Photo: Jalopnik
Have you noticed that even though there's an international auto show starting in New York next week, the Internet is more abuzz with the Tesla Model 3 launch that's happening on March 31?
When the event of a single manufacturer can cast a shadow over one of the year's important motor shows, that's the moment you can't deny the fact that Tesla is the most trending car company in the world right now. Sure, one false slip and all this fame can just as quickly come tumbling down, but we'll have to wait until the Model 3 is launched to know whether or not that will happen.
On the other hand, there are rumors that Elon Musk isn't exactly the kind of guy you'd want as a boss. The man is a workaholic with a mind that only seldom gives the (wrong) impression it sleeps, while the rest of the time it's racing to all corners of the Universe. Well, try and keep up with that if you can. Or if you feel it's worth it for the salary the company pays you.
Considering all this, it's now unthinkable that one employee would have had enough of it and decided to deliver Tesla a blow by leaking the Model 3 design. Ignoring the fact that what's happening on March 31 is just a preliminary presentation and that even after we see the car, we're still going to have to wait at least a year until we can get one, showing the car a few weeks earlier wouldn't hurt the company that much. Plus, it's more about what the EV can do than what it looks like. Tesla has proven so far it makes appealing cars, even though the beluga aspect of the Model X is a little debatable.
Jalopnik claims (and we have no reason to doubt it, of course) it has received an email from somebody pretending to be a Tesla Motors employee. The message contained some text and an image - a screen capture from an Apple computer that allegedly portrayed a crossover based on the Model 3 platform. In other words, what we've so far called the "Model Y."
Suspicious as it should be, the media outlet demanded more proof that he was indeed working for Tesla, and the source provided in return the full internal employee directory, even if not precisely complete. But this was all just an unnecessary precautionary measure from Jalopnik, because the image itself is clearly a hoax.
First of all, it's built on a well-known existing Model X press photo. If you're familiar with the way digital artists who come up with renderings of future models work, then you'll have noticed that that's exactly what this is. And the man didn't even do a half-decent job, his claims that Tesla wanted to share parts among its models unable to explain the blatant similarities with the Model X. Plus, if you look at the rear of the car, you'll notice that, while the overhang is a lot shorter, its shadow is still the same size as the Model X's.
So, whoever you are, nice try and better luck next time. Just to be thorough, Jalopnik contacted Tesla about it, who obviously denied that the modified image had anything to do with the Model 3 (hmm, nobody said this was the Model 3; Tesla, are you trying to fool us by denying something that was never implied?) or with Tesla in general. OK, Tesla, it's not that we don't believe you, but we need some proof. Could you please send a picture of the real Model 3, then?
On the other hand, there are rumors that Elon Musk isn't exactly the kind of guy you'd want as a boss. The man is a workaholic with a mind that only seldom gives the (wrong) impression it sleeps, while the rest of the time it's racing to all corners of the Universe. Well, try and keep up with that if you can. Or if you feel it's worth it for the salary the company pays you.
Considering all this, it's now unthinkable that one employee would have had enough of it and decided to deliver Tesla a blow by leaking the Model 3 design. Ignoring the fact that what's happening on March 31 is just a preliminary presentation and that even after we see the car, we're still going to have to wait at least a year until we can get one, showing the car a few weeks earlier wouldn't hurt the company that much. Plus, it's more about what the EV can do than what it looks like. Tesla has proven so far it makes appealing cars, even though the beluga aspect of the Model X is a little debatable.
Jalopnik claims (and we have no reason to doubt it, of course) it has received an email from somebody pretending to be a Tesla Motors employee. The message contained some text and an image - a screen capture from an Apple computer that allegedly portrayed a crossover based on the Model 3 platform. In other words, what we've so far called the "Model Y."
Suspicious as it should be, the media outlet demanded more proof that he was indeed working for Tesla, and the source provided in return the full internal employee directory, even if not precisely complete. But this was all just an unnecessary precautionary measure from Jalopnik, because the image itself is clearly a hoax.
First of all, it's built on a well-known existing Model X press photo. If you're familiar with the way digital artists who come up with renderings of future models work, then you'll have noticed that that's exactly what this is. And the man didn't even do a half-decent job, his claims that Tesla wanted to share parts among its models unable to explain the blatant similarities with the Model X. Plus, if you look at the rear of the car, you'll notice that, while the overhang is a lot shorter, its shadow is still the same size as the Model X's.
So, whoever you are, nice try and better luck next time. Just to be thorough, Jalopnik contacted Tesla about it, who obviously denied that the modified image had anything to do with the Model 3 (hmm, nobody said this was the Model 3; Tesla, are you trying to fool us by denying something that was never implied?) or with Tesla in general. OK, Tesla, it's not that we don't believe you, but we need some proof. Could you please send a picture of the real Model 3, then?
Google News