Model S Events (Test Drives)

Hi,

Does anyone know if RHD test models are due soon? will these events have them?

Thanks

Mark.

unlikely as the first RHD models are expected to be produced end of March/early April.

Given that Elon has publicly stated that he will launch the UK model here during March, then it follows that the RHD model is under construction now. My S is scheduled for production wk 1 in April with delivery wk 1 June - that means 7 weeks to get it loaded, shipped and prepped for delivery. April delivery models should be leaving now.​

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Given that Elon has publicly stated that he will launch the UK model here during March, then it follows that the RHD model is under construction now. My S is scheduled for production wk 1 in April with delivery wk 1 June - that means 7 weeks to get it loaded, shipped and prepped for delivery. April delivery models should be leaving now.​

How did you get your manufacturing date? Tesla have been extremely cagey about giving these out!

I just called them - they weren't particularly cagey - just helpful. I quoted my reservation number - they looked it up on their production database and added a buffer for shipping to get to me. Give it a go and report back.

I attended the Woodlands Park Hotel event on the 3rd March, and drove a Model S for the first time. I have a few photos here:

Tesla Model S Woodland Park Hotel 2014

towneh said:

I attended the Woodlands Park Hotel event on the 3rd March, and drove a Model S for the first time. I have a few photos here:

Tesla Model S Woodland Park Hotel 2014

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Thanks for sharing the photos and nice write up. Your point about it being a bit tooo big for small country roads is something I know many others feel, but none the less the UK sales office seems to have sold over 500 cars in a very short time.

I also agree with your comment that the initial acceleration is similar to a Nissan GTR. But the sheer amount of mechanical carnage going within the Nissan on launch is worrying, and opposing magnetic fields is just so much more elegant !

However, you should try out a Roadster if poss . . the initial jump to light-speed is more like a trip in the Millennium Falcon

They are really starting to push UK events at the moment the site has been update dramatically this last week. some seemingly random place mind.
I will be attending the Premier Inn at Bicester on the Friday (23rd May).

Tesla Events page

While you are all waiting - as we are in Eastern Asia / Pacific RHD markets - you might like to see the RHD Model S in action in Hong Kong.

For more, jump here:

HK TMC community meet up Saturday 17th of May 2014

Note the location of the turn signal and cruise control arm. Windshield wipers seem to be mirrored as well, from the LHD, to optimise vision from the drivers seat.

Thanks. UK launch is on June 7th so not long now!

The turn and cruise stalks are in the same place as on the LHD car, which is the same place as on a RHD Mercedes. My RHD SL55 certainly has them on the left. Does a HK Mercedes have the indicators & cruise on the right?

I noticed there's no "web" icon on the touchscreen - do you not get the web browser in HK?

Also the volume and controls buttons (at the bottom corners of the touchscreen) are reversed compared to the LHD cars, which makes sense.

mgboyes said:

Thanks. UK launch is on June 7th so not long now!

The turn and cruise stalks are in the same place as on the LHD car, which is the same place as on a RHD Mercedes. My RHD SL55 certainly has them on the left. Does a HK Mercedes have the indicators & cruise on the right?

I noticed there's no "web" icon on the touchscreen - do you not get the web browser in HK?

Also the volume and controls buttons (at the bottom corners of the touchscreen) are reversed compared to the LHD cars, which makes sense.

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I have only driven older Mercs, so I cannot comment on that, but as far as I know, other RHD cars have the turn signal arm in the opposite side. I usually engage the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal on a normal RHD car.

Web screen - HK has some very square legislation which is most often interpreted literally, so screens forward of the driver cannot show any video or web content - only information about the car, i.e. speed, km/miles, system status etc. Hopefully the web screen will be enabled with parking brake set, in a later update.

Hong Kong is also so square that the safest seats, in the safest production car of the world - are not allowed. Yes, we cannot have rear facing seats in the Model S in Hong Kong. Apparently the seat size has to be a certain minimum (as if the average butt size in HK is so big? I think - with all respect - that butt size is larger in Western markets than in Hong Kong!)

I've been driving in the UK for 20 years and have never driven a car with the indicator stalk on the right.

From a quick Google search it seems that historically at least some of the Japanese manufacturers used to put their indicators on the right, but I've never seen one myself.

mgboyes said:

I've been driving in the UK for 20 years and have never driven a car with the indicator stalk on the right.

From a quick Google search it seems that historically at least some of the Japanese manufacturers used to put their indicators on the right, but I've never seen one myself.

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probably got it mixed up then.

mgboyes said:

I've been driving in the UK for 20 years and have never driven a car with the indicator stalk on the right.

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British makes used to have it on the right (particluarly those that ended up as part of British Leyland). Started in the era when there was only one stalk, but there was definitely a period when on getting into an unfamiliar car it was easy to find yourself hitting the wipers by mistake. Not sure when things got standardised - I'd guess at late '80s/early 90's?

arg said:

British makes used to have it on the right (particluarly those that ended up as part of British Leyland). Started in the era when there was only one stalk, but there was definitely a period when on getting into an unfamiliar car it was easy to find yourself hitting the wipers by mistake. Not sure when things got standardised - I'd guess at late '80s/early 90's?

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I'm feeling really old now, thanks arg :crying:

Not too old to remember for sure, that I have done it more than once - used wipers instead of turn signal!