I have been told it switched over and the new material is not "fuzzy" at all but rather a tight weave of fabric. I am without a car today so I can't just run over there or I would. The material in the doors is still alcantara/suede as confirmed by the service center.
If you can get photos with a macro lens, that would be appreciated. I'm sure there's lawyers out there already plugging this into their boiler plate Cal. Bus. Code § 17200 template complaints. And this is the first probably class action lawsuit against Tesla I would actually have to consider joining, but of course I wouldn't qualify.
I'd be placing my order (AHEM, STILL NO INVITE E-MAIL FROM TESLA) with knowledge of the change. But for anyone who thinks Tesla can just unilaterally make this change by saying they only specified "premium materials throughout" and they never specified "alcantara" (and who knows if it is Alcantara® anyway and so this is a big deal), I have to adamantly disagree. Every single time they've showed the 3 with the PUP package, they've showed it with the alcantara-like interior. They can't just change this by fiat in the $5,000 PUP upgrade package.
As I explained in the reddit thread about this, the proper thing to do would be the following:
<Ring Ring>
Consumer: Hello?
Tesla Delivery Specialist: Hi, this is TDS calling from Tesla. I have good news and bad news.
Consumer: Okay, lay it on.
Tesla Delivery Specialist: We can get you into a Model 3 today. The bad news is that it is missing a portion of the premium materials upgrade from the PUP package. We can offer it to you for a $2,000 discount off the purchase price. Would you be interested?
Consumer: That depends, what's wrong with it?
Tesla Delivery Specialist: It is missing the alcantara headliner and door inserts.
Consumer: How long do I have to think about it, and will you cut the price down $2,500?
What they should not be doing is trying to pass off a $5,000 PUP package that was ostensibly supposed to have alcantara is if there hasn't been a material change, when -- quite literally-- the material changed.
If there was a manufacturing reason (such as speed) for the change, they should be telling reservation holders what is happening and why. This shouldn't be how we are hearing about this for the first time.