[Rumor] Tesla Model S Facelift in 2016 !

[tomy]

Engineering anything for production is a very labor and time intensive thing. Hammering out a prototype in the lab is one thing, but getting that prototype to production can take longer than it took to make the prototype. That's why many concept cars never make it to production. The design guys make a one off prototype that wows people at car shows, but when management looks at the cost/benefit of converting the concept into a production car, it often isn't worth it.

Agree, my guess also would be that rather smaller changes will be seen over time.

Other question would be more about the timing and the publicity and media attention that goes with it. Assuming that Model 3 gets revealed in March, than either you would see something Jan/Feb or May and onwards. Announcing both in March to me is rather unlikely.

 

[smac]

So then it's possible that the rumours started here will put pressure on Tesla to actually make changes to the nosecone when none was planned just to keep up with us!

If that's true I might start a rumor thread about the SDK (finally) coming out on Jan 1st!

 

[brkaus]

If that's true I might start a rumor thread about the SDK (finally) coming out on Jan 1st!

I think that one was April 1st.

 

[smac]

I think that one was April 1st.

Ah but which year

 

[1208]

Just heard a rumor that anyone with 3 or more green reputation bars but less than 1000 posts on this forum gets a free model S.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Doesn't it make sense to put as many Model X parts into Model S as soon as possible from a supply chain perspective? That increases quantities and improves Tesla's buying power. I don't know how the manufacturing is set up, but with more Model X bits in Model S, would that allow Tesla to build a mix of vehicles on the same assembly lines instead of maintaining separate lines for the two vehicles?

 

[AudubonB]

Just heard a rumour that anyone with 3 or more green reputation bars but less than 1000 posts on this forum gets a free model S.

Unfortunately for Scouses and others, Tesla responds only to rumors and never to rumours.

Happy New Year!

 

[omarsultan]

Doesn't it make sense to put as many Model X parts into Model S as soon as possible from a supply chain perspective? That increases quantities and improves Tesla's buying power. I don't know how the manufacturing is set up, but with more Model X bits in Model S, would that allow Tesla to build a mix of vehicles on the same assembly lines instead of maintaining separate lines for the two vehicles?

That is probably the intent over time, but it will take time for supply chain to sync up (supplier contracts to expire, etc) and I would guess they will prioritize X-sourced parts for MXes while their suppliers are ramping up. BTW, there is a common assembly line--the old line is in service for one-offs and protos

 

[wdolson]

Doesn't it make sense to put as many Model X parts into Model S as soon as possible from a supply chain perspective? That increases quantities and improves Tesla's buying power. I don't know how the manufacturing is set up, but with more Model X bits in Model S, would that allow Tesla to build a mix of vehicles on the same assembly lines instead of maintaining separate lines for the two vehicles?

As I understand it there are two lines running now and both are capable of building either car. The original plan was to make the two cars share as many parts as possible, but the Model X suffered badly from feature creep and I believe Elon said the two cars only share about 30% parts now. Probably most of the shared parts are in the skateboard and power elements, though it looks like the dashboard is similar between the two.

There is not going to be much sharing of body parts. While the two cars look similar, the bodies are very different from a parts perspective and the interior behind the front seats is very different. Tesla may move over time to share more parts between the two cars, but they need to make sure the parts for the X have a rock solid supply chain before they can do that and they have had some part availability issues. They may be able to get to 40% shared parts, but the two will never be as similar as Tesla originally wanted.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for injecting a little realism to this thread.

Secondarily, *If I Remember Correctly*, my Model S battery sits under the passenger side windshield part of the frunk, not the nose cone. The connectors run up to the nose cone for accessibility with jumper cables. Some have said it's a motorcycle battery. Mine appears to be full sized. Whatever that's worth. I really oughta go look, but it's cold outside.

I'm an optimist by nature, but try to be a realist by practice. Thanks for the clarification on the location of the 12V battery. If they are just moving the terminals, it would be a smaller project to redesign the nose, but it still would take some work.

 

[tomp]

Thanks for the welcome, although I've been here a while! I'm amazed how you have 10x more posts than me and according to our sigs we both joined about the same time. I'll try to contribute more in 2016!!

That's usually how it goes down here. Welcome to TMC!!

 

[Larry93428]

If Tesla abandons the nose cone, that would suggest it was not a good design. I think they will leave it as is.
~Larry

 

[HankLloydRight]

Thanks for the welcome, although I've been here a while! I'm amazed how you have 10x more posts than me and according to our sigs we both joined about the same time. I'll try to contribute more in 2016!!

What can I say? I'm Tesla obsessed!

(like most TMCers. )

 

[Canuck]

If Tesla abandons the nose cone, that would suggest it was not a good design. I think they will leave it as is.
~Larry

I think Tesla is too progressive of a company to let that sort of scared and restrictive reasoning prevent them from evolving. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when it came to the decision to drop the nose cone from the Model X prototype to see the arguments on both sides that lead to that decision.

 

[1208]

Remove nose cone.

 

[Lloyd]

Remove nose cone.

+1 Loose the cone!

 

[Andyw2100]

+1 Loose the cone!

If they loosen them they could fall of while we drive. There could be nose cones falling off all over the place, littering roadways, and people would be complaining that they were hitting Tesla nose cones.

Personally I like the nose cones, and think they should keep them, but if they are to get rid of them I think they should make a clean cut and actually do that, rather than just loosening them and waiting for them to fall off.

 

[Quantum`]

{hehe}

I think it's likely that the X will share more parts with the 3.

 

[omarsultan]

I think it's likely that the X will share more parts with the 3.

Elon said the M3 will be ~20% smaller than the MS and with the MX bigger than the MS, there seems to be very limited opportunity for reuse.

 

[chriSharek]

To each his own, but I much prefer the model S nose to the model X nose. The X nose is way too plain.

Agreed.

 

[Cobbler]

I prefer the X nose (and headlights!) on a MS. Any good photoshops available that show a MS with these mods?