Lots of different media were used over the years. There was a period of black paper with various media. You might go to DeansGarage to look for old renderings.
Amazing how the Italians did the 3 views yet got their forms so perfect. One thing the 3 view did was to severely limit the cheating of the package. Whereas the Detroit approach was about cheated sketches until the tape drawing.. Yup, had multiple shoe boxes with Magic Markers that were carried around. Primacolor set. Vincent vellum. Flomaster cleanser. Chalk sets. Guache - needed to be able to send in the pigeons Winsor Newton Series 7 brushes
Design issues with the Tesla Cybertruck? No way! Tesla’s Cybertruck has a serious problem that only a complete redesign can fix Elon Musk is calling for Lego-like precision in the Cybertruck. Its design makes that an impossible ask. It’s official. The Cybertrucks coming out of Tesla’s Texas factory are bad. Bad, bad, bad with a capital Musk, as shown by the judgment of the X-kingpin himself. After taking a production candidate of this polygonal horror for a spin, Musk wrote an internal email to Tesla employees, revealing his concerns in categorical terms: “Due to the nature of Cybertruck, which is made of bright metal with mostly straight edges, any dimensional variation shows up like a sore thumb.” However, the real problem here is that these aesthetic troubles are rooted deep in the very nature of its design, which may make them extremely hard—if not impossible—to fix unless there is a complete redesign, as we foretold back in January. Musk’s observation refers to the problems in the body of the Cybertruck, which include misaligned doors and uneven surfaces that make the car look wobbly, weird, and very unlike the clean angled renders Tesla has presented over the years. It’s a mess that underscores the inherent challenges of the Cybertruck’s unique design. As Adrian Clarke—a professional car designer who now writes design critiques for the automobile publication The Autopian—told me back then: “The Cybertruck is a low polygon joke that only exists in the fever dreams of Tesla fans that stands high on the smell of Elon Musk’s flatulences.” The problem, according to Musk, is the bright metal construction and predominantly straight edges mean that even minor inconsistencies become glaringly obvious. To avoid this, he commanded unparalleled precision in the manufacturing process, stating in his email that “all parts for this vehicle, whether internal or from suppliers, need to be designed and built to sub 10 micron accuracy. That means all part dimensions need to be to the third decimal place in millimeters and tolerances need [to] be specified in single digit microns.” Drawing a comparison to everyday products known for their precision, Musk added, “If LEGO and soda cans, which are very low cost, can do this, so can we.” Professor X believes that Tesla can attain such precision, but Clarke questioned the demand in an email he sent me today. “Is totally infeasible for production. Body panel tolerances are measured in whole mm to allow for variance in assembly and the tolerance stack!” This is also nonsense because, as he points out, it doesn’t take into account the thermal expansion and contraction of vehicles that come into play during the manufacturing and operation of the vehicle. Or, as one of the Cybertruck Owner Club’s forum participants, quipped in response to Musk’s email: “If all of the CTs parts were either soda cans or legos this would be an easy command to obey.” Chronicle of a foretold mess The Cybertruck, with its unprecedented angular design and bold promises, has been a topic of fervent debate since its first reveal. While its appearance might be polarizing, the real concerns lie beneath its reflective exterior, with a myriad of design and quality issues that plague a car that hasn’t even reached consumers yet. Musk promised this pickup in 2021 and didn’t deliver. Then he said production was coming in 2022, but that year came, and it got delayed again to early 2023. Now it’s been delayed again till “late 2023.” Tesla blamed the supply chain, but Clarke and others in the industry are skeptical it will ever happen—at least, not without a serious redesign. “As soon as we saw [the Cybertruck], everyone I know in the industry started laughing. We just thought there is no way they’re gonna be able to get that into production.” There’s no way, he assures me, because it’s not going to pass crash regulations, it’s not going pass pedestrian impact regulations, and, more importantly, it’s going to be extremely hard to make those “those dead straight panels.” Clarke explained that car panels are made by stamping them with big metal hydraulic presses: “They always have an amount of curves in them because they have to be able to hold the shape when the part comes out of the press.” But if you have a dead flat panel, it doesn’t work. “It’s going to vibrate and they’re going to have massive problems stamping those panels and having them keep their shape.” This observation aligns with Musk’s own admission about the dimensional variations being prominently visible due to the truck’s straight edges. Another example of a problem caused by this bad design was the Cybertruck’s doors don’t seem to align properly with the body, which is a fundamental issue that speaks to the vehicle’s overall build quality. It’s yet to be seen if the changes in the frame and fake exoskeleton were caused by other potential manufacturing problems predicted by Clarke, like the reverberation of sound. “[All those dead flat panels are] going to vibrate and they’re going