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- Sep 1, 202325% CONFIDENCELow confidencefrom the source
Insider Shares More On Tesla's Project Highland AKA Model 3 Refresh
Several test prototypes have already been spotted with camouflaged front and rear ends, suggesting the Model 3 is in for some major visual updates. But Tesla's compact sedan will get more than that. According to a "trusted insider" who offered an exclusive insight to Not A Tesla App, the Project Highland will bring significant changes inside and out.
Starting with the design, the report notes the headlights will have a different shape, which means the front bumper will be redesigned as well. It will be more aerodynamic and will now house a single camera in the center area of the lower grille, in similar fashion to the Cybertruck.
Out back, the refreshed Tesla Model 3 is also getting a redesigned bumper, although the changes will likely be purely for aesthetic reasons.
The source also said the side mirrors will be subtly updated and the Project Highland will be getting more cameras to take advantage of the new Hardware 4.0 Autopilot supercomputer. Three new cameras will reportedly be added to the Model 3: one in the center of the front bumper and two on the sides of the car.
- Mar 2023: an insider told Not A Tesla App that the Model 3 refresh, Project Highland, would get redesigned headlights, a more aerodynamic front bumper with a single lower-grille camera, and a redesigned rear bumper, with production expected in Q3 2023[1]
- Rumors on August 31, 2023 said Tesla would reveal the Highland Model 3 on September 1, with leaked photos and prototypes seen in Europe; all of this was unconfirmed[3]
- Wikipedia confirms a Model 3 facelift launched late 2023 for Gigafactory Shanghai markets and early 2024 for North America[2]
Notable features
- Project Highland was the development codename for a design refresh of the Model 3 mid-size sedan, which Tesla announced on September 1, 2023 with longer range, lower production costs and restyled exterior and interior; Tesla states fifty percent of its components were changed[2]
- Reported changes: new cameras (5-megapixel versus 1.2-megapixel on Hardware 3), removal of the outside temperature sensor, and fabric replacing wood interior trim[1]
- Tesla said range improved around 10%, largely from a lower, more aerodynamic nose, a better rear diffuser and more aerodynamic wheels, with the drag coefficient improving from 0.225 to 0.219[2]
- Interior additions include an 8-inch rear touchscreen, ventilated front seats, up to 17 speakers (up from 14), customizable accent lighting, and a steering wheel without turn-signal and gear-selector stalks, with the gear chosen on the touchscreen[2]
- The refresh also brought a revised suspension emphasizing ride comfort, additional noise reduction, and new headlights, taillights and wheels[2]
References 379% CONFIDENCE
The first entry is always the pin's source. Overall confidence is a weighted average of how firmly each reference supports the start and end times used above; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newest.
- [1]25%insideevs.com/news/658711/insider-shares-more-on-tesla-project-highland-aka-model-3-refreshinsideevs.com· Posted May 1, 2023· Starts Sep 1, 2023 ✓· 1% of score
Date has passed, but insideevs.com does not confirm it happened then; unverified.
- [2]80%Tesla Model 3 - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org· Added Sep 14, 2026· 98% of score
Wikipedia confirms Tesla "announced a design refresh of the Model 3 on September 1, 2023" under the "Project Highland" codename, matching the pin's stored date exactly.
- [3]72%Rumors suggest Tesla plans to reveal Project Highland Tesla Model 3 tomorrowteslaoracle.com· Published Aug 31, 2023· 1% of score
TeslaOracle, an enthusiast site, published its rumor piece on 31 August 2023 - one day ahead of the pin's stored 1 September 2023 date - correctly forecasting via Chinese social-media leaks that Tesla would unveil the Highland Model 3 refresh "tomorrow."
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