The world’s best-selling electric sedan is poised to get a styling update. These computer illustrations – based on spy photos – reveal what the changes are expected to look like.
A leaked photo of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 electric car – due to receive a mild styling makeover – appeared online last week, ahead of its expected unveiling in the coming months.
Drive has commissioned digital artist Theottle to shed some new light – and colour – to the leaked Tesla photo, which showed a black Model 3 parked in a warehouse, partly obscured by a cover.
It is believed the new front-end design – with slimmer, Roadster sports car-like lights and a simpler front bumper without fog lights – will be shared across the range.
However, models are still likely to be differentiated by subtle details such as wheel designs, badges, brake caliper colours and, on the Performance flagship, a rear lip spoiler.
MORE: Is this the updated 2024 Tesla Model 3, or another hoax?
These computer-generated images illustrate two versions: a white, base-model rear-wheel-drive variant with smaller wheels, and a red, top-of-the-range Long Range or Performance variant with larger alloys.
The white car wears new-design wheels seen on a prototype in the US in recent months, expected to be the 18-inch alloys that sit below the aerodynamically-optimised wheel covers standard on the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and Long Range.
Meanwhile, the red car rides on the alloy wheel design seen in last week’s leaked photo – however it is unclear if this is the aero cover for the standard 18-inch wheel, the replacement for the 19-inch ‘Sport’ wheel optional on the RWD and Long Range today, or the flagship Performance’s 20-inch alloy.
While it was initially suspected the leaked photo could have been an elaborate hoax, sources who have previously provided accurate information on the updated Model 3 claim it’s the real deal.
This includes Teslascope – a Twitter user with a track record of reporting accurate information from Tesla insiders – who shared a screenshot of a private message with a source inside Tesla, seemingly confirming the leaked photo depicts an “alpha” Model 3 prototype.
The source claims Tesla is “imminently switching away” from seats designed in house, to those from an external supplier.
It is unclear how imminent the change is – as the messages posted are reportedly six weeks old – and if the updated Model 3 will be the first model to offer the new-design seats.
We received permission to share this other portion of our conversations regarding @Tesla's Project Highland (Model 3). These are dated March 1st.
— Teslascope (@teslascope) April 15, 2023
We can confidently confirm that the photos shared across social media this week are of a prototype build of the vehicle (alpha). pic.twitter.com/lsHr4LCHQz
Previous reports have claimed updates are planned to the Model 3’s rear bumper and door mirrors, though these have yet to be seen in spy or leaked images.
Reported plans for upgraded camera modules on the front wheel-arch panels are visible in the images seen so far – distinguished by the revised body line around the camera, which now extends into the front doors.
Tesla is reportedly also adding a new front-facing camera low on the front bumper, but this is yet to be verified in spy photos.
The leaked photo shows what appears to be a hump in the dashboard – but it is unclear if there are plans to add a standalone instrument display to augment the large centre touchscreen, or if the dashboard is just obscured by a fabric cover that appears distorted in the leaked photo.
The 2024 Tesla Model 3 update is due to enter production in China this September, according to reports out of the US.
If Australian examples begin rolling off the production line at the same time, the first updated cars could be in local showrooms before the end of this year.
The post 2024 Tesla Model 3 facelift illustrated, based on information from spy photos appeared first on Drive.
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