Automobile Mag critiques interior and exterior design of the Model S
Note- I have pasted in nearly the entire article because the reading format here is much better integrated with the images than what Automobile has on its own website. I encourage you to click through to the article to read the main text and so that they get some clicks.
To be fair, I should call it very pretty, because it is that. But there is absolutely nothing on its smoothly sculpted, plain-vanilla surfaces to distinguish it from the general mass of nicely shaped contemporary sedans.
1 This pointed-end T-shape, complete with curved-horn top-bar letter T, is vaguely reminiscent of Chrysler's Ram insignia. The whole grille/shield is aggressively anonymous.
2 Domed hood is necessitated by pedestrian impact regulations.
3 Roof profile is elegant, aerodynamic, ...and generic.
4 External mirrors are well-designed and large enough, but where are the digital rear images that a Silicon Valley car ought to employ?
5 Slight haunch of rear fender is sporty, beautifully executed, and very nice indeed.
6 This stiffening crease is contained wholly in the door skins and is happily not run straight through the pop-out door handles, which themselves are nicely shaped and well-placed for both function and stylistic composition.
7 This curious little brightwork piece underscores the doors only, leaving the impression that the front and rear portions of it were either forgotten or fell off.
8 This little joggle in the headlamp cover is presumably intended to become an identity mark for the entire Tesla line. It's not much upon which to build a recognizable identity.
9 Lower front corner inlet is enhanced by double bright strips and placement of secondary lamps at the periphery, but it's an obvious and generic solution.
10 This slot may be all the opening necessary for inlet air, so either this or the grille above could probably be eliminated in terms of function.
11 From this view, one can easily see the rounding of the front end in plan view, which supports the claims of a very low drag coefficient. The attention of good aerodynamicists is evident throughout.
12 Black glass roof panel is elegant, provides interior ambience, and integrates the backlight as a discrete design element, without any added trim pieces.
13 Hatchback deck makes trunk access much more convenient with the overall fastback form.
14 Backlight is too small for good rear visibility, increasingly a problem on swoopy sedans. Looks good, doesn't work so well.
15 There is quite a stack of horizontal lines on the rear, some of them to emphasize visual width, some to keep the tail from looking too tall. Unobjectionable but ordinary.
16 Interesting crisp break between side and rear disappears quickly in the bumper fascia and turns to the horizontal within the taillight lens molding. Presumably it reduces drag by keeping flow fairly laminar on the sides.
17 Sharp corners where the color break separates lower and upper body surfaces give the impression that the body was dropped onto a flat baseboard. The effect is curious, giving a sense of unfinished bodywork.
18 Also a curiosity is the severe rear door cut. At the top, it curves gracefully back and down, and then it becomes a straight line without reference to the rear wheel opening.
19 Seemingly obligatory factory-installed door dent is present and accounted for.
20 The bottom of the car around the whole perimeter is blacked out but continues the form.
21 Very flat instrument panel and console is surprisingly trucklike. It's not a bad design, but it looks like a hurried, rather than carefully studied, solution.
22 Front seats look like advanced thin-shell designs at first glance, but then one becomes aware of the very thick supporting structure behind the delicate-seeming backrests.
23 Profile of the color-separation line is dynamic, giving the light-colored portion a sense of advanced design that isn't really there. Too bad.
24 Back seats look thin, hard, and flat, but they're very comfortable -- I tried them and was convinced. (There's also an optional rear-facing third row for two kids.)
25 Transparent panels in the glass roof provide agreeable luminosity, making the rather plain interior attractive if not impressive.
Note- I have pasted in nearly the entire article because the reading format here is much better integrated with the images than what Automobile has on its own website. I encourage you to click through to the article to read the main text and so that they get some clicks.
