LNG: TESLARATI

Being a relatively young carmaker compared to rivals such as Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, Tesla has dealt with growing pains over the years. Critics of the company have aggressively honed in on these challenges, constantly accusing the company of producing cars with bad build quality and substandard paintwork on a regular basis (among others). A look at Tesla forums online would reveal numerous threads about individuals complaining about the paint quality of the Model S, X, and most notably, the Model 3.

According to Former McLaren detailing specialist and AP3 Paint Protection Services owner Tiaan Krige, Tesla’s alleged paint issues are, for the most part, exaggerated. Krige is no stranger to premium vehicles. Being in the paint protection business, he interacts with some of the auto industry’s most exclusive cars regularly. Just last month, AP3 worked on a McLaren Senna, one of the British automaker’s most aggressive vehicles to date. Krige’s business, which operates from Alpharetta, GA, also provides its services to Tesla’s electric cars, and one of its clients is owner-enthusiast Kim of YouTube’s Like Tesla channel. 

Speaking to the YouTube channel’s host, Krige mentioned that Tesla’s paint issues remind him of those faced by McLaren back in 2014, when the British supercar maker was producing its vehicles in higher volumes. “I actually worked at a McLaren dealership in 2014 doing their new car detailing and paint prep. McLaren started mass-producing production cars in 2012, kind of the same as Tesla, but you know, McLaren is $350,000-$500,000 (per vehicle). And the dust nibs, orange peel, all the paint defects that people seem to post about on Model 3s, I see on McLarens too,” he said. 

Krige did recall that there was a particular batch of Model 3 last summer that had a larger number of vehicles with paint issues, but the quality of the electric cars’ paintwork has improved steadily since then. “We see a ton of Model 3s. The paint’s fantastic on 90% of the cars… There’s been a clear, linear progression in the quality of the paint,” the former McLaren detailer added. 

Tesla is a company that is continually improving. Thus, it is not difficult to assume that the paint quality of a Model 3 produced next year will likely be even more refined than the vehicles being produced today. This constant improvement was recently pointed out by former GM CEO and longtime Tesla critic Bob Lutz, who admitted that a Model 3 he encountered in the wild had flawless paint and impeccable build quality — a complete antithesis to the Tesla stereotypes that have been disseminated by the company’s critics. 

“Not only was the paint without any discernible flaw, but the various panels formed a body of precision that was beyond reproach. Gaps from hood to fenders, doors to frame, and all the others appeared to be perfectly even, equal side-to-side, and completely parallel. Gaps of 3.5 to 4.5mm are considered word-class. This Model 3 measured up,” he noted. 

Auto teardown expert Sandy Munro, who studied every single component of an early-build Model 3, previously noted that if Tesla had perfected the build quality of the electric sedan, it would “mop the floor with everybody.” Considering Bob Lutz’s recent comments about the Model 3’s build quality, as well as Krige’s insights on the vehicle’s paint, it appears that some floor mopping in the auto industry might soon be in order. 

Watch Tiaan Krige’s insights on Tesla’s paint quality in the video below. 

When it comes to all-electric performance, adults aren’t the only ones allowed to partake in the fun. Tesla’s kid-sized version of the Model S has been a hit with its fan community since it debuted 2016, but now McLaren is also looking to inspire a new generation of future fans of its brand with a pint-sized, ride-on 720S supercar with some big features.

The littlest member of the McLaren family resembles its older brethren in a few ways. It has two functioning dihedral doors with exposed carbon-style elements, and the entire design of the toy is styled to be immediately identifiable with the 720S it’s modeled after to include the brake lights, pedals, and working air vents. Official McLaren retailers will have the brand’s classic Papaya Spark color available exclusively, but seven other paint choices will be offered at contracted retailers including Azores Orange, Belize Blue, Lantana Purple, Onyx Black, Mauvine Blue, Silica White, and Saros Grey. Altogether, McLaren clearly had authenticity in mind for its youngest drivers, specifically those 3-6 years in age.

Since speed is limited by the nature of the ride-on 720S, which likely maxes out around 3 mph, it makes sense that McLaren added a few bonus items; they just so happen to resemble features similar to Tesla’s full-size vehicles. The dashboard has an infotainment screen that can play a preloaded selection of children’s music or show a movie by plugging in a USB or SD card into built-in sockets. Parents also have the option of operating the car in a pseudo-Autopilot mode by driving it via remote control. Unlike a Tesla, however, the mini McLaren has electronic engine sounds that are activated by the accelerator pedal.

