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What is absolutely stunning about what Tesla is building is simply that they are building gorgeous vehicles with great features/performance and they are charging appropriately for them. They aren't built to fit into a particular price range or demographic, they're built to be great vehicles, so that people will want to buy them.

I'll admit it, I want to buy a Tesla, even if it makes no financial sense for me to do so.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I saw a model S in person for the first time about a month ago and was struck by just how bland the car looked. It had a vibe that made me think of mazda and not miata or rx7 but whatever their sedans are called. The kind of styling that wouldn't turn a single head.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, I am a big believer that flashing ones wealth is a bad idea - it's gaudy as well as attracts unwanted, potentially dangerous, attention.

this is probably more deliberate than you might think. one of the problems electric cars have had is that they have a reputation for being dorky. there is a limit to how "interesting" Tesla can make one of its cars look at the moment

that said, i've heard people compliment the car profusely on its beautifulness, so you might be surprised by how pretty it looks to the general public

one of the problems electric cars have had is that they have a reputation for being dorky

Why the gullwing doors then? That's about as dorky as you can get.

Indeed, gull wings doors are dorky, that's why Tesla X has FALCON wings doors!

Just Falcon Wings. Calling them doors would be an understatement. :)

I don't think I'd consider the Mercedes SLS dorky.

Yeah, the bird_name doors aren't jiving with me. They do appear to be more practical given the constraints of the vehicle, though. With a conventional door, the swing would be quite wide for the rear doors. The rear of the vehicle isn't long enough to use the minivan-style sliding doors. Would this be any less dorky http://www.disappearing-car-door.com ?

First of all, thanks for sharing the link. I love idea of doors that fold/slide into the floor.

That said I wonder 1) if Tesla's floor mounted batteries would take up the space this tech could conceivable use and 2) if Tesla's extremely high safety rating (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6240862) would be impacted by this design (not to a degree that would lower safety beyond an average car, but not up to their high goals).

The bmw z1 is the only production car with sliding doors btw http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z1 it did not meet US safety regulations ...

Not to mention you can't put a roof rack on a car with gullwing doors. This is an SUV that can't have a roof rack and is therefore not useful to a large portion of the people who buy SUV's.

You think a large portion of the people that buy SUV's use them for anything besides driving to work and the grocery store and home?

A large? maybe. The majority? Most likely not.

Only 15% of SUV owners ever go off-roading.

http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/offroad4x4atv4wd/a/offroadst...

If you think about it, any 2-wheel drive SUV isn't even suitable for off-roading.

But going off road is not even what we're talking about. We're talking about putting a lot more stuff in or on top of the vehicle. More than you would with a sedan. I have no problems with people who buy a Sport Utility Vehicle and never go off road. Having the Falcon Wings reduce the options for a roof rack is a valid concern that has nothing to do with going off road.

In the states, especially in places that aren't Colorado or Washington, I didn't often see SUVs with racks on the top. Maybe it's just a northern thing...

We have a 4WD (what Aussies call SUVs) with a roof rack, and have never taken it off road. We use it for skis, surfboards, extra luggage (family of 4). Roof racks are an extremely useful addition to a car, for a family.

I know Colorado is a weird state but here, yes, a very large portion (absolutely a majority) of people that buy SUV's use them to take their families and their skis or their bikes or their kayaks up to the mountains.

I felt the same way watching it in a Tesla store for the first time. Between a Tesla and the softer shapes of other cars, I didn't really see the allure.

It didn't exactly look like the online promos I had seen.

The Model S designer, Franz von Holzhausen, worked for Mazda between 2005 and 2008! He also did the Pontiac Solstice. The Model S reminds me more of a Maserati than a Mazda though. I think it looks amazing.

Looks to me like a whole lot of Audi A8, some Maserati Quattroporte, and a touch of Jaguar on the rear end. Not a bad lot to take inspiration from.

Also, Aston Martin Rapide (not sure which came first). Elon is an avowed Jaguar lover so that makes sense. I don't see as much Audi.

I would agree with some previous comments that the design is not extreme which may disappoint some but I think more supports being the best-selling vehicle in its class (gas or electric)(a pretty amazing accomplishment).

