Tesla Model X Reveal Flaws Leaves Buyers Ranting For More

In the automotive media, we call him Frank Bacon. He’s the imaginary sum of every worst behavior among the traveling class of car writers, the one who expects fist-sized shrimp and turndown service on his automaker-paid junkets before even considering laying hands upon the latest entry-level sedan.

I couldn’t help but think of Mr. Bacon when reading the lengthy complaint of Stewart Alsop, a venture capitalist and Tesla Model X customer who attended the reveal of the Tesla Model X on Tuesday night and was so taken aback by the event he told Elon Musk he “should be ashamed of himself.”

Alsop correctly captures the particulars of Tesla’s party planning; invite a few thousand people to a warehouse at 7, tell them the show will start at 8, then keep them waiting an extra 50 minutes with not much to do but listen to a DJ. But he also found Musk’s presentation wanting; no apology for the wait, just a run-through of the features and highlights of the car, like it’s banner-sized air filter and projected safety ratings. (”You lead with safety,” Alsop wrote, “like that’s why we’re all spending $130,000 or more on this car!”)