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Panel Lines/Gaps on White & Silver Model S's

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AnOutsider

S532 # XS27
Moderator
Apr 3, 2009
11,958
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Figured I'd start a thread to see if I'm just bugging or if the panel gaps on the white and silver cars create lines that are just too noticeable?

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_MG_0859.jpg

silver2.jpg

white.jpg


Even in the studio:
newwhite.jpg



I think my first choice would be a white car with the CF accents and silver as a backup, but those lines make it a hard pill to swallow. I'm not usually fan of red or black cars, but the darker colors definitely make the lines less noticeable:

Red Sig #48.jpg

Vin 48 near shot.JPG


I'm not sure why it began to bug me on the Model S, but I went back and searched some white cars and I guess it is fairly noticeable on them as well:
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2012-audi-a8-side_7640_001_580x435_2y2y.png

hamann-bmw-m5-06.jpg


Seems audi did manage to hide it a bit on the new all road (granted, it's a render)
Audi-A4-allroad-quattro-2013-widescreen-18.jpg


anywho. The lines enough to stop anyone else considering white or silver?
 
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I have seen the red, black and white colors in person and was not put off by the lines created by the gaps between body panels. I really think this is a case where the camera lens is very unflattering; in other words the light colored cars are not photogenic. Happens with people too; the camera lens tends to make people look heavier than they really are. In this case the lines are accentuated by the contrast between the dark gap and the light body color. Judge the car by how it looks in person.
 
Once you become sensitized to something, you can't NOT see it. I've had manufacturing inspectors upset over a door alignment issue that I knew would never ever be an issue. They held a hard line that consumers would be upset over the minuscule amount we were talking about - until I had them each go home and measure the alignment on their side-by-side fridges. Yeah. They'd never noticed.
 
Personally, this is something i never noticed, i just love the white and silver. This is totally fine with me since i have owned both silver and white cars before and to me the lines look all the same. I don't have any problem with it at all. Ill be getting white, silver, or gray, more likely silver or gray. Ill probably be one of the few who thinks this...

ETM
 
And silver hides the dirt best.

Yep, all my cars have traditionally been silver (except the Q5, but wasn't my choice). I was thinking of stepping outside the lines on the Model S, but the dang lines in the pics kept irking me. We did see white and silver @ the beta event, but I didn't really notice the lines (or much of anything) at the time since we were herded around sort of quickly.

Like I said, it doesn't seem to be 100% unique to the model S, but it's one of those "don't think about pink elephants" things. I'm gonna dig up some video and see how it looks there.

Obviously if I lived near Tesla HQ, I might have a different opinion.

How come? The fairer weather?
 
How come? The fairer weather?

Yes. Living in an area without a significant winter is not something I have known, but I am always struck whenever I travel to the southern US (Florida, California) by how clean (and rust-free) the cars look there, even older model years.

The use of salt abrasives in winter up here is not kind to cars, or roads for that matter... and dark cars just show accumulated residue much more quickly.
 
Yes. Living in an area without a significant winter is not something I have known, but I am always struck whenever I travel to the southern US (Florida, California) by how clean (and rust-free) the cars look there, even older model years.

The use of salt abrasives in winter up here is not kind to cars, or roads for that matter... and dark cars just show accumulated residue much more quickly.

True, but don't forget just rain and pollen can leave a black car looking dusty and sometimes green :(