Tesla Model X : Delayed luxury SUV to look “better” and appeal to women
The already delayed Tesla Model X, now due in 2015, is set to be better looking and more female friendly than the 2012 concept car, according to the Californian car maker's CEO.
Speaking at an annual shareholder meeting, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the upcoming Model X production car would look different to the concept (pictured below).
“It looks better," Musk said.
Wanting to build “an amazing car” rather than “a pretty good car”, Musk said, "In the case of the Model X, that's just taken a bit longer than we would have liked, in particular getting the Falcon Wing door right is extremely difficult."
Musk also included the second-row seats under the same "difficult" banner, with the car's design team aiming to make them and the gullwing-style doors “feel like a work of art”.
In response to a question about making Tesla models more suited to female drivers, Musk said, "We're certainly paying more attention to the needs of women in the Model X and I think we probably got a little too guy-centric on the [Model] S.”
“We're hoping to correct that with the [Model] X.”
Due to launch in the US next year, the company’s boss expects the dual electric motor all-wheel-drive model to reach volume production in the second quarter of 2015.
First unveiled in concept form back in 2012, the seven-seat Tesla Model X was originally planned to go into production late last year.