to have massive problems stamping those panels and having them keep their shape,” he told me at the time. “This will force Tesla to use “some kind of foam or sound deadening.” The precision problems made obvious by its angular design that Musk has detected also demonstrate another prediction that will affect drivers down the line: It’s going to be a nightmare to repair any small dent. Any imperfection in its stainless steel body can’t be painted. It will be there forever unless you replace the entire panel or do some really crazy fine repair job. A bigger problem The Cybertruck’s flaws are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of a broader, concerning trend that has been emerging over the years. Tesla, once the shining beacon of electric vehicle innovation, is under an increasingly critical spotlight due to persistent quality issues. “Twenty years from now, you really think that they’re going to dominate the auto market? Not a chance,” said Columbia University Professor Emeritus Bruce Greenwald (“a guru to Wall Street’s gurus”) in 2021. Michael Burry—the “Big Short” investor who famously predicted the 2008 crash—paints an even worse picture judging by his continuous bet against Tesla. The sad truth is that the company’s vehicles have been riddled with a range of problems, which have resulted in continuous poor performance ratings in JD Power’s Quality Surveys, class-action lawsuits and countless videos on the internet pointing at the terrible built quality of Tesla cars. The Tesla Motor Club forums are rife with discussions and complaints about these issues, which include misaligned body panels—which are not just cosmetic concerns but can also lead to increased wind noise and even potential water leaks—body paint issues, and plenty hardware malfunctions that range from door handles to issues with the retractable windows and poor quality dashboard screens. And of course, all the software glitches that have plagued the cars, including a growing scandal about its false autonomous claims and a federal criminal probe because of its erratic and dangerous performance. So it’s not a surprise to learn that the Cybertruck has quality issues that stem from its bad design. They are just par for the course—an indication of deeper-rooted problems within Tesla. If the company does not address these quality control challenges head-on, it risks being overshadowed by competitors who are catching up fast, both in terms of technology and quality. As for Cybertruck itself, let’s not forget about Clarke’s other bold prediction: There are going to be so many problems with the manufacturing of this vehicle’s atrocious design that only a few will be produced or it will end looking very differently. Which is not a bad thing because perhaps we don’t need yet another heavy truck on the road. Especially one that, in the precise, micron-level accurate words of Frank Stephenson—one of the most influential automotive designers of our time—is cold, sterile, and almost repulsive.
Aside from switching to plywood, might going to a flat finish to disguise the highlighted imperfections or applying a color wrap to the vehicle be a first solution? I wonder how many have been produced so far?
Headlights are way too complicated on the 33.. But still very pretty. Reminds me alot of the Detomaso retro.
Image Unavailable, Please Login As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Eeeh... those headlights. I wonder if anyone will simplify them with an aftermarket solution. All the best, Andrew.
Sounds like a UFO. Most appropriate for the CyberTruck should it not make enough tire noise to warn pedestrians.
1984 "Low Roof" Secret Service Caddy Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/only-the-most-exclusive-cadillac-belongs-in-the-secret-service/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=MED_UN_NA_EML_UN_DailyDriver_Thursday&hashed_email=8e43f6a5abf43ff70e0771781e4993de6c08fd1510eadb1414b4ce6b84c34e12&dtm_em=8e43f6a5abf43ff70e0771781e4993de6c08fd1510eadb1414b4ce6b84c34e12
Worked on 2 of those monsters. Bush mobile & Obama mobile. Nothing but respect for the Secret Service team. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have a hard time believing this insider info as no way the challenges werent discussed in deep detail years ago. At this late in the game I just dont believe they can be this disorganized. So, the irregularities, if real, must be HUGE. Like worse than the typical acceptable tolerances. And, if Musk said Legos avoid the oil can effect, he is wrong. Hold a Lego up and you will see the irregularities.
When you start with this as your inspiration; Image Unavailable, Please Login and end up with this as your chosen product: You need to put your pencil down, step away from your drawing board, sit back with a single malt, and consider your future job options...
I have a bad feeling we will see those headlights on future Alfa Romeo products as they said several design ideas would be carried over. This new Alfa is huge compared to the original, and still has no storage space. They also said in the presentation they will make ICE vehicles until 2030, updated from 2028.
Today at the weekly cars & coffee gathering a Lotus Eletre showed up. IMHO, it is one of the best looking SUV type vehicles out there. In spite of its 'wet putty' exterior color. Geely has done an admirable job of letting Lotus do their thing, although I think Mr. Chapman is spinning in his grave. Not a fan of the gaping black maw for a front end design. But I really like the overall design. 23" wheels!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
