What Exactly Is Tesla Showing in This Teaser Shot?
Hoping to nudge the current Tesla Motors narrative in a more positive direction, CEO Elon Musk posted a “ quarterly all-hands video” late Thursday. Not particularly substantive, the clip is essentially a hype reel for the automaker — a relatively common practice within the industry. But near the beginning there are a few seconds where it teases a new vehicle.
Despite being covered almost entirely by a sheet, the vehicle (pictured above) set the internet into a frenzy. It even overshadowed the extended footage Tesla presented of the new Roadster in action. The general consensus is that the mostly obscured vehicle is an early prototype of the Model Y. But we’re less willing to jump to that conclusion.
In fact, this may not be anything more than a phantom wheeled out to divert attention away from the automaker’s recent unpleasantness. However, assuming it is a valid prototype, nothing about its ride height or roofline definitively says “crossover.” If we absolutely had to guess, we’d say the odds are just as good that this is an updated Model S.
The longer nose and rear door shape help to progress that assumption somewhat, but we’re working off little more than speculation here. Tesla doesn’t have anything to share about it. See for yourself (the car appears around the fifteen second mark of the video) and let us know what you think.
The remainder of the video is devoted to showcasing the company’s progress, capping it off with footage of the new Roadster pulling back the faces of multiple passengers. Supposedly capable of a 0-to-60 time of 1.9 seconds, it certainly seems well equipped for that particular task. However, we’d have preferred the video finish with details about what’s under the tarp.
[Images: Tesla Motors]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Perhaps the car under the sheet is merely destined for Mars.
For a thousand bucks he’ll let people look under the tarp.