Tesla Model 3 price, options, and impressions

[antzcrashing]

https://electrek.co/2017/07/29/tesla...pecs-revealed/

https://www.tesla.com/model3

I think the car is aimed squarely at bmw 3 series and similar cars, there have been reports that the top car that people are switching from (reservation holders) is a 3 series. http://insideevs.com/poll-results-bm...tesla-model-3/

What are your thoughts? Anyone switching from a 3 or other car? Should bmw be scared?

[zer0cool]

Yes this is squarely aimed at moving people who enjoy premium sports sedans to the Tesla brand. I think it will succeed. Initial reviews are very positive.

Look below, as BMW and many other brands become softer, Tesla aims to make its cars more fun.

A well equipped 310 mile version with AP is 56.5k, squarely aimed at the 340 and S4 range, but with vastly superior tech.

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla...-drive-review/

"What’s blanching, though, is the car’s ride and handling. If anybody was expecting a typical boring electric sedan here, nope. The ride is Alfa Giulia (maybe even Quadrifoglio)–firm, and quickly, I’m carving Stunt Road like a Sochi Olympics giant slalomer, micrometering my swipes at the apexes. I glance at Franz—this OK? “Go for it,” he nods. The Model 3 is so unexpected scalpel-like, I’m sputtering for adjectives."

"As we pack up, I’m thinking. Recently I’ve been spending some time in Motor Trend’s long-term Chevrolet Bolt EV and with every mile edging closer to calling it The Automobile 2.0. With its affordability, stress-free range, and delightful driving qualities, I’m thinking that maybe this is where the second era of the car commences. Pause that thought. With the Tesla Model 3’s performance, slinky style, fascinating creativity, and, critically, its Supercharger safety net, I think this is truly where it begins. Here at the corner of Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Road."

[Red Bread]

Yeah, depending on options, we'll likely replace our boring AF F30 with one next year.

[Haywood]

Until there are charging stations at almost every gas station, I don't think BMW or others should be worried. My initial impressions are for $35K, you're getting the stripper version. No long range battery ($9k upgrade, ouch), Premium is another $5k. However, if I was cross shopping a Volt or Prius or i3, I would take this hands down. I applaud them for making this affordable. I think they'll sell pretty well.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Haywood

Until there are charging stations at almost every gas station, I don't think BMW or others should be worried. My initial impressions are for $35K, you're getting the stripper version. No long range battery ($9k upgrade, ouch), Premium is another $5k. However, if I was cross shopping a Volt or Prius or i3, I would take this hands down. I applaud them for making this affordable. I think they'll sell pretty well.

I'd be curious how many 3er drivers venture more than 100+ miles from home? Otherwise, there's a charging station in every owner's garage. Add in the probability of those 3er drivers not having a second or third ICE car and I'd bet it's less than 5% and likely less than 1%.

[-JLT-]

everyone can get an electric car but I never will, despite how fast they are (aka: ludicrous mode). my rides need to have a soul (aka: engine and exhaust note)

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by -JLT-

everyone can get an electric car but I never will, despite how fast they are (aka: ludicrous mode). my rides need to have a soul (aka: engine and exhaust note)

To me, soul died when turbos and flat torque curves arrived. They're fast, but all motors feel the same now. I'm fine with an EV as a daily and a 993 or F430 for having fun.

[Fundguy1]

I don't think bmw needs to be afraid. The tesla is slower, doubtful it is faster in the curves as the S is a poor handler, less luxurious, not as attractive, and has all the basic shortcomings of EV. Remember, everyone compares it to what is here now. They don't compare it to the next gen 3 series which will be here shortly and compete for most of the 3s production life. Do we think BMW will make a worse, slower, less efficient car? Tesla hasn't ramped up production, reported how many preorders have been refunded, needs 25% more annual sales than all preorders they got in 2 years of offering them to make money, hadn't come through with any promised tech besides their cars so far such as a completed giggafactory, etc. Why worry about BMW vs that?

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Haywood

Until there are charging stations at almost every gas station, I don't think BMW or others should be worried. My initial impressions are for $35K, you're getting the stripper version.

No different than BMW though. You can get into a 3er for $34K, but that's a stripper 320i. One click of a button for a 340i and I'm immediately up to $48K.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by zer0cool

Yes this is squarely aimed at moving people who enjoy premium sports sedans to the Tesla brand. I think it will succeed. Initial reviews are very positive.

Look below, as BMW and many other brands become softer, Tesla aims to make its cars more fun.

A well equipped 310 mile version with AP is 56.5k, squarely aimed at the 340 and S4 range, but with vastly superior tech.

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla...-drive-review/

"What’s blanching, though, is the car’s ride and handling. If anybody was expecting a typical boring electric sedan here, nope. The ride is Alfa Giulia (maybe even Quadrifoglio)–firm, and quickly, I’m carving Stunt Road like a Sochi Olympics giant slalomer, micrometering my swipes at the apexes. I glance at Franz—this OK? “Go for it,” he nods. The Model 3 is so unexpected scalpel-like, I’m sputtering for adjectives."

