Model X Mule Sightings

[Norman]

Can anyone explain to me why a falcon door needs a handle? Would it not make more sense to have it open with a touch sensor that remains flush? One less moving part/no issues with trying to line it up.....

There should be no problem getting the handles (or maybe they are just sensors?) lined up, so this vehicle is most probably still undergoing some kind of test. As long as the front door locks into a normal lock, the falcon wing door can quite easily meet the same level by entering a groove that stops at a certain height.

 

[trils0n]

Can anyone explain to me why a falcon door needs a handle? Would it not make more sense to have it open with a touch sensor that remains flush? One less moving part/no issues with trying to line it up.....

That is how the prototype handles looked. They were just a piece of chrome, presumably a sensor -- not retractable handles. Still have to line it up (unless you go with a different design, like body color, or not a continuous shape with the front door handles).

 

[SW2Fiddler]

Can anyone explain to me why a falcon door needs a handle? Would it not make more sense to have it open with a touch sensor that remains flush? One less moving part/no issues with trying to line it up.....

Maybe it is (just a touch-plate), but the front door handle is still an "old-school" (HA!) retracting handle.
We haven't seen a rear door handle in irretracted mode yet. I don't even think that's a word, hmmm.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I wonder if founders have taken delivery?

The license plate was a MFG one so it was a Tesla owned car.
OK off to Reno, maybe I'll see another!

 

[hockeythug]

Looks like the same blue one.

 

[ZachShahan]

That nose cone is beautiful. Loving it!

Fun writeup here (not mine or one of my sites, btw): Model X full frontal nudity | TeslaMondo

 

[cgiGuy]

Rotated and slowed. Tried to stabilize, but it actually looked worse ("Jello" effect). Great vid, Jersey!

 

[ecarfan]

That is the first time I see the nose cone without camo and it definitely has a new look compared to Model S.

That X nose cone looks the same as the S to me.

 

[Yuri_G]

Those are still the manufacturer's plates, but great video! Looks like it's ready to go.

 

[scottf200]

Rotated and slowed. Tried to stabilize, but it actually looked worse ("Jello" effect). Great vid, Jersey!

Thanks for doing and putting in on youtube. It is handy to use the youtube speed setting option to slow it down even more as well.

 

[Joules Verne]

Nose Job

It's an improvement. However so slight.

Better than the current frowny-face.
More aggressive looking.

Little odd how the black nose bleeds onto the front "bumper" nub.

 

[SteveG3]

That X nose cone looks the same as the S to me.

I'm wondering about this too. I think it looks better in this X photo than most head on shots of the S, but I'm not sure it's changed much or at all... it could simply be the different proportions of the X, lighting, angle of shot, etc, that seem to look different. To my eye is does not have the rounded bulging a bit out shape or curve of what we are used to... but this may be lighting.

just saw what Joules posted as I was typing... appreciate your lining them up like that!

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for posting that comparison. I now see the X nose cone is more angular on each side. Any other differences are minute, in my opinion. I see no "improvement", but taty is an aesthetic judgement and of course quite subjective.

It's an improvement. However so slight.
View attachment 92378

 

[hockeythug]

Once they take the camo off the headlights it's gonna look mean if they keep prototype LED running lights with the slightly more aggressive front.

 

[Joules Verne]

Improvement or not is of course subjective.

What I see is:
- more angular on each side, lifting the "smile" slightly upwards.
- a floating T: no chrome on the upper brim
- a flatter nose, no longer a cone
- thicker chrome lines
- the nose bleeding onto the bumper nub (which looks like it might catch all kinds of gunk)

Overall, these tweaks make it more aggressive looking. I think it better suits the S (perhaps X).

IMO, it's an improvement, but not a bold new design change.

 

[mackgoo]

I like the red or the middle.

 

[trils0n]

I really like the front on that blue X. Much more refined vs the prototypes I've seen, especially the area between the headlight and air intake. The door-handle-shaped lights on the prototypes and website pic look out of place. Glad they are gone. No chrome above the Tesla T / Under the hood edge looks good too.

 

[goneskiian]

Thanks Jersey Girl! Great work on trying to get the interior too! Risking life and limb to get close only to have the driver speed off! Yikes!

 

[satheesh.net]

Thanks Jersey Girl! Great work on trying to get the interior too! Risking life and limb to get close only to have the driver speed off! Yikes!

Agreed! Thanks for sharing!

 

[pgiralt]

I found it interesting that the roof is actually blue instead of clear glass. I had noticed this one one of the earlier shots of the Red one as well. With it being a single piece of glass all the way to the falcon doors, does that mean they painted the inside of the glass? I can't imagine how much a windshield replacement on the X is going to cost.