Reuters: "Tesla readies revamped Model 3 with project 'Highland' -sources" [projected 3rd quarter 2023]

[Gauss Guzzler]

Wow, Teslascope has been shamelessly promoting this "leak" all week long like it's going to revolutionize the entire auto industry. But all they ended up disclosing in that painfully long string of one-line tweets is that Highland might have variable ratio steering like an early 2000's BMW?

Everything else had been announced/leaked months ago. Replacing the wood trim with recycled fabric, changing the seats and headlights, adding a bumper camera, HW4, and some interior lighting options. Sheesh, I coulda clickbaited a better tweetstorm with just the "exclusive insider info" I have here on TMC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1670201235067240448

 

[stopcrazypp]

Wow, Teslascope has been shamelessly promoting this "leak" all week long like it's going to revolutionize the entire auto industry. But all they ended up disclosing in that painfully long string of one-line tweets is that Highland might have variable ratio steering like an early 2000's BMW?

Everything else had been announced/leaked months ago. Replacing the wood trim with recycled fabric, changing the seats and headlights, adding a bumper camera, HW4, and some interior lighting options. Sheesh, I coulda clickbaited a better tweetstorm with just the "exclusive insider info" I have here on TMC.

I felt they were very iffy when they did that leak with an owner that was misinformed that they had HW4 and Teslascope didn't actually vet it but rather rushed it out before verifying just to try to be first. Looks like they haven't changed their ways.

 

[LiamPope]

Wow, Teslascope has been shamelessly promoting this "leak" all week long like it's going to revolutionize the entire auto industry. But all they ended up disclosing in that painfully long string of one-line tweets is that Highland might have variable ratio steering like an early 2000's BMW?

Everything else had been announced/leaked months ago. Replacing the wood trim with recycled fabric, changing the seats and headlights, adding a bumper camera, HW4, and some interior lighting options. Sheesh, I coulda clickbaited a better tweetstorm with just the "exclusive insider info" I have here on TMC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1670201235067240448

If Highland is really having 'steer by wire', it's not the same thing as BMW's old Active Steering at all, albeit both can achieve a variable steering ratio. But I very much doubt Highland is having steer by wire anyway and agree with everything else you say about this dumb Tweet thread!

 

[Mrklaw]

what are the rumours around lights? Are they updating past the existing matrix LEDs they have in 3/Y? Will be frustrating if we've had matrix in Europe for a couple years now and they just skip it entirely. Small hope if they enable it on highland the software is then able to drive older models too? Not liek they should need HW4 camera resolution for that - other cars have been using matrix lights for years now with what I assume are fairly low res cameras.

 

[Mrklaw]

I'd love a hatchback like on the BMW i4/4GC. Keeps the coupe/sedan styling but way more practical. Had one before my 3 and really miss it

 

[LiamPope]

what are the rumours around lights? Are they updating past the existing matrix LEDs they have in 3/Y? Will be frustrating if we've had matrix in Europe for a couple years now and they just skip it entirely. Small hope if they enable it on highland the software is then able to drive older models too? Not liek they should need HW4 camera resolution for that - other cars have been using matrix lights for years now with what I assume are fairly low res cameras.

All we know about lights is the shape and design have changed slightly on account of the mild exterior refresh. Internals likely exactly the same. Definitely not getting a hatchback.

 

[chinney]

[...] Definitely not getting a hatchback.

Sad, but probably true. For reasons that mystify me U.S. vehicle design essentially gave up on hatchbacks and wagons. Indeed, it has mostly given given up on cars. U.S. manufacturers basically give you a choice of SUVs or trucks.

At least Tesla still does make cars a significant part of its offerings.

 

[P3dStealth]

Sad, but probably true. For reasons that mystify me U.S. vehicle design essentially gave up on hatchbacks and wagons. Indeed, it has mostly given given up on cars. U.S. manufacturers basically give you a choice of SUVs or trucks.

At least Tesla still does make cars a significant part of its offerings.

Isn't the model Y really just a hatchback or wagon? They call it an SUV but it has about an inch more ground clearance than a model 3 and that's mostly from just the bigger tires.

Model Y has 28in tire / model 3 26.3in tires

 

[texas_star_TM3]

Isn't the model Y really just a hatchback or wagon? They call it an SUV but it has about an inch more ground clearance than a model 3 and that's mostly from just the bigger tires.

