Tesla is set to expand its model line-up with two new electric models, company boss Elon Musk has told Autocar.
The first model to join the existing S luxury saloon will be the Model X SUV, arriving next year. Company insiders indicate that it will be close to the concept car that’s already been widely displayed and is set to keep its gullwing doors too.
A third model, rivalling the BMW 3-series, will arrive in early 2017. According to Musk, "it will be 20 per cent smaller and half the price" of the current Model S, indicating a starting price of around £30,000.
Design and engineering work is set to start on the small saloon at the end of this year and it’s likely that a good deal of the work, including dynamic tuning, will be done at the company’s forthcoming UK research and development centre.
Musk, who has recently purchased the Lotus Esprit submarine model featured in the James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ also admitted that he plans to create something similar that works.
"It’s a low priority project but we can create a transformation amphibious vehicle using Model S electrics. It will look like the Esprit too but 10 per cent bigger and we’ll make it in single digit numbers, but it can be done," he said.
Read more about Tesla's planned UK R&D centre.
Why Elon Musk doesn't think like the other car company executives.
Get the latest car news, reviews and galleries from Autocar direct to your inbox every week. Enter your email address below:
Join the debate
Add your comment
New vehicle models
So the same as Jaguar then?
hope they give the new models
I'm 5'9 and couldnt sit upright in the back of the model s without grazing my head on the glass panoramic roof. They regular roof has even less headroom. i kept thinking... my god a fiesta has more headroom than this in the back, but what were they thinking? they need a real 4 door saloon. the model s is a 2+2
Actually the model S is a 2+3
@shiakas
i was so amazed at the lack of rear headroom, i did a bit of digging around on the net. the panoramic roof boosting headroom a couple of inches was mentioned on the tesla's own website forum with owners / potential owners talking about how to overcome the lack of headroom. some just said they would only stick kids in the back anyway so it wasnt a concern for them. i also watched a video about teslas launch in china, and their dealers were complaining it puts a lot of customers off. its a pretty incredible oversight.