6 ms·

I'm hoping we'll indeed see some tweaks to the nose -- it looks like a blank waiting for a cut-out to fit a grill and will leave the car feeling nearly-finished

I'm hoping we'll indeed see some tweaks to the nose -- it looks like a blank waiting for a cut-out to fit a grill and will leave the car feeling nearly-finished if it stays that way for production. Only bit that wasn't really a home run for me (for a pre-production, anyways). But otherwise... shooting for autonomous-first at launch will be interesting indeed. How would that effect the opinions of the folks now on the wait list? I wonder how much we're really going to need/want these levels of performance with the car doing the driving for us, of if having the go-fast will end up being mostly a safety feature for collision avoidance?

danielhooper 11y ago
Agreed, the nose design bothers me. Looks unfinished.
- cptskippy 11y ago
  Form follows function, the grill's functions primarily as an air scoop for the radiator to cool the engine. It's unnecessary and thus eliminated. It's definitely unusual and I'm leaning more towards disliking it at the moment but I can see that removing it would eliminate drag.
- friendzis 11y ago
  A thing to note on looks: there will be a number plate to complete the looks. And remember there are at least US and European versions of that to consider in the design. This is entirely subject to personal taste, but Alfa Romeos' (e.g. 147) fronts look nice in PR, but look hideous with a number plate attached literally "wherever there is some space for it". New Audis suffer from similar problem: even though the number plate does not look hideous it still looks sort of out of place on the asphalt reaching grilles.
  - exhilaration 11y ago
    A lot of American states don't require front license plates and their motor vehicle agencies will only provide you with a single rear plate.
    - Shank 11y ago
      Less than half (19 states) only require the back license plate. https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/10/how-many-states-require-front-license-plates/ https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/10/how-many-states-requir...
    - friendzis 11y ago
      Interesting. How do they implement speed cameras, plate scanning for police officers and parking gates if there is no front facing number plate?
      - mattlutze 11y ago
        By snapping pictures of the rear plate.
  - pbreit 11y ago
    Is it legal to put the plate behind glass/plastic (for aerodynamics)?
    - tr352 11y ago
      i guess it is: http://jalopnik.com/5516042/citroen-sm-the-history-of-the-140-mph-french-supersled http://jalopnik.com/5516042/citroen-sm-the-history-of-the-14...
    - friendzis 11y ago
      At least in my country the rules regarding number plate placement have statements like "clearly visible", "unobstructed" and "must not be covered by protective materials". I the rules would be similar +/- everywhere. I think this is mostly related to speed cameras and similar tools being able to clearly read the plate number.
wimagguc 11y ago
That mask started to grow on me: it makes the car look like a spaceship, and even more importantly, it sets it apart from all other cars out there. It's like the hatchback-shape of the Prius. I don't think anyone does actually find that attractive, but it's a great design to tell everyone from a distance that you're a better person than them.
- SkyMarshal 11y ago
  Except a hatchback actually has a functional purpose, the Model 3's grill-less grill not so much.
  - bryanlarsen 11y ago
    Note that the model 3 isn't a hatchback. Due to the 'entire roof is glass' design, the hinge can't be at the top of the car like it is in a hatchback. On the model 3, the trunk hinges at end of the glass.
  - ilikepi 11y ago
    The function of the grille on a car with a combustion engine is to protect the radiator from debris while still allowing airflow to it. The need for airflow comes at a cost of aerodynamics, so if the Model 3 lacks a radiator, would it not be more "functional" to sacrifice the traditional grille in favor of improved aerodynamics? The current design looks transitional to me...it has the general nose shape everyone is used to without the pointless nooks and crannies. If they were really trying to fully favor aerodynamics it would look like an F1 nose. Edit: stupid autocorrect
    - SkyMarshal 11y ago
      >The current design looks transitional to me. That's the point, it's transitional not functional. It reminds me of the Lincoln Mark 8's old rear trunk faux tire hump: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Mark_VIII#/media/File:1998_Lincoln_Mark_VIII_LSC_in_red,_rear_left.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Mark_VIII#/media/File:... I would have thought Tesla would have skipped the transitional and re-thought what a frontend should do and look like when there's no need for a grill anymore.
deleted 11y ago
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danielhooper 11y ago

Agreed, the nose design bothers me. Looks unfinished.

cptskippy 11y ago
Form follows function, the grill's functions primarily as an air scoop for the radiator to cool the engine. It's unnecessary and thus eliminated. It's definitely unusual and I'm leaning more towards disliking it at the moment but I can see that removing it would eliminate drag.
friendzis 11y ago
A thing to note on looks: there will be a number plate to complete the looks. And remember there are at least US and European versions of that to consider in the design. This is entirely subject to personal taste, but Alfa Romeos' (e.g. 147) fronts look nice in PR, but look hideous with a number plate attached literally "wherever there is some space for it". New Audis suffer from similar problem: even though the number plate does not look hideous it still looks sort of out of place on the asphalt reaching grilles.
- exhilaration 11y ago
  A lot of American states don't require front license plates and their motor vehicle agencies will only provide you with a single rear plate.
  - Shank 11y ago
    Less than half (19 states) only require the back license plate. https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/10/how-many-states-require-front-license-plates/ https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/10/how-many-states-requir...
  - friendzis 11y ago
    Interesting. How do they implement speed cameras, plate scanning for police officers and parking gates if there is no front facing number plate?
    - mattlutze 11y ago
      By snapping pictures of the rear plate.
- pbreit 11y ago
  Is it legal to put the plate behind glass/plastic (for aerodynamics)?
  - tr352 11y ago
    i guess it is: http://jalopnik.com/5516042/citroen-sm-the-history-of-the-140-mph-french-supersled http://jalopnik.com/5516042/citroen-sm-the-history-of-the-14...
  - friendzis 11y ago
    At least in my country the rules regarding number plate placement have statements like "clearly visible", "unobstructed" and "must not be covered by protective materials". I the rules would be similar +/- everywhere. I think this is mostly related to speed cameras and similar tools being able to clearly read the plate number.

wimagguc 11y ago

That mask started to grow on me: it makes the car look like a spaceship, and even more importantly, it sets it apart from all other cars out there. It's like the hatchback-shape of the Prius. I don't think anyone does actually find that attractive, but it's a great design to tell everyone from a distance that you're a better person than them.

SkyMarshal 11y ago
Except a hatchback actually has a functional purpose, the Model 3's grill-less grill not so much.
- bryanlarsen 11y ago
  Note that the model 3 isn't a hatchback. Due to the 'entire roof is glass' design, the hinge can't be at the top of the car like it is in a hatchback. On the model 3, the trunk hinges at end of the glass.
- ilikepi 11y ago
  The function of the grille on a car with a combustion engine is to protect the radiator from debris while still allowing airflow to it. The need for airflow comes at a cost of aerodynamics, so if the Model 3 lacks a radiator, would it not be more "functional" to sacrifice the traditional grille in favor of improved aerodynamics? The current design looks transitional to me...it has the general nose shape everyone is used to without the pointless nooks and crannies. If they were really trying to fully favor aerodynamics it would look like an F1 nose. Edit: stupid autocorrect
  - SkyMarshal 11y ago
    >The current design looks transitional to me. That's the point, it's transitional not functional. It reminds me of the Lincoln Mark 8's old rear trunk faux tire hump: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Mark_VIII#/media/File:1998_Lincoln_Mark_VIII_LSC_in_red,_rear_left.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Mark_VIII#/media/File:... I would have thought Tesla would have skipped the transitional and re-thought what a frontend should do and look like when there's no need for a grill anymore.

deleted 11y ago

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