McLaren’s ride-on 720S for kids. | Image: McLaren Automotive Limited

McLaren’s ride-on 720S for kids. | Image: McLaren Automotive Limited

Tesla’s Model S for Kids was produced in partnership with Radio Flyer, a classic toy maker known for its high-quality products. Along with an incredible amount of detail paying tribute to the real vehicle that inspired it, the stylish ride-on includes a Tesla-branded lithium ion battery pack, a charger that perfectly resembles Tesla’s own Wall Connector, working headlights, and even a functional “frunk” where kids can store their belongings. The P90D badge adorns the rear of the vehicle as well, but despite missing the Ludicrous Mode underline, the mini-Model S can double in speed from 3 mph to 6mph via a protected switch. Not one to leave kids hanging on tech, Tesla’s toy also has an MP3 sound system.

The kid-sized 720S isn’t McLaren’s first foray into ride-on toys. A tiny, electric-only powered version of the P1 plug-in hybrid was released in 2016 and a parent-pushed version of the 570S sports car came out in 2017. Both are well-styled and look to serve their purpose of inspiring little riders to sign on to the brand. It’s also somewhat fitting that by the time those same riders are able to drive the adult versions of their playthings, McLaren will likely have a real car out that exclusively uses electricity as a power source, too. The three options available for now, though, are a good bit of fun to start.

The McLaren’s full-sized 720S has a body inspired by the Great White Shark, but whether its mini-me will turn out to be a “Tesla killer” remains to be seen. Perhaps the little Model S is due for a big overhaul.

Watch the official McLaren kid car debut video below:

Tesla owners are getting new features for their in-car Sketchpad Easter Egg in the next vehicle software update, just as promised recently by CEO Elon Musk. Music-focused bonus apps, including car karaoke, will follow shortly after.

The all-electric car maker’s Twitter account made the feature announcement in response to Tesla owner and artist Goro Fujita’s request for specific improvements to expand the Sketchpad app’s functionality. “Tesla finger painting. A request to @elonmusk: please add a color picker model with saturation adjustment and multiple undos…how else am I supposed to do serious freelance work with this? 😂 #Tesla,” he tweeted.

Tesla responded in kind with a touch of the account’s new personality flair. “Wish granted 💫. New Sketchpad features are rolling out in our next software update. What will you draw? 🎨,” the company announced. A request was also made for animation support by Fujita, to which Musk responded with a simple “Ok”; however, it’s not clear based on the announcement whether that capability made it into the update.

Wish granted 💫. New Sketchpad features are rolling out in our next software update.

What will you draw? 🎨 https://t.co/eXUm4k24qH

— Tesla (@Tesla) June 28, 2019

Musk chimed in to the announcement tweet afterwards, adding even more color to what Tesla owners can expect to be delivered to their Model 3, Model X, and Model S cars in the way of Easter Eggs. “Fun, little music tool coming later,” he revealed. “Tweak music & car karaoke.” He also agreed to a suggestion on sharing tools for Sketchpad, indicating a future addition of import/export functionality via the Tesla app.

Sketchpad was released with firmware version 8.1 and is accessed by pushing the “T” logo at the top of the Tesla center touchscreen three times. Once opened, users can create basic sketches with a provided color palette using their fingers as a writing instrument. The overall functionality of the program is reminiscent of MS Paint, a native Windows program with basic graphic creation and editing capabilities…until now.

The addition of car karaoke to Tesla’s in-car experience was originally teased by Musk last year. “Tesla Car Karaoke hopefully ready in OTA software update version 10. Just played Missile Command, Asteroids & Lunar Lander in V9. Really fun,” he tweeted. Perhaps all the new video game functionality developed in the months since Pole Position was removed made a karaoke function an easy add-on that didn’t merit the wait for an entirely new Tesla firmware.

Musk’s “tweak music” reveal seems to refer to a request for audio mixing capability that was suggested during the original Twitter discussion about the Sketchpad updates. “Completely agree. Every Tesla should have good art & music creation software,” he wrote in response to a comment about artistic features being sought after in the company’s vehicles. As a CEO that regularly interacts with humorous content online, to include creating some himself, a full suite of applications to support Tesla owners’ creativity is a fun, natural fit for Musk’s company.