"As we pack up, I’m thinking. Recently I’ve been spending some time in Motor Trend’s long-term Chevrolet Bolt EV and with every mile edging closer to calling it The Automobile 2.0. With its affordability, stress-free range, and delightful driving qualities, I’m thinking that maybe this is where the second era of the car commences. Pause that thought. With the Tesla Model 3’s performance, slinky style, fascinating creativity, and, critically, its Supercharger safety net, I think this is truly where it begins. Here at the corner of Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Road."

All "first reviews" are overwhelmingly positive. All of MT's first drives for the current crop of BMWs said they were excellent.

Fact is that Teslas are good in a straight line and nothing else from a dynamic standpoint. They are overweight with numb disconnected steering. As bad as BMW screwed up with the F30, there's no way the Model 3 is more fun to drive. The only people who tout that Teslas are "fun to drive" are techie nerds who know nothing about cars.

[Germanauto]

Anyhow, it looks like Tesla did their homework here and delivered a solid and well thought out product overall. The interior is garbage from both a design and quality standpoint, but it won't matter to the Tesla cultists and Elon knows that. He had to cut corners somewhere, this thing will do very well barring some type of major quality problem. I suspect build quality issues will be abound but the Tesla geeks will overlook that cause having an automotive iPhone is of greater importance to them.

[zer0cool]

The Model 3 (3549-3814 lbs) is ~1000 lbs lighter than the Model S and initial reviews indicates that it handles among the best of its class. Looking forward to more reviews and of course more so to test driving one hopefully in the next couple months.

[NickyC]

Meh.

[BMW F22]

Couldn't finish the video. Turned it off after a few minutes. The dude introducing Elon was awkward and douchey. Elon himself is a terrible, terrible presenter. That entire presentation was difficult to watch.

[zer0cool]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Anyhow, it looks like Tesla did their homework here and delivered a solid and well thought out product overall. The interior is garbage from both a design and quality standpoint, but it won't matter to the Tesla cultists and Elon knows that. He had to cut corners somewhere, this thing will do very well barring some type of major quality problem. I suspect build quality issues will be abound but the Tesla geeks will overlook that cause having an automotive iPhone is of greater importance to them.

I think the interior is good. People have different tastes and my tastes are diverse. Model 3 interior is like stuff you find in MOMA, modern/minimalist. That is a type of beauty. I can enjoy both stuff found in the Uffizi and stuff found in MOMA.

Quality is definitely a concern. I expect there to be lots of problems in the first few months; hopefully not as many as Model X.

[Sedoy]

Never liked Elon as a public speaker, I think he is pretty bad.

[Fundguy1]

Interior has nothing. It's just a basic flat dash with a tablet dangling in the middle of nowhere. Ugly as anything and cheap looking. Bad for a $60k loaded car. Again why buy this and how many initial deposited eill be turned off by this?

[JohnnyCanuck]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Anyhow, it looks like Tesla did their homework here and delivered a solid and well thought out product overall. The interior is garbage from both a design and quality standpoint, but it won't matter to the Tesla cultists and Elon knows that. He had to cut corners somewhere, this thing will do very well barring some type of major quality problem. I suspect build quality issues will be abound but the Tesla geeks will overlook that cause having an automotive iPhone is of greater importance to them.

^This.

Tesla is the Apple of the car industry. Charm over substance. Propriety tech used for the purpose of telling the owner/driver what they can and can't do with the car. Pretty soon, Elon will have terms of service attached to every order that mimick Apple's. It's all Steve Jobs arrogance 2.0.

The reality is that GM/Chevy are actually way ahead of Tesla on this curve but need an electric halo product (something other than the Volt). That said, right now I would take a Volt over this if I was EV shopping or an A3 e-tron if I was looking for a PHEV.

[Sedoy]

What are you talking about? Base price is 35K excluding any incentives. The first batch will be well optioned models but you shouldn't worry about that as those will be delivered to Tesla employees, SpaceX employees, current Tesla owners and other non general public members.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

And from what I've read on the release of the Model 3, the car costs $49,995, not $35,000. And the Model 3s being released for the first 20,000 or so units are the up-optioned 300-mile $50K vehicles. I'd bet a lot of those 400,000 "pre-orders" were made based on the promised $35,000 car.

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCanuck

^This.

Tesla is the Apple of the car industry. Charm over substance. Propriety tech used for the purpose of telling the owner/driver what they can and can't do with the car. Pretty soon, Elon will have terms of service attached to every order that mimick Apple's. It's all Steve Jobs arrogance 2.0.

The reality is that GM/Chevy are actually way ahead of Tesla on this curve but need an electric halo product (something other than the Volt). That said, right now I would take a Volt over this if I was EV shopping or an A3 e-tron if I was looking for a PHEV.

Precisely. And just like apple its one generation behind its competition. Only apple product ive ever owned is a tablet. The iPhones suck vs galaxy.

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by Sedoy

What are you talking about? Base price is 35K excluding any incentives. The first batch will be well optioned models but you shouldn't worry about that as those will be delivered to Tesla employees, SpaceX employees, current Tesla owners and other non general public members.

He's talking about the fully optioned ones being north of 60k, even with just the additional range pack to get to the quoted range in the mid 40s, and the average sale price predicted to be 50k.

[Sedoy]

I see, but with bigger battery pack you also get better performance, which is similar what everybody else are doing.

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

He's talking about the fully optioned ones being north of 60k, even with just the additional range pack to get to the quoted range in the mid 40s, and the average sale price predicted to be 50k.