A smaller Tesla

A smaller Tesla

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Discussion

ajprice

Original Poster:

29,256 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/tesla-...

Musk has said he wants to do a smaller ID.3 sized model, and the Chinese gigafactory may be where they build it. Nothing more shown than a design sketch at the moment, and yes it looks like a scaled down Model 3/Y with big designer wheels on it.



The article says it's 5 years away. That might need several large pinches of salt with the Roadster and Cybertruck also in the works. A UK/European 'normal sized' car from Tesla would be good to see though.

Fermit and Sexy Sarah

13,240 posts

107 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
Very FN2 Civic to the rear.

Baldchap

8,369 posts

99 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.

If they go ahead with a Chinese 'ID.3', will it be significantly worse than, say, a European one?

Blue Oval84

5,284 posts

168 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.

If they go ahead with a Chinese 'ID.3', will it be significantly worse than, say, a European one?
I think that the problems tended to impact Chinese designed and built cars, and a few years ago at that. Stuff built in the Chinese Gigafactory will be easily the equal of anything built in the USA I'm certain.

soupdragon1

4,622 posts

104 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
Baldchap said:
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.

If they go ahead with a Chinese 'ID.3', will it be significantly worse than, say, a European one?
I think that the problems tended to impact Chinese designed and built cars, and a few years ago at that. Stuff built in the Chinese Gigafactory will be easily the equal of anything built in the USA I'm certain.
Yeah, it's not like buying Christmas tree lights.

As long as quality control is good, it doesn't actually matter where the car is built. Robots generally aren't affected by location smile

China has a bad reputation for cheap tat but it doesn't mean they can't produce quality when required.

soupdragon1

4,622 posts

104 months

Saturday 25th January 2020
quotequote all
ajprice said:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/tesla-...

Musk has said he wants to do a smaller ID.3 sized model, and the Chinese gigafactory may be where they build it. Nothing more shown than a design sketch at the moment, and yes it looks like a scaled down Model 3/Y with big designer wheels on it.



The article says it's 5 years away. That might need several large pinches of salt with the Roadster and Cybertruck also in the works. A UK/European 'normal sized' car from Tesla would be good to see though.
Definitely a pinch of salt required in terms of how the actual car compares to this artistic impression (unless you enter and exit via the sunroof or something!)

aestetix1

873 posts

58 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
The Model 3 is pretty small already. It's wide but very low and cosy inside.

If they want to make a smaller car they will need to up their game a bit. Maybe make it taller and ditch the frunk, and give it a hatchback.

anonymous-user

61 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
soupdragon1 said:
ajprice said:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/tesla-...

Musk has said he wants to do a smaller ID.3 sized model, and the Chinese gigafactory may be where they build it. Nothing more shown than a design sketch at the moment, and yes it looks like a scaled down Model 3/Y with big designer wheels on it.



The article says it's 5 years away. That might need several large pinches of salt with the Roadster and Cybertruck also in the works. A UK/European 'normal sized' car from Tesla would be good to see though.
Definitely a pinch of salt required in terms of how the actual car compares to this artistic impression (unless you enter and exit via the sunroof or something!)
Maybe just got perfect panel gaps?

SWoll

19,167 posts

265 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
REALIST123 said:
Maybe just got perfect panel gaps?
smile

No, definitely not that.

jamoor

14,506 posts

222 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.

If they go ahead with a Chinese 'ID.3', will it be significantly worse than, say, a European one?
I'm sure BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes and Audi manage to make them ok.

jamoor

14,506 posts

222 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
soupdragon1 said:
Blue Oval84 said:
Baldchap said:
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.



China has a bad reputation for cheap tat but it doesn't mean they can't produce quality when required.
Indeed, DJI and Huawei are example of world leading products.

drmike37

499 posts

63 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
I just wish they’d hurry up with the model Y before getting distracted with something else.

kambites

68,437 posts

228 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
Baldchap said:
How is the Chinese build quality Vs any other? I hear a lot of negativity about Chinese cars and Chinese built cars but have no firsthand experience of either.

If they go ahead with a Chinese 'ID.3', will it be significantly worse than, say, a European one?
I think that the problems tended to impact Chinese designed and built cars, and a few years ago at that. Stuff built in the Chinese Gigafactory will be easily the equal of anything built in the USA I'm certain.
Identical I should think, given that it'll be subjected to the same quality control.

China does indeed produce a log of cheap, low quality goods for the west, but it also produces a lot of very expensive, decidedly high end goods as well. I know my Macbook says "Made in China" on the bottom. So do the products I work on and they retail for far more than most cars. smile

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

261 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
drmike37 said:
I just wish they’d hurry up with the model Y before getting distracted with something else.
Potentially starting next month near a year early.

aka_kerrly

12,490 posts

217 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
Very FN2 Civic to the rear.
yes, and slightly Fiesta styled front . Looks like it has 30inch wheels tobiggrin

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

261 months

Sunday 26th January 2020
quotequote all
Its a typical car designer sketch they do 100 times a day but does show a direction.

GF Berlin will have design/engineering too , a smaller polo sized car would be good for both markets

aestetix1

873 posts

58 months

Monday 27th January 2020
quotequote all
Unless the wheels are giant it looks extremely low, more like a sports car.

ajprice

Original Poster:

29,256 posts

203 months

Monday 27th January 2020
quotequote all
It's a designer sketch of something that doesn't exist yet, not a photo. Ignore the wheel size, lack of shutlines etc.

mikeiow

6,228 posts

137 months

Monday 27th January 2020
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
drmike37 said:
I just wish they’d hurry up with the model Y before getting distracted with something else.
Potentially starting next month near a year early.
Really?
I didn't think we would see the Y in 2020.....but might be interested if we do. Any signs of UK pricing yet? Meant to be lower than the m3, I thought I read?

MOBB

3,812 posts

134 months

Monday 27th January 2020
quotequote all
A small Tesla, with decent range at a sensible price (<£25k?) would surely be a monster hit?

Whether people like it or not, Tesla as a brand is aspirational to the younger folk (certainly my experience with the M3P so far) and with Tesla's perceived interior quality being less of an issue at this price point, these would be lapped up?