Model Y has 28in tire / model 3 26.3in tires

it's officially called compact SUV which doesnt mean anything anymore... basically a blown up Model 3 which rides a bit higher with hatchback style trunk. you ain't going offroading in any of these SUV nowadays... ground clearance way too low and proper tires won't easily fit.

 

[niray9]

For me the biggest improvement needs to be in the ride.

Any long drive above 3 hours on uneven freeways takes a negative toll on the joy of the trip IMO.

2nd improvement needs to be improved road and tire noise insulation.

 

[kpanda17]

I want range tweaks
M3LR 400
MYLR one day 380

 

[texas_star_TM3]

For me the biggest improvement needs to be in the ride.

Any long drive above 3 hours on uneven freeways takes a negative toll on the joy of the trip IMO.

2nd improvement needs to be improved road and tire noise insulation.

yeah... they need to match i4 / Mach E interior noise and tune the suspension so the back seats don't bounce and the suspension is in line with comparable vehicles. additional range would be second... maybe back to the 358 miles the vehicle once had...

 

[kpanda17]

Think it’s important to keep increasing range as to keep pace with the other manuf as they do new intros and refreshes
Highland and Juniper are evolutions and Hyundai is already talking about their next gens
Interesting where the EV industry will land for range, meaning when is it good enough?
My feeling for vehicles, 2023/2024
Low end M2 300
Mid M3 MY 400
High end CT MS X 500
Imagine 2030 all of these numbers are plus 100 more miles

 

[LiamPope]

Anyone expecting step change in range from Highland is gonna be disappointed, imho. This is just a nose job, production cost cutting and a few minor upgrades. There's nothing much to squeeze out of drive drivetrain efficiency or aero efficiency, and they aren't about to squeeze a 100 kWh bat in the 3. Very minor increase at best.

 

[kpanda17]

We just saw the LR range drop from 358 to 333
Seems to be from a battery change
Maybe a 333 to 400 with another battery change
they are making battery changes throughout the lines and maybe due to availability issues pro or against and gen changes where the 4680s are on gen 2 and highland might have gen 3
Not sure

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

The current trend is to have less nickel/cobalt in the batteries, less neodymium in the motors, less digits in the price tag, and more chargers in the vicinity. Any sort of significant range increase would go against all of that.

 

[kpanda17]

I hear you
We will see how fast the support side goes vs increasing range

 

[golfwolf]

Have an M3 RWD and very happy with it. The one thing I don't love and understand is the traditional trunk vs. the hatch style trunk that the S, X and Y all have. Something about having the extra height for the trunk and wish they made that consistent across all their models.

What do you think?

 

[skygraff]

Appreciate that you don't love it and I agree but, for understanding, you can look back at all the discussions on this topic from the 2016 reveal. It all comes down to structural elements vs visibility/headroom and was a design choice. They were able to bring back the hatch with the Y but that was possible because the higher back roof allowed for better visibility/headroom with the necessary structures.

Aesthetically (and for other reasons), I don't care for the Y but, as a car camper, cyclist, and upright bass player, I sometimes wish I had the hatch. The S is still a gorgeous design (bit too big for my needs) but, even with the longer cabin allowing that structural element to be further back, the rear seat can still be quite cramped for tall people and driver visibility is noticeably inferior to the 3.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Appreciate that you don't love it and I agree but, for understanding, you can look back at all the discussions on this topic from the 2016 reveal. It all comes down to structural elements vs visibility/headroom and was a design choice. They were able to bring back the hatch with the Y but that was possible because the higher back roof allowed for better visibility/headroom with the necessary structures.

Aesthetically (and for other reasons), I don't care for the Y but, as a car camper, cyclist, and upright bass player, I sometimes wish I had the hatch. The S is still a gorgeous design (bit too big for my needs) but, even with the longer cabin allowing that structural element to be further back, the rear seat can still be quite cramped for tall people and driver visibility is noticeably inferior to the 3.

Yep, rear headroom as a major consideration. For being such a large car, the S doesn't have very good rear headroom due to the bar necessary to support the hatch. The 3 has glass where that bar would be, so it gave it acceptable headroom even in a smaller car.

I do wish there was a hatch option for the 3, but I guess the Model Y is that option, even though it come also taller and larger.