Does Model 3 front end need fixing at all?

"Pessimippopotamus" (pessimippopotamus) 04/01/2016 at 13:50 • Filed to: TESLA, MODEL 3, CAR DESIGN, GRILLE

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I think Tesla is being intentionally subversive with the front end design. There are better ways to design a car without a prominent front grille, but the Model 3 actually has a very visible design element around the bumper that denotes where the grille should be . I think Tesla actively wants everyone who glances at a Model 3 to know that it’s not an average car.

It’s quite a departure from the Model S and the X, one of which was launched with a faux grille. The Model X was originally showed off with an even bigger faux grille, but the production version had a vestigial grille that may or may not be functional (can someone clarify it for me?). The Model 3, on the other hand has no grille at all.

I did do a quick photochop to see what Model 3 would look like with Model X’s grille, and it looks right to me, but I still see what Tesla is trying to do.

Steve in Manhattan > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 13:56

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Either of those is preferable to the hideous Lexus, Audi, Peugeot, and other grilles out there.

Pessimippopotamus > Steve in Manhattan 04/01/2016 at 13:58

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Soon grilles will consume entire front ends.

Steve in Manhattan > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:02

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Ugh. Make it look like a Mercedes instead of slapping more giant fucking badges on it.

Dean Beyer > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:07

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I love it! (check the date)

Saracen > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:08

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It does not need fixing.

facw > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:09

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I really don’t think it needs anything. It’s a little odd, but it doesn’t look bad as is.

DrScientist > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:10

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i’m going to start a company that makes vinyl decals in that exact shape.

- standard grill from a conventional auto

- teeth

- open mouth

- hanging tongue

- run-over mother-in-law

-internal mechanicals

- muppets hanging on for dear life

Bourbon&JellyBeans > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:10

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I’d have liked it better if they rounded the nose out. Not a fan of the shark nose.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Steve in Manhattan 04/01/2016 at 14:11

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Luckily Peugeot kinda stopped with the car sized grills.

I can only hope the rest of the brands follow.

HammerheadFistpunch > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:14

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Its not that it needs a grill, its that a huge flat, boring panel in a prominent location is a call out to a huge flat boring panel.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:14

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Audacious and clever are not necessarily the same thing. For my money, I like an EV to have a grill-that’s-not-a-grill designed in such a way as to hint that any grill present is purely a styling measure.

Brian, The Life of > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:14

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No. The jury’s still out on its missing hatch, tho >:(

AMC/Renauledge > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:15

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It does make people look twice. It does escape the conceits of the industry. The X-like header bar looks better-resolved to me, though.

and 100 more > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:16

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I was gonna say “nope” until i saw your photochop w/ the X’s “grille”... I think it looks great as-is, but it looks 10x better with that!

cazzyodo > HammerheadFistpunch 04/01/2016 at 14:16

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I thing they should round that shit out...almost to the point it’s like a Porsche crossed with a killer whale.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:16

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...but not have anything to cool.

Steve in Manhattan > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 04/01/2016 at 14:17

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Yeah, Peugeot finally came to their design senses.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:19

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Oh, you mean just like they used to do?!?!

Mattbob > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:23

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vestigial is the best word to describe this.

BigBlock440 > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:24

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Definitely looks better with your ‘chop. Hopefully they do something about it before it hits production.

Nobi > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:24

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At least paint it or give it a black insert like the Model S.

Mattbob > Steve in Manhattan 04/01/2016 at 14:24

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no! They should make it look more like something out of a Joel Schumacher Batman movie!

Steve in Manhattan > Mattbob 04/01/2016 at 14:34

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Put nipples on it?

MrPseudonym > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 14:47

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The front doesn’t need fixing; the back needs hatching.

Pessimippopotamus > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/01/2016 at 15:23

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Exactly .

wkiernan > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 16:31

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I agree, I think a.) it looks terrific and b.) it looks distinctive .

People who read Oppo are all car nuts and yet I bet a lot of us have to take a second or third look at many average cars on the street to know, is that a Nissan or a Hyundai or a Chevy or what? especially right around the model-refresh season. In order to distinguish their offerings from their competitors’s, manufacturers are covering them with all sorts of ugly detail features (e.g. all new Toyotas) yet the average guy still can’t tell them apart without inspecting their oversized logos. Well, nobody’s going to look at the front half of that thing and mistake it for anything else beside a Tesla.

ranwhenparked > Pessimippopotamus 04/01/2016 at 19:06

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I’d prefer that they just smooth off that whole front end, instead of that character line. If you’re going to drop the grille, drop the place where it looks like the grille should go, too.