Photo: Simon Designs via Behance
The Tesla Model S is in line for a refresh, so while we're waiting for the real thing, why not waste some time talking about this thing? It's called the "Tesla Model S Tourer," and it'll challenge everything you knew about both the Tesla Model S and tourers.
Let's start with the former. The Model S was introduced in 2012, and, apart from the mild facelift from 2016 when the black snout was removed, its design has remained vastly unchanged. The fact you can still look at it and say it's somewhat attractive is a testament to the great initial effort on the designers' part, but there's no hiding behind the finger: a change is needed.
And it's coming. A recent sighting of a mysterious prototype suggests something is definitely cooking, even though it's not clear yet whether that's a new appearance for the Model S or just the crazy-fast Plaid version of the electric sedan. Either way, the EV is about to have some excitement injected into it.
Will it revert back to the pre-facelift black nose, as this rendering seems to suggest? Do we really need to answer that? Of course not, which is one of the reasons why we find Simon Designs' proposal so baffling. And that's just the beginning.
We won't even pretend we get what's going on with the wheels, though if we were to guess, we'd say the author went for a hubless design. There are also a few aero elements that don't seem to serve any particular purpose - other than to block access to the rear door handle, that is.
Finally, there is a roof box that looks like it could shave 50 miles (80 km) off the maximum range based on aerodynamics alone, and that's before you even start considering the extra weight. It doesn't matter, though, because that large wing at the back boosts the range by at least 100 miles (161 km) and the output of the motors by 200 hp.
And then there's the "Tourer" aspect. Depending on which side of the pond you live, the word originally had slightly different meanings, but in both cases, it referred to open cars - i.e., cars that didn't have a roof or had a retractable one. More recently, the term is used to denote a vehicle built for long-distance travel, which explains why this Model S received that roof box. It doesn't shed any light on the reasoning behind all the other elements, though, which seem more suited to a track car where the focus is on airflow management and downforce, and not one meant to pass through the air as slippery as possible.
Going back to the article's title, we said you're going to like this Tesla anyway. Well, lift your hand and place it on the screen over that ugly thing on the roof. With that out of the way, it's a Model S with a big wing so, what's not to like?
And it's coming. A recent sighting of a mysterious prototype suggests something is definitely cooking, even though it's not clear yet whether that's a new appearance for the Model S or just the crazy-fast Plaid version of the electric sedan. Either way, the EV is about to have some excitement injected into it.
Will it revert back to the pre-facelift black nose, as this rendering seems to suggest? Do we really need to answer that? Of course not, which is one of the reasons why we find Simon Designs' proposal so baffling. And that's just the beginning.
We won't even pretend we get what's going on with the wheels, though if we were to guess, we'd say the author went for a hubless design. There are also a few aero elements that don't seem to serve any particular purpose - other than to block access to the rear door handle, that is.
Finally, there is a roof box that looks like it could shave 50 miles (80 km) off the maximum range based on aerodynamics alone, and that's before you even start considering the extra weight. It doesn't matter, though, because that large wing at the back boosts the range by at least 100 miles (161 km) and the output of the motors by 200 hp.
And then there's the "Tourer" aspect. Depending on which side of the pond you live, the word originally had slightly different meanings, but in both cases, it referred to open cars - i.e., cars that didn't have a roof or had a retractable one. More recently, the term is used to denote a vehicle built for long-distance travel, which explains why this Model S received that roof box. It doesn't shed any light on the reasoning behind all the other elements, though, which seem more suited to a track car where the focus is on airflow management and downforce, and not one meant to pass through the air as slippery as possible.
Going back to the article's title, we said you're going to like this Tesla anyway. Well, lift your hand and place it on the screen over that ugly thing on the roof. With that out of the way, it's a Model S with a big wing so, what's not to like?
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