[SASproject]

Tesla just launched an updated version of the Model S and X.

Some highlights in my (excited) opinion:

Model S variants:

• Plaid+ comes with <1.99s 0-60mph and 520 miles of range. Mind blowing if I may say so.
• Plaid and long range versions available with a 1.99s and 3.1s 0-60mph time and 390 and 412 miles of range respectively
• Plaid and long range should be available in Feb/March, Plaid+ is expected Late 2021

Model X variants:

• Plaid and Long range come with 2.5s and 3.8s 0-60mph and 360 and 340 miles of range

The main highlights are slightly updated exterior and completely revamped interior. The showstopper is the steering wheel. A few other minor tweaks here and there.

I may or may not have placed an order for the plaid+ Model S

Pictures:

[ADI7YAK]

Any idea on how does one shift the car from P to R,N,D? The caption to the photo says “no stalks,no shifting”.

[GTO]

No one but Tesla could pull off that half-steering like this! It sort of suits the car and will be a hit with the techie crowd.

That said, Tesla needs an all-new Model S, and not one with such updates. In the time that the current Model S has been on sale, we have seen 3 different generations of the Mercedes S-Class. Sure, I can understand that its moving at a slow pace as crossovers are the thing, but there is no denying that the Model S is too old now.

[Turbanator]

^^^

You can see the buttons for high beams, windshield wipers, most likely it will be Haptic Touch - Drive on the right side of steering and reverse on left with thumb.



Some very exciting new features

10 teraflops of processing power just for the gaming computer. That’s the same as the latest Xbox that just came out 3 months ago

Full Glass roof




And some other European stuff, like ambient lighting, multi screens and heated windshield.

How effective will this yoke be for steering especially on turns remains to be seen, maybe it has some sort of assistance too!

It’s exciting to see a car maker experimenting with all these crazy ideas And obviously this car isn’t for everybody

[dragracer567]

I really doubt that steering wheel will make it to production since regulators worldwide certainly won't allow it.

Now with the Model S breaching the 2 second mark, its no wonder that 2 door sports cars are losing popularity. Infact, not even a supercar can match this insane acceleration.

Another thing we miss is the range of 520 miles (around 837 KM) which is insane! Even assuming it achieves 75% of that range (though Teslas are more efficient), that's more range than anyone will ever need!

Tesla is really pushing the goalpost for its competitors making it really hard to catch up to!

Note: The 1.99 second time is for 0-60 mph. It actually takes 2.1 seconds to 100 km/hr (not like it matters, its still insanely fast)



Screenshot from Tesla Canada website (so figures in metric)

[Sahil]

I hope they launch this soon enough in India and not just the Model 3. With the Taycan coming in next month, Tesla should prepare to launch the Model S and X here too.

The budget is in 3 days, my hunch is that the govt will/should offer some aid or concession on EV CBU and CKD to pave the way for Tesla.

[SKC-auto]

Originally Posted by ADI7YAK

Any idea on how does one shift the car from P to R,N,D? The caption to the photo says “no stalks,no shifting”.
Attachment 2114338

Electrek says:

“The vehicle uses its Autopilot sensors to intelligently and automatically determine intended drive modes and select them. For example, if the front of Model S/X is facing a garage wall, it will detect this and automatically shift to Reverse once the driver presses the brake pedal. This eliminates one more step for the drivers of the world’s most intelligent production cars.”

That’s quite a change in the way to operate a car, but Tesla is making sure that people are not too confused about it by adding force touch controls for “Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive’ drive modes at the base of the phone charger on the center console.

Source: https://electrek.co/2021/01/27/tesla...pilot-sensors/

[Venkatesh]

Elon Musk responds about No Gear Shifter query





Link

[ASP007]

While this looks futuristic, that steering would be too sensitive for city traffic, no? Not a fan of that touch based horn

[Venkatesh]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the not-a-wheel wheel in updated Model S



At this time, NHTSA cannot determine if the steering wheel meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. We will be reaching out to the automaker for more information.

