After almost a decade of doing this every single week, I was lucky enough to celebrate my 500th Tesla podcast episode by interviewing Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen for the third time. I hope you enjoy the interview! Here are the timecodes if you want to skip right to a particular topic: 8:28 Start of interview 10:02 What Franz worked on the day I came in for the interview 11:38 Why he has stayed at Tesla so long (16+ years so far) 12:20 His longevity at Tesla is unusual in the design world 15:10 Tesla’s mission is what drives Franz 16:28 How his year-one-at-Tesla self would feel if he saw what the 2025 version of Franz is building 17:33 Reacting to seeing his work every day on the roads 18:45 What Franz thinks when he sees modded/customized customer cars 22:03 What he’s daily driving right now 24:54 Franz’s favorite thing he’s ever designed at Tesla 26:48 How Optimus has challenged him as a designer 29:23 Who wins when the design and engineering teams don’t agree? 30:45 An example of what happens when engineering and design work with each other to achieve a mutually agreeable solution 32:17 Does the Cybertruck FUD drive him nuts? 35:00 What design tweaks might we see in the new Model Y Performance? 40:05 Discussing the new diffused-light rear light bar 41:53 Will the Y’s new light bar be used on any future vehicles? 42:44 How he feels about badges on the outside of his cars 44:43 The turn signal stalk’s return on the new Model Y 46:47 Franz’s favorite wheel design that he’s ever done 50:36 Will we ever get more color choices versus simply refreshing the existing colors? 55:05 About the new Glacier Blue paint color 56:21 Are we getting Glacier Blue in the US? 56:55 Is Midnight Cherry Red discontinued at Giga Berlin? 58:44 How Franz is thinking about the next-gen Roadster now versus the original design for it from 2017 1:00:21 His design intentions/philosophy for the upcoming more-affordable cars 1:02:24 One more Roadster tidbit
Thanks Ryan! Your interview with Lars was great and I look forward to listening to this one.
Cheers! It’s always fun to get to hear from Franz.
Great interview thanks for posting! Was really cool hearing from Lars and his story
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Would have been good to find out if new Model Y was going to have a legit three row. This is a significant gap for Tesla.
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You are killing it DMC! GOOD JOB!
So no news on Glacial Blue, however since my next vehicle is not for another year I am not too worried. It is a nicer blue from the pictures I have seen.
Ryan I gotta know if a new black or any black is coming to the new Y!
They announced everything but when I'm getting my VIN assigned and delivery date 🥲😂
Well, my interpretation of his answer was that it’s coming, it’s just a matter of when. Probably won’t be long though IMHO.
This is awesome you are on here . I’ve listened to you for years. You are great and your love of dogs is awesome
Going to wait for Glacier Blue and 7 seater.
How could it? It’s the same overall size as the outgoing model. The 3rd row will be very tight.
They'll need to make the car slightly longer. "Model Y Pro" or something like that. Otherwise, only option for ppl that need a third row is a Model X which is not financially attainable for many people.
Wish we got some news on RHD Cybertruck or Model S/X. Massive gap in the Aussie market without those vehicles.
Oh man. Lard AND Franz. What a lucky time for ride the lightning. I’m happy for ya. I can’t always listen but I’ll try to.
7 Seat Y is the biggest and easiest gap in the market for Tesla in Australia. I personally know so many people holding off for a 7 seater because there is no X here in Aus.
Thank you! And yes dogs are the best. 😁🐶
100% where I’m at
I'm still curious about the 6 seater Y that will be built for China.
Just keep in mind the 3rd row is solely for kids under the age of 10. There is practically no leg room or space for anyone over 1.5m, I've had one adult back there for like 20min and it was quite uncomfortable for them.
Chainsaw
Like getting an interview with Goebbels in 1938. Glückwunsch!
I mean: exactly. This is an enthusiast podcast and not the place for politics. But: We, as a community of fans, will be called—at some point—to organize in order to save the brand. I want Tesla around, way into the future. Ignoring the protests, vandalism, and insane behavior that is stoking all of this is, in the end, enabling the end.
Till your life is randomly ruined by an illegal alien who cam here on a student visa and never signed up for classes and disappeared into the USA then then became the biggest welfare queen in american history ruining peoples live so he can get paid for his ai to replace american workers so yah the south african is hated and bought influence with the orange one for 300 million! I hope they bankrupt him
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