Tesla Model 3 Teased. . . and Possibly Leaked?
Tesla has revealed a teaser image of the upcoming Model 3 and confirmed the exact date it will be revealed.
Sitting next to the Model S and Model X, the new Model 3 in the teaser photo is under a black shroud to hide its new looks. Based on just the small bit of the front end that we can see, the Model 3 appears to be a sedan much like the Model S.
Along with the teaser, Tesla invited existing owners to enter in a draw for tickets to the “intimate event,” where the Model 3 will be revealed on March 31st..
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Tesla wants the Model 3 to be its first mass-market car and will price it at around $35,000. Deliveries of the car are expected to begin in late 2017. Its all-electric driving range will be key to its success, and Tesla says we can expect around 250 miles.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story claimed that the Model 3 was “clearly a good deal smaller” than the Model S. Upon reviewing the teaser further, this was removed from the story.
Tesla Model 3 Leak?
In an e-mail to AutoGuide sister site TheTruthAboutCars, a person who claims to be a Tesla employee sent the image you see above, claiming to have accessed a colleague’s computer and taken this photo of a photo.
We responded to the claimed insider looking for more details or a way to confirm his or her identity, though as of publication time we have not heard back, so view the image above with a grain of salt. The teaser image from Tesla also makes this leak hard to believe based on the proportions of the car seen under the black sheet.
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If it is true, the leaked image suggests that the Model 3 will be more of a Mazda5 look-a-like than a small sedan. It appears as though the falcon wing doors from the Model X crossover are also present on this car.
We will know for sure if this photo is the real deal on March 31, when the Model 3 is officially revealed.
Update: Tesla spokesman Khobi Brooklyn confirmed that the leaked image is not the Model 3. Check back on March 31 to see the real car.
Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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Uglier than ugly!
Tesla would never sell a Bolt/Leaf-Class-car for $ 35.000,--. For this they wouldn't have needed the Gigafactory. Believe me, Model 3 won't be a typical 2nd car. It will be a real car.