Good point. I went in and changed that. 

the top end of the Model 3 Range, the $53,950 “Performance” model.

Well, played, sir.  Well played.  My wife’s Countryman creaks like an old Welsh octogenarian after a squash game.

You know what I’ve never thought to myself, as I drive my Mini?

No!, Apart from a silhouette, no official images of the model Y concept have been released. The official release for the Model Y is mooted to be around the middle of this year.

Sandy Munro estimates that Tesla could shave off 20% from the price of making a Model 3 just by moving to production to China. If they implement lessons learned from getting the US line up and running and simplify both the assembly line and the body in white design, they can save even more. With China’s heavy hand…

It makes a lot of sense to do mass production of the base 3 there. Lower labor costs will make the profit margin on the 35k price greater, and there will likely be a greater demand for the base 3 in China, cutting down the shipping costs that would result from making it in the US. All of that increases the economy of…

Because Tesla makes real EVs, not fake EVs (PHEV). No need for a range extender with 300 miles of range and a robust high speed charging network.

To do it without constantly gagging, might be? 

Agreed. Tesla has been taking $2500 deposits at configuration-time since at least 2013. Just another anti-Tesla hit piece like usual

AFAIK, they’ve always been taking the extra deposit on Model 3 orders when they’re configured. What’s actually suspicious is the timing of this article, since this is actually not new.

Yes.

This is not new. It’s been around since they started selling them. The $2,500 is your down payment to convert the refundable reservation to a hard order.

Did you not read? It isn’t 2.5k more, that 2.5k is part of the total price. And confirmation of order usually means you get the car within 2 weeks.

Here’s a forum post on the Tesla forums from 2013 talking about the $2500 deposit. As far as I know, the $2500 deposit thing has been Tesla policy since inception (or at least since the Model S went on sale, I’m not sure about the original Roadster).

A few months ago (April?) my number came up and I could either buy the RWD Premium edition with a $2500 deposit, or wait. I waited. Then in June when AWD became available, I went back into the configuration and paid my deposit. If you don’t configure your car now because the options you want aren’t available, you…

This is a good first step, but it’s a shame that they’re still forcing her to completely cover herself up except for her eyes.

I guess you never bought first year new cars then, lol.

I like my car to be tested and finished before it’s sold to the public.

Other are just calling it “recalls”. I like my recalls to be done over the air, honestly, so I’m not wasting a day going to the garage so they can perform a “software update” with a laptop.