Every so often, an innovator with the capability to inspire and move people emerges. These men and women in the past have left their mark in society, and in this era, one of these innovators could very well be Elon Musk. And as the industrialist celebrates yet another birthday working at his electric car company, the Tesla and SpaceX community has banded together to extend their well-wishes to the hard working chief executive. 

Today marks Elon Musk’s 48th year on Earth (0 years on Mars, for now), and in a recent Twitter interaction with his social media followers, the CEO mentioned that he would just be working on his birthday. Tesla, after all, is at a crucial point, with the company attempting to reach its delivery and production goals before the end of the second quarter. This would require everyone at Tesla, Musk included, to work extra hard until the end of June to deliver as many vehicles to customers as possible. 

The Tesla community is known for being an appreciative group. Taking the initiative, a number of enthusiasts have taken it upon themselves to compile several warm birthday greetings from Tesla and SpaceX supporters across the globe. One of these came in the form of a video compiled by Model 3 owner-enthusiast Tesla_Raj, who runs a YouTube channel. An initiative to gather letters from Tesla supporters in numerous countries has also resulted in a long list of around 500 people thanking Musk for his work and wishing him well on his birthday. 

Many of Musk’s birthday greetings featured well-wishes from individuals, families, and groups who have been positively affected by Tesla in one way or another. Several greetings were also quick to remind the CEO that it is important to take a breather once in a while, a reference to Musk’s tendency to overwork himself during times when Tesla is under pressure. Musk explained this habit in an interview last year, when he described his 120-hour workweeks during the height of the Model 3 ramp as some of the most painful points of his career. 

A key theme that is also present in a good number of greetings were references to Musk and Tesla’s ongoing battle against veterans in the auto industry, as well as the negative narrative surrounding the company that has remained persistent over the years. Quite unsurprisingly, some of these struggles were mentioned by a Tesla community member who created an Elon Musk-inspired track as a birthday gift under the meme-proficient CEO’s fictional label, Emo G records. 

Looking at the history of Tesla and SpaceX, it is evident that Musk is someone who never really takes the path of least resistance. And it is evident in the constant battle that both companies continue to fight today. SpaceX is somewhat protected from the rabid attacks directed at Tesla by skeptics due to the company’s private nature, but the company is no stranger to negativity. Tesla, of course, is pretty much the resident whipping boy of critics thanks to a pervading negative narrative surrounding the company and its products. 

Yet, despite these challenges, both companies have flourished nonetheless. SpaceX currently operates one of the world’s most powerful rockets, the Falcon Heavy, which has already flawlessly delivered two commercial payloads this year. Tesla, for its part, continues to take a steadily larger piece of the auto market that has long been guarded by veteran carmakers. All these, of course, were the results of the hard work of thousands upon thousands of people working tirelessly at both SpaceX and Tesla. All these won’t be possible either without a CEO that is willing to lead from the front lines. 

Musk is considered to be a man of many talents, but perhaps his biggest strength is his stubborn refusal to give up. In an interview with 60 Minutes back in 2012, Musk noted that he would have to be “dead or completely incapacitated” before he throws in the towel, and he has stood by these words ever since. The original Tesla Roadster was released at the worst possible time due to the US financial crisis; the Model S was mocked as “vaporware” during the years leading up to its release; the Model X was dubbed impossible due to its complexity; and the Model 3 was dismissed as a sure-fire failure that will crumble amidst the shadow of competitors such as the Chevy Bolt EV. As history would prove, each one of these vehicles would prove to be successful. 

Even at 48 years old, Musk remains optimistic, almost to a fault. One could sigh at how Musk seemingly retains some naïveté to a certain degree, being a person that seemingly still believes in the good in people. This is evident in the mission of both his companies, with SpaceX aiming to make humans an interplanetary species and Tesla looking to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. As the Tesla and SpaceX story unravels more, one cannot help but conclude that in more ways than one, Elon Musk is precisely the type of innovator that the world needs right now: optimistic, persistent to a fault, flawed, relentless, and most of all, unwilling to accept the word “impossible.” And for being that, Musk deserves all the well-wishes he can get on this special (working) day.