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Wired claims that this cloaked car is the Tesla Model 3

Wired Germany recently got access to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne, California, where the automaker will unveil the Model 3 tomorrow. Today the publication published an interview (German) with Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and claims that the picture above is a cloaked Model 3.

Without much of a useful reference point in the picture, it’s difficult to determine the size of the vehicle, but it does appear smaller than the Model S.

The Model 3 is expected to be about 20% smaller than the Tesla’s flagship sedan.

Otherwise, the shape itself appears to be awfully similar, if not identical, to the shape of a Model S. Though it does look like the front-end could be more like the Model X’s than the S because of the crease in the cloak above the “grill”. The Model S front-end shouldn’t allow that to happen. It also looks like the car could be standing higher than the S.

Update: A redditor upped the levels of the picture for more details and it shows high wheel wells:

We should have more about the Model 3 design and a few specs for you soon. Stay tuned.

Tesla’s Chief Designer commented about electric vehicle design in the interview and said that EV makers need to design cars that can be accessible to the masses, and not “weird-mobiles” only a few early adopters would like.

The Tesla Model 3 will be unveiled at Tesla’s Design Studio in Hawthorne, California, on March 31st at 8:30pm Pacific. If you want to reserve the vehicle, Tesla revealed all the reservation process details per region and here’s everything we know about the vehicle.

Update: Exclusive Tesla Model 3 leaked specs show 0-60 under 4 sec and 300+ mile range options

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Comments

  1. Nathanael - 9 years ago

    Sure, I can believe this. This photo really really doesn’t give much away, does it?

  2. pedrorito - 9 years ago

    it looks very similar to Model X, everywhere.. front, rear end…

    • Steve Grenier - 9 years ago

      Not quite, you can see the Model X off to the far left. The rear end raises quite a bit.

  3. Stephen Davies - 9 years ago

    Should this blog not be renamed ‘9to5Tesla’?

    That’s all we seem to see these days.
    Elon M did this
    Elon M did that
    What next, Elon M uses the ‘john’?

    Sigh.

    • Steve Grenier - 9 years ago

      I’m sure it’ll change when other companies start doing more. Right now Tesla is leading the pack.

      • Fred Lambert - 9 years ago

        exactly, we want and will cover more evs in the near future, but right now Tesla is way more fun to cover.

    • Mohseni - 9 years ago

      Wait till the 2017 Leaf comes out. That will be the end of history for the EV. The first EV that passes the threshold of mass appeal.

      • Fred Lambert - 9 years ago

        not if it looks anything like the 2016 LEAF…

      • Mohseni - 9 years ago

        @Fred — no, it is a generation 2 vehicle. Complete redesign.

      • focher - 9 years ago

        Based on Americans’ love of small hatchback vehicles? The Leaf, even redesigned, will still be that form factor. And many of us thinks it’s ugly.

  4. Peezy - 9 years ago

    I, for one, am very happy to hear all this Tesla news

  5. Piny - 9 years ago

    Is there an English version of that Wired article? I’d love to read it. I was unable to find one (and Google Translate is hopeless).

    • BEP - 9 years ago

      I read the article and I agree with nathemflo, nothing too interesting. They even state that the new Bolt will be 5000 USD cheaper than Model 3, this means they are not able to notice the difference of prices before and after tax incentives. This make them lose credibility in my eyes.

  6. Walt - 9 years ago

    Could be updated Model S, IMO. Is it the new PLOOD?

    • Repoanything - 9 years ago

      The 30k price on the Bolt is after the tax breaks. The 35k price of the Tesla 3 is before any tax breaks so at 7500 tax break on the 3, it’s 2500 cheaper

  7. nathemflo - 9 years ago

    The German WIRED article is pretty lame, just read it, doesn’t give much away. Usual talk about the future way, electric vehicles everywhere, welcoming Competition to boost the advent of electric transport, autopilot makes it safer, you know typical talking. Just two facts on Model 3.
    – Photo is definitely Model 3. No assumptions, or “we think” stuff. Definitely stated the cloaked car IS Model 3!
    – Seems to look like a normal car (no weird mobile). Holzhausen adds (just like for Model S) goal is that it is a timeless design appealing to everyone.

  8. - (@outforbeer) - 9 years ago

    look boring. I was hoping for radical design

  9. Alexander Van Damme - 9 years ago

    On the German site you see a picture of Franz von Holzhausen’s arm resting on a small model, it sure looks like the cloaked car… I strongly believe this is what we will see tonight/tomorrow morning. My brother just reserved 3 of these this morning… He owns several companies and a Model S.

  10. Michael - 9 years ago

    It definitely is model 3. Look at the front, and how the fabric is falling. At Model S the front does not go back under the tip like this, so the fabric would be pushed forward another little bit. But this is not the case on the picture. Another thing is the back. Compare the 3 Models and you will see.

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Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek.

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