Maserati is what I think of when I see it. It's a beautiful blend between sport/luxury. I think 'normal' is a better description than 'bland'. It's about time we stopped making things look like space pods just because they're unconventional (the original Honda Insight comes to mind.)

The CRX with the transparent rear hatch panel was cool. It lost something when the design was adapted to the original Insight.

I agree. I've always thought the Model S looks very much like a Maserati, but unfortunately I personally find Maserati's to be the ugliest of all luxury cars so for me that styling is not a positive aspect of the Model S.

I wonder if this is due to the subtle similarities between the Maserati and Tesla logos?

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia....

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.youthareaweso...

I'm pretty sure it has more to do with the not-so-subtle similarities between the Maserati and Tesla cars

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&sa=N&biw=1680&bih=887&hl=e...

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1680&bih=887&tbm...

Makes more sense why it has the falcon doors then. I personally think they are a very poor choice for an suv/wagon/crossover vehicle. If I want an SUV, I want a roof rack to carry my stuff and I can't put one on a car with falcon doors. If I could put a roof rack on this car, it might actually be worth it to me.

Not a completely invalid argument, however, bikes on your roof have a massive effect on aerodynamics of your car, and therefore also affect your range. Along with that, the percentage of SUV requiring roof racks is fairly small (I believe). For those that really want electric, a rear-mounted rack is a viable option.

The uniqueness of the gullwing doors make a significant statement, which is probably more important at this stage in the companies growth vs satisfying a few people who won't buy because they can't have a roof-mounted rack.

Being 'bland' / non-triggering will make it more appealing to a general audience, larger audience.

I agree with you: I don't like flashy design. Yet what troubles me with this car is its doors. It's impossible to get in or out with such doors and such a tall vehicule if you're in a parking lot with a low roof.

[citation needed]

The Tesla designers have been thinking about that.

I think the Tesla Model S looks similar to an old Dodge Intrepid.

I actually saw a Tesla Model S in person just yesterday as one drove by me going the other direction and it looks like the 2013 Intrepid, but it's nice. It's amazing the car could even be here since it was a tourist and 400 km/h away from home driving around the country-side.

Flashing ones wealth? The car is cheap compared to most BMW's and Audi's on the market...

The point he is making is that the Model S has an "old-money" vibe to it. A lot of expensive cars have a "bling bling" style designed to grab attention and promote themselves as status symbols.

The Model S doesn't have to stand out from competitors on its ability to be a status symbol through superior/unique styling. It instead stands out through performance, reliability, refinement, and energy source.

I don't know about the old money thinking:

http://www.teslamotors.com/true-cost-of-ownership

Old money was buying a new Mercedes, Lincoln, or Cadillac and keeping it 10-20 years. Tesla is promoting the keep it three years mentality. Old money hated the new luxury car depreciation hit and would amortize it over many years in a car with classic styling that would not look dated years later.

Of BMW's 12 models, the Model S is maybe less expensive than 2 of them (6 and 7). And it is twice as expensive as BMW & Audi's best-selling models.

The model S starts at $62,400 USD [2] (64814.88 CAD right now) [3]

I can count 18 BWM models more expensive than the model S and 14 that are less expensive [1].

1. http://www.bmw.ca/ca/en/newvehicles/configurator/configurato... 2. https://www.teslamotors.com/en_CA/own#/model-x 3. https://www.google.ca/search?q=62,400+USD+to+CAD

Not after savings on maintenance and gas and (assuming with the new above 5-star crash-test ratings..) insurance. Then again you have to replace the battery after 100,000(?) miles.

Good point. But with the battery swap for the cost of fuel stuff isn't that issue now gone too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5V0vL3nnHY

I agree about the Model S. I think it looks decent, but not really any better than other luxury cars. I think Audis are significantly more attractive. It's other features that make it awesome IMO. It's quiet, has tons of trunk space, a sweet touch screen interface, and is apparently the safest car money can buy.

It's sort of sad people only recognize Tesla for Elon Musk and not say, for Franz von Holzhausen. Tesla's designs are largely the reason why my head turns when I get a glimpse of those beauties on the road.

