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The model year discussion has been strewn over many threads, so I think this is a good time to start a dedicated discussion on it. I'll change the title of this thread and copy the relevant posts here.
None of them are as popular with the masses, and, with the iPhone and iPad, apple really pushes people to use the newest version by locking out software features on the older ones (software updates, Siri etc). Not to mention the fact, they started with varying the names on the iPhone and iPad, then they just stopped? People need an easy way to differentiate popular items.
With a MacBook for example, people don't care because the changes are under the hood (with the iPhone, the spec is dead remember), and most have always referred to them by years anyway (2012 MacBook pro).
With a MacBook for example, people don't care because the changes are under the hood (with the iPhone, the spec is dead remember), and most have always referred to them by years anyway (2012 MacBook pro).
Fair point, but I meant the year they came out. Engadget, for example, would say "MacBook pro review (2008 refresh)". The naming has its ups and downs but I think they're better with names, whether its iPhone 4, iPhone HD whatever.
CyberDutchie
Active Member
Actually, it would be nice for Tesla to do away with traditional model year updates all together. Just have one Model S and continually update and refine the hard- and software. Tesla is uniquely able to do this because they do practically 100% of the production in house, allowing them to make changes at any point in time.
Benefit to the Model S owner is that this avoids the typical drop in a car's resale when a new model year is introduced.
Benefit to the Model S owner is that this avoids the typical drop in a car's resale when a new model year is introduced.
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Another benefit is that "completely unmodified" Model S vehicles become increasingly rare, and thus valuable to collectors.
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
How will Tesla sell more cars to prior Model S owners then?! It's the nature of the beast; as a manufacturer, Tesla would make more of a margin on a new car sale than on several paid-for retrofits/upgrades.
And, prior owners - if they have a positive ownership experience - would most likely be loyal and spring for a shiny new Tesla (with hard-/software *not* available as upgrades) a few years later.
CyberDutchie
Active Member
I think Tesla will sell new cars primarily to new owners, at least for the foreseeable future. And I'm sure in a few years, as you suggest, some existing owners will trade in their Model S for the latest version.
The point I was trying to make, is that they don't have to wait a year to release a next version of the car. They can add each new feature as soon as it is ready. Why wait till the end of the year? It will just delay some people's buying decision, which means slow sales in the fall (that is, if there is no long waiting list).
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I suspect, after a while, one might need to pay for software updates. Say, a 1.0 car getting a 5.0 update or something. They can package the hardware and software updates and make more revenue off those folks.
If be fine with them. I hope Tesla treats their customers like Anthem (home theater equipment maker) did for so many years. They would support old versions of their products for many, many years until it wasn't possible anymore. Then they'd sometimes have paid hardware upgrades to bring the latest interface (HDMI in this example) up to date.
I hope Tesla can do the same. Would be nice to get 4G LTE when it comes out for Tesla or 5G years down the road.
Here is a really refined car:
EU cars have their 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 3.0 designations since ever. Usually it's the ICE displacement volume in liters, so a badge "Model S 2.0" would be really misleading.
To whom?
Isn't that a U.S. vehicle? I thought the German delivery vehicles don't have the "gaudy" numbers on the back?
Also, the 6.9 is a statistic (engine characteristic) not a version number so I'm not sure how this connects to the current discussion.
Also, the 6.9 is a statistic (engine characteristic) not a version number so I'm not sure how this connects to the current discussion.
FalconNinetyD
Active Member
AustinPowers
Total Smeghead
I'm sure it's a US vehicle, but only because I think there never was a 6.9 of that Mercedes that was sold in Europe*. All German vehicles come with those numbers on the back as standard. But you can have those numbers omitted as an option (for free thankfully). Many people (like my wife and myself) order their car without those numbers on the back, especially if the model is one with a top-of-the-line engine, as no one likes some envious idiot scratching or in other form damaging the car.
And yes, Volker surely was joking.
*Edit: just asked my friend Professor Wikipedia and he told me my assumption was wrong. The 6.9 was indeed sold in Europe too, albeit in very small numbers.
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spatterso911
P100DL - Raven
That and they don't even follow that faithfully anymore. The 63 and 65 AMG models are not 6.3 or 6.5 liters displacement, they are 5.5L and 6.0L respectively.
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