The day before yesterday, Tesla reported that the new Tesla Model 3 will go on sale today, citing sales sources at Tesla stores in China. Although there is still no official news as of this writing, the official pictures and actual pictures of the new car have been unveiled today.
Auto blogger @Not Zheng Xiaokang released a picture of the actual car with the caption “Tesla Model 3”. On the whole, the car still adopts a closed front face, but compared to the current Model 3, the new car’s front bumper has been slightly adjusted, and a new style of headlights has been installed.
Comparing the new model to the current one pictured above, the more obvious difference is in the front grille: the current model seems to be grimacing, while the new one is kind of grinning.
Earlier today, “official” images of the new Model 3 were also leaked. Codenamed “Project Highland”, the new model is slightly longer at 4,720mm and shorter at 1,441mm, and according to motor1, it comes in two new colours: Ultra Red in red and Stealth Gray in grey.
At the rear, the new car features prominent wrap-around C-shaped taillights with Tesla lettering between them instead of the original logo, as well as new multi-spoke wheel designs.
Also today, automotive blogger @hanlu unveiled actual pictures of the new car’s interior. The steering wheel of the new Model 3 has been slightly adjusted in style, and some physical buttons are suspected to have been added around the scroll wheel on both sides. The new Model 3 still doesn’t have physical gauges, and the woodgrain veneer from the current model has disappeared.
It’s also worth noting that the new car comes with a rear entertainment screen at the back of the armrest box, but it’s unclear whether this screen is standard or optional.
Late last month, @teslashanghai broke the news that Tesla’s new Model 3 had ended its “trial production phase” and that production ramp-up and stress testing would begin on August 25th. By early September, daily production capacity is expected to reach around 1,200 units. According to the blogger, “the new Model 3 looks very attractive, even more so than the Model S, especially with the new headlights”.
The blogger also revealed that the new Model 3 has HW3.5 hardware instead of HW4.0, and that “all radar has been removed”. Pricing is expected to remain around the 200,000 RMB mark, thanks to “significantly lower” manufacturing costs compared to the previous generation, integrated casting, reduced wiring harnesses, and more new materials.
It’s also worth noting that it was previously reported that the new Model 3’s biggest adjustment will be the adoption of the HW4.0 hardware system, with the most important upgrades to the system being the increase in cameras from 9 to 12, the addition of a 4D millimeter wave radar, and the elimination of ultrasonic radar. This statement is in obvious conflict with the blogger’s information, and all the mysteries will be gradually solved when the car is officially announced.
