Tesla Model X officially announced

[Kaido]

Test drive video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s0AKqP8mVI

Initial models are $132k & do 0 to 60 in 3.8, although for $10k more you can opt for the Ludicrous mode, which brings it down to 3.2 seconds. That's pretty awesome for an SUV that large! $142k though, ouch! Tesla did say the upcoming models will be cheaper (base price of around $5k more than the Model S sedan).

The doors look glorious. I am a huge gullwing nerd & have wanted a Delorean since I was a kid, but the lousy crash tests have dissuaded me from ever buying one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mjd2NTJU9g

Tesla added some really neat tech to the doors: the falcon doors are hinged & can open in as little as 12" of space. It has sensor to detect ceiling height so it won't smash into your garage.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/09/30/tesla-model-x-electric-suv-luanch-price/

Some other specs:

* 5,000-pound tow capacity (the SUV itself weighs in at 5,441 pounds)
* 17" touchscreen
* 250-mile range (that's nearly 4 hours of driving at highway speeds)
* Bioweapon defense mode button that seals the car with HEPA filters that are 10x larger than a regular cars. Musk called the interior "like a hospital".
* Touted as the safest car in the world. They went as far as saying it will get a 5-star safety rating even though it hasn't taken the test yet. Lots of automatic safety features: automatic emergency braking, side-collision avoidance, forward-looking cameras, radar, 360-degree sonar for the autopilot features (autopark & other features will be updated in the future via software).

Wired has a good writeup if you feel like reading:

http://www.wired.com/2015/09/tesla-model-x-suv-reveal-specs-price/

Personally I think the nose is pretty ugly, I don't like the suit-of-armor aesthetics. They should have put some more design work into the front-end imo: (the large blank area under the emblem)

 

[Kaido]

Also lol @ the Pontiac Aztek comparisons:

http://www.hybridcars.com/does-the-tesla-model-x-look-like-a-pontiac-aztek/

 

[LTC8K6]

That weight should get it a hefty highway use tax.

I'm not sure why we need doors that open within a 12" gap when a 12" gap is pretty much too close to get out/in the car reliably. They look quite complicated, but then again, I always thought gull wing doors were a bit silly.

 

[Kaido]

That weight should get it a hefty highway use tax.

I'm not sure why we need doors that open within a 12" gap when a 12" gap is pretty much too close to get out/in the car reliably. They look quite complicated, but then again, I always thought gull wing doors were a bit silly.

Yeah I'm curious as to how often the falcon doors will break & what happens if you have a rollover. The Benz gullwing has explosive bolts, dunno what Tesla's strategy is. As far as the gap, at least where I live, some parking lots have extremely close parking lines. I've had to walk into my car sideways before & be super-careful not to hit the side mirrors when opening the door a crack. iirc the Delorean also has a slim 12" clearance.

I think they're just doing it to be unique. It's an electric SUV that costs as much as a house. Same thing they did with the Model S - big special feature at the time was the 17" touchscreen, which I actually don't like at all. I like physical buttons & I don't want a monster LCD screen shining in my face 24/7, but they did it because it was a cool feature that nobody else had.

In other news, apparently Musk hinted that the Model S's range may be doubled within a year or two. 621 miles would be spectacular:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...50-percent-more-range-for-tesla-model-s-video

 

[slag]

3 hours, not 4. Highway speed limit is 75, everyone goes 80-85 mph... 250 miles isn't much. While overall impressive, this vehicle is yet again just for urban areas.

 

[Denly]

Good luck using it in the winter with sheet of ice or inches of snow on top.:awe:

 

[jlee]

3 hours, not 4. Highway speed limit is 75, everyone goes 80-85 mph... 250 miles isn't much. While overall impressive, this vehicle is yet again just for urban areas.

Highway speed limits in most areas of the country aren't that high.

 

[slag]

Highway speed limits in most areas of the country aren't that high.

I don't get out much.

 

[yoda5]

$132k and I couldn't even take it on a road trip without stopping every 3-3.5 hours for a lengthy recharge.

 

[NutBucket]

What's the point of gullwing doors when it doesn't look like those could even operate in a standard garage?

 

[Kaido]

3 hours, not 4. Highway speed limit is 75, everyone goes 80-85 mph... 250 miles isn't much. While overall impressive, this vehicle is yet again just for urban areas.

65 MPH max where I live, which is 3.8 hours. Most people do 70 here, which is still over 3.5. Depends where you live, I guess.

As far as usable range in non-urban areas...yeah. I really wish Chevy would make like a Volt SUV...50 miles electric & 300+ miles gas would be excellent!

 

[sontakke]

What's the point of gullwing doors when it doesn't look like those could even operate in a standard garage?

Because the only other solution to the problem of narrow parking space was sliding door aka minvan style! I don't think people spending $150K for their vehicle want to be associated with a minivan.

 

[Kaido]

The Verge has a bunch of pictures up:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/29/9411049/tesla-model-x-suv-release-price-video-elon-musk

 

[LTC8K6]

Because the only other solution to the problem of narrow parking space was sliding door aka minvan style! I don't think people spending $150K for their vehicle want to be associated with a minivan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z1

 

[NutBucket]

Wait, if only the rear doors are gullwing then how are fatasses up front suppose to get out?

 

[Riverhound777]

So it has a sensor so it doesn't smash into your garage ceiling, but then what do you do? You have to pull the car out of the garage any time you want to open the rear doors? Can you get them without the silly door option?

 

[NutBucket]

Exactly! But I guess if you can afford one you also can afford a garage with high ceilings.

 

[LTC8K6]

Wait, if only the rear doors are gullwing then how are fatasses up front suppose to get out?

Yeah, how does that even make sense?

 

[Kaido]

Because the only other solution to the problem of narrow parking space was sliding door aka minvan style! I don't think people spending $150K for their vehicle want to be associated with a minivan.

The sliding door is kind of nice though...my brother just bought a used van that has dual electric sliding doors. They pop out what, maybe 5 inches on each side to slide back?

Also, I test-drove the redesigned Kia Sedona recently & it was super amazing. Comfortable seats, sedan-style gearshift, throaty V6, TONS of room, and it was $25k OTD for a nicely-equipped base model. Plus a 500-mile refillable highway range

 

[Demo24]

It's neat enough from an engineering standpoint, but it all seems a bit silly; 'bio-defense' button, rear gullwing doors, etc. It looks kinda frumpy too.

However, I can't seem to find many good pictures of the entire front interior area (like say taken from the back seat). I'd like to get a better view of that windshield as one thing that I'm curious about is how would you put in a sun visor? I see it has a tinted portion, but that doesn't really help much when your driving into the sun.

 

[Kaido]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z1

Ahh I remember seeing that in the old Jackie Chan movie Operation Condor. Youtube to the rescue!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRL0h8Q2fL0

Super slick door design!

 

[DAGTA]

Good luck using it in the winter with sheet of ice or inches of snow on top.:awe:

If it has the dual motors and traction of the Model S D trim, then it will be better in ice and snow than just about any other vehicle on the road. There are videos of the Model S in ice and snow on YouTube.

 

[NutBucket]

Uh, that was in reference to the gullwing doors....

 

[DAGTA]

Uh, that was in reference to the gullwing doors....

oh oops

 

[michal1980]

some nice things. Some things are just pointless. like the gullwing doors, rear seats with a 'single' mounting point. etc.