Source

[extreme_torque]

I dont think that steering wheel will make it to production. Even though it looks awesome, its more form over function. This would be terrible to use when making quick point turns while parking, especially if you are someone like me, who uses one hand to steer most of the time. That apart, love the new interiors sans vents and the tech. Apparently it has the same graphical power as the latest gen gaming console such as PS5!

It would be very interesting to watch. This is Tesla, the software company, showing its might.

[mango_pal]

Originally Posted by GTO

No one but Tesla could pull off that half-steering like this! It sort of suits the car and will be a hit with the techie crowd.

That said, Tesla needs an all-new Model S, and not one with such updates. In the time that the current Model S has been on sale, we have seen 3 different generations of the Mercedes S-Class. Sure, I can understand that its moving at a slow pace as crossovers are the thing, but there is no denying that the Model S is too old now.

I disagree : Tesla is not a car company, it's a tech company which happens to make cars.

With that perspective, the question is why do they need to replace the Model S? Here are the reasons they don't:
1. Highest safety ratings of any manufacturer
2. More R&D and more tech every year resulting in: more power, better range, faster charge times, autopilot advancements

With that, Tesla will likely continue to keep developing on the same platform until the platform itself does not become a constraint by potentially not being able to support latest developments in battery tech, safety, and other hardware.

I would be surprised if we see a complete overhaul of the platform over the next 10 years. But they'll continue to make it sexier ever so regularly.


Comparing with Apple:
When the retina display Macbook was launched in 2012 or 2013, it was a similar design to the outgoing model, just thinner, lighter, and way more powerful.

The same goes for the new Macs with the M1 chip, which is a revolution in processing. But the physical appearance is just tweaked to make it still sexier (it's actually nearly identical in appearance with the previous gen intel powered Macs!), retaining the overall aesthetic.

[Venkatesh]

First impressions on updated Model S from MKBHD, who already owns a Model S

https://youtu.be/DHvkyrey3JE

[Batfreak]

Originally Posted by mango_pal

I disagree : Tesla is not a car company, it's a tech company which happens to make cars.

This is a very unpopular opinion but one that I truly believe in.

I know I might receive a lot of flak for this but I am going to stick my neck out and say it anyway. Tesla is an incredible technology manufacturer but analysing them from a carmakers lens is a terrible idea. Their entire focus has been on developing the most powerful, efficient electric powertrain, not the best vehicle experience. IMO the vehicle is supposed to be so much more than just the powertrain and an amalgamation of gadgets - it is supposed to be a very holistic machine that is built well, rides well, engages the driver, enconses the passenger. Especially at a price point that is inching towards Bentley territory.

Rather, what Tesla has done - and this Model S Plaid Plus is the prime example of - is to reduce the automotive industry to a game of top trumps. Is the 2.1s 0-100 kph time of any use on a four-door family saloon? Mind that these are times that would actually be physically painful for the occupants. I was reading yesterday that this new version also requires you to access the screen for controlling the wipers and washers - which is just ergonomic stupidity! No doubt, this is a fantastic technology demonstrator and an incredible piece of engineering but that, I believe, is all there is to it.

I would also like to point out that I hold this opinion not as someone who despises electric vehicles. For instance, I truly admire the Lucid Air and the Polestar 2 because I believe that they are some of the best vehicles on sale today. But that comes only because they were built around the idea of developing a vehicle, by people who are passionate about building cars, not tech - Peter Rawlinson (Lucid) and Volvo (Polestar) know that there is more to the vehicle than the powertrain and it shows. I just don't think Tesla has got the approach right yet.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by Batfreak

Peter Rawlinson (Lucid) and Volvo (Polestar) know that there is more to the vehicle than the powertrain and it shows. I just don't think Tesla has got the approach right yet.

While I understand what you are saying and why you are saying it, dont you think we need a disruptor in the industry. Someone who will release the cat amongst the chicken.

The reason for stagnation of the industry was that all manufacturers became the same with a little bit of parameters / specifications here or there (compare the i20 to the Altroz for example).

I have no doubt the car will sell like hot cakes. Not every one wants to have a car, like we TeamBHPians do. A lot more people want gadgets over cars (ask people born after 2000s. They are likely to choose a iPhone to a Maruti!)