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Pre-production Model Esses on display-ish at Fremont

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bxr140

Active Member
Nov 18, 2014
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6,367
Bay Area
Stopped by the Fremont SC last night and saw these two cars on display in the area where they start the factory tours. I'm pretty certain they're older pre-prod models--anyone know more? The white one has blacked out windows like the X in Hawthorne so I assume its just a body model. I kind of dig the headlights and side markers, though the fog lights (and/or turn signals?) in the bumper look a little out of place, which is probably why they updated that part of the design for the production models. The black one in the background looks like the production version...from the front, at least. I didnt get thrown in the goulag for snapping these through the window, but I also tried to be pretty ninja about it...hence the questionable photo quality.
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They also had two roadsters, both blacked out body models.
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I was in the Tesla Plant taking my fourth tour (1st Open house, Get Amp'd Test Ride, P85 Delivery, Nov'14), and this "Tesla Museum" is the first stop of the current tour. You can see the people tram in the background.
These cars bring back fond memories. The White one is a solid clay model used for wind tunnel testing, photography and the early Website pages. The Signature Red model is the repainted Silver Alpha Prototype #1.
I know these two cars well, as my wife and I were at the Menlo Park Dealer Showroom Reveal Party March 26, 2009 when Elon and Franz drove into the reception riding in it. Those of us at the party were given test rides in this what had to be at least a $2.5 million car! All I can say is that with 5 people in the car Alpha#1 took off like a bat out of hell, and we could barely notice the pot holes in the tour track. Smooth tight fast Luxury Sports Sedan. The next day was the first day one could be ordered, and I was #R9 (F, S, R, P). We also rode in the converted Smart Car. That too was faaasssst. (I wonder were that car is now?) Later on Alpha#1 got an updated interior and trim, and a new paint job in Signature Red. People thought it was a totally different car. The Black MS is a Beta Prototype. The Flat Black Roadster is a solid clay wind tunnel tester, and the Silver Roadster, though functional, I can't remember.
 
Go it, just wanted to make sure Tesla wasn't going to come down on this thread.

The white car is a body model and is not functional. All of the seams are fake.

The red car immediately to the left is the Alpha prototype which cost $3.7M to make. It has the really nice, Alpha interior that never made it into production. However, the new P85D rear seats look remarkably similar to the rear seats in this Alpha.

The dark Model S to the far left is a hand built production model.
 
When I took the factory tour in December 2013 I saw the white S and the gray Roadster (it was used in the first Iron Man movie and I believe is a functional Validation Prototype). At that time they were in a different location in the factory, and there was another early S on exhibit but I can't recall the color. I don't remember seeing the blacked out wind tunnel test Roadster mockup.
 
...just wanted to make sure Tesla wasn't going to come down on this thread.

I'd like to think Tesla is smarter than me...if they didn't want idiots like me snapping photos through the windows they would, you know, not put interesting things on the other side of the windows. :wink:

Or at least put up a no photos sign.

I pinky swear I didn't take any photos during my factory tour. Nor did I sneak super secret high Res spy photos of Dragon last time I was at the SPIF.

Or did l? :scared: