It's probably fair to say that model names aren't that important in the world of Tesla Motors.
That's a good thing of course--the product itself is much more important. But a roadster called Roadster, a sedan called the Model S and a crossover called Model X are not the stuff of naming legend.
Any guesses what the third-generation Tesla sedan will be called? Yup--the Tesla Model III, pronounced "Model Three". Inspiring, right?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the new name to Auto Express and confirmed it on the company's Twitter feed, detailing a little more on the upcoming BMW 3-Series rival in the process.
The sedan was, originally, to be named the Model E--for little other reason than a mischievous realization that with a Model S and Model X already in the range, Tesla would be adding a little "S", "E" and "X" to its line-up.
That idea fell through when it transpired there was a little too much cross-over with one of Ford's own trademarks--too close to the brand's E-Series van. Musk told Auto Express that instead, the car would be called the Model III--written, as it's shown, in Roman numerals.
Musk does confirm a few details that had already emerged from Tesla, regarding the new Model III.
It's going to be based on an all-new platform, for a start, and will be about 20 percent smaller than the Model S.
A "realistic range" of over 200 miles is also planned, and the car will have "strong performance" and batteries produced in the firm's upcoming battery Gigafactory--which should help keep the price of the new model down to Musk's target of around $35,000.
Owners will be able to use the company's Supercharger network for free, just as they can with Tesla's more expensive models.
[Hat tip: Weapon Zero]
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