at least 5-10 times the volume they have been selling Model S...to start.

Well you should ask all the people that buy BMW M4's and Audi RS4's. There is a market for small sport sedans and people are willing to pay $100k for them. *I* am one of those people. If Tesla takes the P90DL drivetrain and drops it in a Model 3 it will be quicker than a Veyron. $100k will be an outright bargain for that kind of performance. Tesla is never going to produce a Leaf. They want to make premium vehicles and are directly targeting the German makers.

Also, it will take years for Tesla to ramp battery production

 

[TEG]

Fascinating. Why would someone put down that kind of cash for a "Signature" Model 3? I don't see it as a luxury status symbol like Model S or X.

There are many small sedans and coupes ("bottom of the range") that offer more exclusive versions at a premium price...

2016 Audi S3 Sedan: quattro® - Price - Specs | Audi USA

Volkswagen Golf R Reviews - Volkswagen Golf R Price, Photos, and Specs - Car and Driver

Used BMW 1M For Sale - CarGurus

2015 Lexus RC F - Sport Coupe | Lexus.com

2016 Subaru WRX STI Performance - Sports Sedan | Subaru

etc...

 

[joefee]

Agree there will be options well above the base 35K Model 3 (maybe the new roaster will be on this platform starting at 130K) and for sure a Sig Performance Model 3 for 80-100K.

 

[GLDYLX]

Just because some of us (including me) would never pay $100k for a fully optioned performance sedan doesn't mean that at least 1-5k people in the world wouldn't. And the fact that those cars could exist under the Tesla brand would give Model 3 that aspirational halo.

And why not tweak/refine initial production with a bunch of fully optioned/almost identical cars to test every possible piece of equipment at speed? This will only make my future Beloved with its mid-range options that much better when it comes off the line.

Besides, seeing Sig Red Model 3s in the wild would make me positively giddy, even though mine will be blue (for Bluestar) or green (like my first car).

And I trust in Franz to make me something beautiful.

 

[ryanjm]

With both the S and the X, the fully maxed out Sig Perf version is about double the base price. I expect this to continue with Model 3, and for the "check every box" order to ring up about $70k-$80k. That's the logical portion of my argument.

The emotional part of my argument is that I am trying my best to save up for a $70k-$80k Model 3. Any more than that and I probably won't be checking the "Ludicrous" box.

 

[AWDtsla]

With both the S and the X, the fully maxed out Sig Perf version is about double the base price. I expect this to continue with Model 3, and for the "check every box" order to ring up about $70k-$80k. That's the logical portion of my argument.

At least. Saying it's a 35k car is sort of a fib, people don't buy that car even though they can.

 

[EVNow]

Whether there will be a sig or not - one thing Tesla shouldn't do is announce the delivery and the price of the Sig first, as they did with X. Just look at headlines in the press - they all talk about how expensive it is.

 

[djplong]

2019 for a base Model 3?

Tesla would be shooting itself in the foot with that. TWO YEARS of ignoring someone who got on the list in early 2016? TWO YEARS (late 2017 to late 2019) of ignoring their stated goal of getting electric cars mainstreamed? Let's see how long they do that on the Model X - comparing the start of production manufacturing to the start of "non signature" models rolling off the line.

I can tell you this. I make a decent living but cannot afford a Models S like a lot of people) and a $75-$100K Model 3 is dealbreaker as well. I'm guessing the Model 3 that I want will approach $50K before the tax credit. When I place my reservation in March or April of 2016, it'll be bad enough waiting until 'late 2017'. But if I see more TWO YEARS of Signature-only cars go out, that's more time than waiting from order time to the start of production cars. That makes a statement. I would be *especially* torqued off if TWO YEARS of Model 3S production sucked up the last of the 200,000 tax credits (since Tesla will be making 50K or more combined Model S & X units).

The idea that someone could order a Signature a year after me, get the car before me AND get the tax credit that I was hoping for? Not cool.

 

[GregRF]

With both the S and the X, the fully maxed out Sig Perf version is about double the base price. I expect this to continue with Model 3, and for the "check every box" order to ring up about $70k-$80k. That's the logical portion of my argument.

The base Model 3 is expected to be half the price of the base Model S, but I'm not so sure that you can extrapolate that out to all the additional options being half the price of the Model S. I'm guessing with volume they will be cheaper, but I'm not positive they will be 50% cheaper. Add the fact that some "standard" features will get shifted over to the "optional" camp and the price ceiling could get pretty high. Will we see six-figures? I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[strider]

2019 for a base Model 3?

Tesla would be shooting itself in the foot with that. TWO YEARS of ignoring someone who got on the list in early 2016? TWO YEARS (late 2017 to late 2019) of ignoring their stated goal of getting electric cars mainstreamed? Let's see how long they do that on the Model X - comparing the start of production manufacturing to the start of "non signature" models rolling off the line.

I think you misunderstood me. I don't think a single Model 3 will be delivered until late 2018. So EVERYONE will be sitting on a wait list for 2+ years, just like they did for Models S and X. Tesla keeps reinventing the wheel with each car so I see no reason for them to hit this date. Please don't tell me that they "have to." That has absolutely zero bearing on whether they will.

I think Tesla will ship a handful of sigs in late 2018 just to say they're shipping. 2019 is when cars will really start to flow. If Tesla hits their production targets there will only be a few months between Sigs and GP cars.

 

[GregRF]

Tesla keeps reinventing the wheel with each car

Hopefully this time it is pretty and aero:smile:

 

[tdelta1000]

Elon has confirmed pricing starting at 35K and has shared a general release date. The question is will TM produce a Sig Series of the TM3?

 

[Bret with 1 t]

The idea that someone could order a Signature a year after me, get the car before me AND get the tax credit that I was hoping for? Not cool.

I doubt any sigs will be available a year after the M3 announcement. I would guess the sigs will sell out within a month of the announcement, maybe even a week.

 

[tdelta1000]

It's looking like TM may go Signature if they start taking order in 2016.

 

[MassModel3]

It's looking like TM may go Signature if they start taking order in 2016.

I don't get the correlation between early pre-orders and a signature model. It could very well be that Tesla is just trying to gauge demand and feed the masses with some juicy information, then allowing people to claim their place in line.

 

[favo]

I'm guessing there will be Model 3 Signatures. Some people are willing to pay more to be first in line (and get a special color?), so why not let them. There may only be 1K of them, or perhaps as many as 5K. It won't delay regular production by any significant amount of time.

 

[Red Sage]

Someone commented that there was a change of nomenclature... Apparently, when referring to the Model ≡ reveal, Elon used the word 'preorder' instead of 'reservation'. I wish I could find the original reference myself, to verify that...

 

[MassModel3]

Someone commented that there was a change of nomenclature... Apparently, when referring to the Model ≡ reveal, Elon used the word 'preorder' instead of 'reservation'. I wish I could find the original reference myself, to verify that...

That was a twitter announcement. Here you go, Red...

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk Sep 2
@elonmusk $35k price, unveil in March, preorders start then.

 

[tga]

Someone commented that there was a change of nomenclature... Apparently, when referring to the Model ≡ reveal, Elon used the word 'preorder' instead of 'reservation'. I wish I could find the original reference myself, to verify that...

So? Pa-tay-toe, pa-tah-toe?