The actual car unveiling is limited to one day. Public release will be a little further away
On September 8, 2023, Tesla Japan held a preview for the media of the new Model 3 (Long Range) Japan specification car at Tesla Shinjuku in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo amid stormy weather caused by Typhoon No. 13 directly hitting the Tokyo metropolitan area.
It rained heavily due to the typhoon, but a lot of media crowded in.
Before the scheduled start time of 9:30 a.m., after 7 a.m., we received an email saying that we were considering whether or not to hold the event while looking at the impact on transportation, but if we missed this day, it would be difficult to adjust the vehicles with various future plans, and the Yamanote Line was operating normally, so we were notified of the decision to hold the event after 8 o’clock.
The unveiling of the new Model 3, which has just arrived in Japan, is limited to one day. Please note that even if you go to Tesla Shinjuku after tomorrow, there will be no actual car exhibition of the new Model 3, and the general public including other showrooms will still be a little later.
Innovative UI such as button turn signal makes a good impression
For an overview of the new Model 3, please refer to the article on September 3.
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I will introduce what I felt when I saw the actual car and got in.
The impression of looks has become sharper.
At a glance, the front face has changed significantly. In the current model, the front part of the bumper is slightly rounded, and it is sometimes described as a “frog face”. In the new model, the headlight shape has been thinned and the straight edges at the front have been emphasized, giving a sharp impression overall.
I saw it in the photo, but when I look at the actual car, I feel that the change in impression is very large. I was able to feel that it was more sporty and fearless.
The major changes in the rear view are that the Tesla logo in the center has been changed to the English notation “TESLA” and the U-shape of the tail lamp design has been emphasized more. It is a refreshing impression and an increased presence.
The light shape has changed, but the position and opening of the charging lid are the same as the previous model.
The interior is more and more clean and high-quality
The interior has also changed a lot. The dashboard design is also neat, and the surface material has been changed to Alcantara (artificial leather suede).
And above all, the turn signal lever and shift lever disappeared from around the steering wheel. You can’t choose a yoke steering like the new model S / X, but the steering has been renewed, and the overall feeling is more and more refreshing, and the texture has been improved.
The way to turn on the turn signal is to operate it with the button on the left side of the steering wheel. Top is right, bottom is left. Press once to start, another to stop.
What about shifts to drive and reverse? When you get into the driver’s seat and step on the brake, a shift selection indication will appear on the right edge of the center display. The up arrow drives and the down arrow reverses. You can also see a “P” range at the top and neutral at the bottom.
Also, here on the mirror, in the row of hazard buttons, there are buttons that can select D, R, P, N, etc.
Actually, I arrived at the venue early and took a picture of the display showing the shift selection ahead (I took it in a hurry, so it’s blurry), but after that, the vehicle was set to “showroom mode” on that day, so I missed taking a picture of the options being displayed on the mirror. Once again, I would like to look forward to opportunities such as test drives.
Also, what I personally felt was “Oh, it’s changed” is the texture of the center console. As a replacement in the panoramic interior photo, there is a metallic lid all over including the cup holder. Also, the way the lid is opened is a weakness that I feel “a little poor” in the previous model (personal impression), but it is very high-quality.
The lid of the newly installed cup holder is a work that is flat when closed, but when it is opened, the lid dives in with exquisite movements. I feel that if it becomes my own car, it will be one of the happy points to ride.
The rear display is also nice. When I used it with a high seat height, I had the impression that it was quite leggy, but it was convenient to be able to operate the rear air conditioner. It is also a nice feature to use that guests in the back seat can freely choose entertainment.
I couldn’t really get a real feel among the cars displayed in the showroom, but I think the LED ambient lights will also be a point where you can enjoy the feeling of “I’m glad I bought it” when driving at night.
Innovative UI becomes the new normal once you get used to it a little
The driver’s seat of the new Model X was displayed in the showroom at the venue. There are no turn signals or shift levers anymore.
In May of this year, while writing an article about “New Tesla “Model S” and “Model X” officially started taking orders”, I was dazzled by the vehicle price and yoke steering and did not inadvertently touch it, but the button turn signal and shift lever abolition were already used in the S/X.
If you approach the car with the registered smartphone, it will be unlocked or the start button will disappear. The common sense of automobiles that Tesla has broken has also made me realize that once I get used to it, it doesn’t feel strange and is rather convenient. The turn signal of the new model 3 is a button operation, so there will be no “sometimes moving the wiper when I get on a domestic car”.
Even when switching shifts, considering that the position, shape, and mechanism of the lever differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, it is not uncommon for Tesla’s “de-common sense” of “operating with a display” to become a new common sense for automobiles in a few years.
By the way, the auto shift, which automatically determines whether the vehicle is “D” or “R” when you sit in the driver’s seat, is being adjusted in the direction of installing it even in Japan specifications. Let’s wait for approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism along with the electricity cost figures for WLTC mode.
According to the interview, the response to the new Model 3 that has just been announced has been good. However, the purchase site as of today (September 8) has not changed yet with the delivery schedule of “December 2023-“. If you want the body color red and the interior is white, it will be a luxury car that costs about 6 million yen for RWD and 7 million yen for AWD long range, but considering the supercharger network that is expanding at an increasing pace, there is no doubt that Tesla and Model 3 are the top recommended electric vehicles even in Japan.
I will repost the specification table of the article at the time of publication.
As a slightly surprising topic, it seems that the announcement of the new model has stimulated the number of inquiries about the current model 3.
Even Japan, Tesla is getting thicker and thicker.
Interview and text: Yoshinori Yorimoto
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