Car oozes cool with DeLorean-style doors, pacy and practical
Overcomplicated and expensive, with gimmicky features
The Model X marks stage three of Elon Musk's masterplan for Tesla. First the Lotus-based Roadster seduced early adopters, then the Model S saloon lured eco-friendly technocrats. Now, the Model X, an SUV with up to seven seats, is targeting (wealthy) families.
Like most things Tesla, the Model X has been a long time coming. Unveiled in 2013, it targeted an early 2014 launch date. The first right-hand-drive UK cars won't arrive until the end of this year, but WIRED was given a preview of the European model at a Tesla event in Munich.
The delay is understandable: this is an very complex car from a company that, in automotive terms, is minuscule. Even Musk admitted that, "I'm not sure anyone should have made this car," nor does he dispute that the "Falcon Wing" rear doors were problematic.
Double-hinged and electrically powered, they've been designed to open with as little as 28cm of clearance either side, and ultrasonic sensors stop the action if there's something in the way. Their birth has not been trouble free, with early customers complaining of doors that stick and faulty sensors.
Tesla's head of sales and service Jon McNeill told WIRED that software updates will fix these issues before UK deliveries roll out, admitting that US early adopters had effectively been used as test drivers.
Assuming he's right, there's no doubt the Falcon Wings will prove an instant hit on the school run. They have a practical benefit too, allowing easier access to the adult-friendly third row of seats. Although the X comes as standard with five seats, most will be sold with three rows of chairs in either a 2-2-2 or a 2-3-2 formation. Individually mounted on a monopost, the middle row of seats can independently recline, and the third row tips and folds when not in use. There's an additional 187 litres of luggage space in the nose, which Tesla calls a "frunk" (front trunk).
The Model X can be supplied with Tesla's new Bioweapon Defense Mode. Tesla claims this features the industry's first medical-grade HEPA air-filter system which removes 99.97 per cent of particulate exhaust pollution. On its most potent setting, it creates positive pressure inside the cabin to protect the occupants. In use it's airliner-cabin noisy, and although WIRED was unable to test its efficacy against a bio attack (as Tesla claims), it did prove useful in combating a bout of hay fever.
The rest of the cockpit will be familiar to Model S owners. Attention focuses on the 17-inch touchscreen. Android powered, it controls everything from satnav to the electronic door releases. This system has the advantage of being easily updated - and the disadvantage of putting huge reliance on one piece of tech: if the screen fails, there's little redundancy.
The X uses a variation of the aluminium chassis found in the Model S. There are electric motors front and rear, delivering de facto all-wheel drive, with the lithium-ion battery pack between. On the flagship P90D model, the front motor develops 259hp and, on the rear, 503hp. The combined system power - limited by the battery pack - is 532hp. There's also 1,061kg/m of torque, which is available instantly.
Opt for the "Ludicrous" mode and you have a 2,468kg family car that's capable of accelerating from 0-100kph in just over three seconds - that's supercar fast. It's wonderfully addictive, but use it regularly and the claimed range of 466km will tumble fast.
The low-slung batteries help lower the centre of gravity, but the Model X is no sports car. You never quite escape the feeling you're sat in a giant SUV, and its sheer bulk can be a problem in the UK (at 227cm, it's fractionally wider than a Range Rover). The ride on the air suspension is also quite stiff, and for all its SUV aspirations, the Model X isn't built for going off-road. Better to sit back and enjoy the view through the largest panoramic glass roof in production.
Model X life begins at £64,100 for the 60D rising to £100,000+ for the P90D. Add extras such as Tesla's autonomous driving (autopilot) system, and that figure can easily rise to more than £120k. It's far from cheap, but despite its late arrival, the Model X still has the electric SUV market to itself. No one else offers such pace, practicality - and cool doors. 8/10
****: Chaperoned by a Tesla representative, WIRED test-drove the Model X on a pre-determined route of around 30 minutes in Munich. We also had unsupervised driving time behind the wheel of a Model X in Los Angeles.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
