Differences in roadster versions

[TEG]

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Version 2.0 VIN#'s 501-?

I recall the transition from 2.0 to 2.5 was a little "squishy". It didn't happen at a model year changeover like 1.5->2.0 did.
I think the 2.5's start showing up around VIN #964

Version 2.5 Vin#'s ?-2500

More like 964-1464 (hmm, that is exactly 500...)

You may want to look at this posting:
Roadster production dates

Also, note, I dug up a lot of info (looking at Carfax and such) on North American bound Roadsters, but have very little knowledge of the European/Asia/Australia sequence. If you only talk of the last 4 digits of the VIN then there can be another (but non-North American) Roadster with a VIN that ends in the same last 4 digits.
The European VIN -> Model feature and production count list is a bit different from what went to North America, so you would likely want to try to track them separately.

[tennis_trs]

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Version 2.5 Vin#'s ?-2500
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Directional forged wheels available in both silver and black
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Power control hardware that enables spirited driving in exceptionally hot climates
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PEM improvements for cooling
...

I believe that "Directional forged wheels available in both silver and black" were available for at least 2.0 and maybe 1.5. I believe that the change at 2.5 was just a different design (I thought just cosmetic).

I thought that most of the changes that improved cooling were done starting at the 2.0.

[augkuo]

Also later versions (past 783) had a plastic trunk flocked instead of exposed carbon fiber -

[daniel]

So 1.0 was only the prototypes, and the first actual production Roadsters were 1.5? Interesting.

[vfx]

Hasn't all this been done before?

[doug]

Hasn't all this been done before?

Yes, hopefully TEG can add some organization.

[TEG]

I can try to make a summary posting consolidating these different questions, ideas, and information.
It will take a little time though.

[TEG]

So 1.0 was only the prototypes, and the first actual production Roadsters were 1.5? Interesting.

Some of the EPs, VPs, Founders and very early sig 100 started out with 1.0 drivetrain, but got upgraded/retrofitted with 1.5 as soon as it was available.
The original 1.0 idea called for a 2 speed gearbox. The 1.5 "redo" switched to single speed gearbox, but a vastly improved PEM that provided enough more low end torque to make up for the loss of a lower gear.

[TEG]

I believe that "Directional forged wheels available in both silver and black" were available for at least 2.0 and maybe 1.5. I believe that the change at 2.5 was just a different design (I thought just cosmetic).
.

Originally the Roadster was only offered with the silver finish forged wheel seen on the left here:

(the black finish was mostly seen on 2.0 sports later.)
Part way through 2008 production, they switched to a standard cast wheel as seen here:

And they made the forged wheel optional. For a while they were delivering cars with a dark finish (as seen in the right picture above) on the cast wheel, but switched to a shinier finish (on the left) later on.

With the 2.5s they switched the forged wheel option to a revised "pinwheel" design as seen here:


Over time some people swapped wheels, or "mixed & matched" options so it isn't really clear to know what year or variation of Roadster will have which exact wheel.
Generally the black wheels tend to be on sports. Generally the cast wheels tend to be on non-sports. But there are exceptions to that as well.

[doug]

As they got close to 2010, they switched to a standard cast wheel as seen here:

And they made the forged wheel optional.

Actually, this was a feature of the January 2009 price increase on the 2008MY which affected cars somewhere around VIN200 through VIN500. So this was, in fact, considered the standard wheel for the majority of the 2008MY cars. As you say, the iconic forged Tesla wheels became an added cost ($2300?) option.