The Model X, the first SUV that Tesla is producing, is now available for order in Australia. The car should be launched in the United States in the next few weeks, and it seems like Australian buyers will get a first crack at the vehicle.
Potential local buyers can make an order placing a $6,000 deposit that will be fully refunded if the customer decides to back down. By placing a deposit buyers will secure a Model X. Deliveries for the car will start sometime in January or February next year.
Health Walker from Tesla Australia believes that the Model X will bring more female buyers to the company.
According to Mr. Walker, the media is responsible for more male buyers, but the company intends to change that. In the past, men have been responsible for most of the purchases of the Model S. However, Walker sees that the tide is turning, and expects the Model X SUV to completely change the tide.
People reading press and motoring news are mostly males. They are the ones that get the latest tech and auto news. However, there is a change coming. I use our Facebook audience as a factor, even though it is not the best indicator. The Tesla Model X will have a huge influence on the female population and the gender split –says Health Walker.
The timing of the Model X is perfect because it is expected to launch sometime in July or August next year. The timing will allow Tesla Australia to see and grasp the demography of sales in overseas countries, because, by that time, the car would have received an overseas launch.
Mr. Walker said that the company has a strategy to appeal to both men and women by making the initial experience with the Model X unique from day one. The company is also changing its approach, making the car saloon more like a retail store where you can see the cars, but also be educated.
The Tesla Model X is set to compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz GLE Class and BMW X5, two cars that are priced between $90,000 and $200,000 in Australia. The Model X is set to be much cheaper than those two, and that should be the main selling point. At the same time, Tesla Australia believes that the SUV will also entice customers that are accustomed to Porsche Cayenne.
The Tesla Model 3, which is a more affordable mid-sized model is on track to debut in 2017.