Who the hell is the other guy? (Why don't you elaborate)

He designed the Tesla S: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_von_Holzhausen

(I hate people who post LMGTFY links, but seriously.)

I think recognizing Tesla for Elon Musk is reasonable considering he's the founder, CEO, and face of the company. The cars are making waves not for their design, but for their technology. If they were based on normal combustion engines, I doubt too many people would be talking about them.

A good designer's work is subtle; it doesn't let the personality of the designer overwhelm that of the designed product.

An example of an automotive designer whose style was overwhelming would be Chris Bangle (http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/02/chris-bangle-le/, http://www.motortrend.com/features/112_0601_chris_bangle_bmw...), whose work at BMW was highly distinctive -- so distinctive that it became quite polarizing. Bangle's design language was so striking that it was easy to lose sight of the personality of individual cars he designed; their "Bangle-ness" was the most visually obvious thing about them.

>They aren't built to fit into a particular price range or demographic

I'm not sure about this statement. If you follow the investment news on Tesla, it seems that the Model X was built specifically to fit into a lower price range, and hence get more people into Teslas. The reality is, there's no way they are going to sell 500,000 luxury cars; they needed a "real" car. And I think that's a great strategy.

This is an interesting car. I have to admit I've been a Tesla skeptic, but between the crash tests and the Model X (and whether they can really build it for the stated price), I'm coming around.

But the model X doesn't sound like it will be any cheaper than the model S right?

I seriously doubt it could be. With the same battery packs and similar size adding in four wheel drive it might even reach prices as high as the performance version of the S.

I am disappointed in that prospect as it makes a sub 40k car even less likely. It is one thing to make profitable vehicles at the price point he is at; its easy; its another to get the pieces to work in the 40k down market. If the X was going to be in the 40K, with 60k well equipped I would be impressed.

When he gets there, and its a big when, he will be up against a whole slew of similar and possibly better vehicles than he is facing now. Simply put, while he brought electric to a mass produced car he still isn't making enough to matter. Put it this way, Subaru sells more in a month than he sells in a year and Subaru is a small player. Even 2014 goals won't exceed Porsche's same year sales let alone the dogs like Mitsubishi.

$80k is hardly the low end of the car market. I can buy a decent Porsche for less.

They are definitely putting the design talent of every other American automaker to shame.

They are becoming the new Apple.

We need better design in the world in general. I'd hate to think only one company gets to be the designer-of-good-and-popular-things at a time.

How is it substantively different on styling than a 2014 Focus 4 Door or Taurus.

The styling is bland an unoriginal, it looks like every other car for sale these days, whats worse, its bland an expensive, I can afford a focus, I cant even begin to hope to afford a Model X.

Design is about more than the shell of the car. It is about everything, from the touch screen to the heads-up navigation, to the automatic handles, the interior space, and even the fact that it's electric. It's really just an amazing all-around car, and you can't make something like that without designing every detail.

The shell of the car however is the part that us mere mortals can see right now.

Having recently driven a Kia Optima, Ford Focus, Fiat 500 and a couple older vehicles (2011 Crown Vic, 1997 Town Car, 1967 Cadillac) I dont see a substantive difference, the difference in my mind is less a function of design, and more a function of the materiel chosen to implement the design.

All of these cars clearly had a whole bunch of thought put into where the controls are and how they functioned, but what made something feel quality, was the choice of materiel and how well it was put together, the design qualities were more or less equal.

What makes the Tesla innovative to me is the technology in the drivetrain, not the inside of the car.

My personal tastes would dictate having more things labeled with words over say otherwise inscrutable symbols - I rented a 2010 DTS once, it took me 15 min to figure out how to turn either the wipers or the headlights on, because I couldn't figure out what the icon meant.

Have you actually driven a Model S?

I might add the Ford Focus is designed by Europeans not Americans... hence why it's not a big square on wheels

Every time I drive an American car it puts American automakers to shame.

American cars have come a long way very quickly.

It's easier to price a luxury car appropriately if the taxpayer is contributing $7,500.

I generally abhor motor vehicles of all kinds and hate driving, but when I saw a Model S roll past me while walking to work, I had to push my jaw back up. The lines are just so luscious.

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