Tesla has mastered the art of letting a lot of fanfare follow little that is new. Or to make many things look new with little fanfare. The Model 3 of the American electric car manufacturer now follows the second maxim. It has been part of the street scene almost unchanged for six years now, and 2 million units have been sold. Now it is being reworked discreetly but effectively without a colorful stage show. It is scheduled to be delivered to customers from the end of October. If you want to take a look at it live, you have to go to Munich next week, where the rejuvenated version will be at the IAA motor show. Initially, Tesla only provided pictures and some basic information. A driving date will follow, and we will of course report on it.
First and foremost it’s about better aerodynamics, new lighting in front and behind and a redesign of the interior. The body should offer less resistance to the air, and the lines have been traced for this purpose. This is not without importance for an electric car, because the range should benefit from it. A standard range of 629 kilometers is now attributed to the model with dual motor and all-wheel drive. It is available from 52,000 euros. The basic model with rear-wheel drive promises a range of 513 kilometers according to the standard and starts at 43,000 euros before government subsidies.
The headlights show a new daytime running light and a new look altogether, hopefully they also illuminate the road better, the streaky and patchy light has been a weak point of Tesla so far. From now on, the rear lights are integrated into the tailgate with a sharp swing, they should shine particularly brightly and give the conclusion a brisk touch. The two new colors Ultra Red and Stealth Gray also belong in the aesthetics chapter.
Inside, Tesla emphasizes the use of aluminum, which is notable given that many of the competition have opted out of leather or aluminum, ostensibly for sustainability reasons. The Americans are tackling the hitherto not exactly exemplary noise insulation with acoustic glass, modified wheel suspension bushes, new seals and sound-absorbing ingredients. The freshly designed center console accommodates two smartphones for wireless charging. The stalks on the steering wheel have disappeared, which gives the control a fine look, but whether the relocation of the functions to buttons is a gain in operation remains to be seen.
In Teslas, everyday things are often surprisingly complicated to use. The central screen, which is mainly responsible for this, remains, but thanks to a more delicate edge it looks more elegant and appears larger. At the back there is a new, smaller screen in the middle for commands to the air conditioning or the radio. Tesla also promises a significantly improved mobile phone performance and two W-Lan ranges.
Apparently nothing has been changed on the chassis, steering and brakes, all of which are at best technically average.
The Model 3 is the core of Tesla. Of course, the bestseller in the range is now the Model Y, which was also built in Berlin-Brandenburg. It can be assumed whether it will undergo a similar rejuvenation in the not too distant future, but Tesla, as usual, says nothing about it.
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