they should let buyers have all those freebies and continue to lose money. All that lovely goverment handout money is rightfully due to the new owners after all. Just because they were prepared to pay the full whack doesn't mean that they should forego any of the refund, thus allowing Tesla to survive long enough to sell to other people (and perhaps provide parts and service).

So this $120,000 car is now an extra $8000? Woe betide me. I WAS gonna get one, but now FORGET IT--if they're gonna GOUGE me like that, then the hell with 'em!

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You've got to admit that Tesla is pretty ballsy - launching a new car in the midst of a depression. And while this pricing "upgrade" may seem like cruel and unusual punishment for their early customers, it most likely reflects the reality of needing to post an early cash flow success in order to be able to go to credit markets for on-going financing. After all, if the banks aren't prepared to lend to GM, Ford or Chrysler (or Toyota, Nissan and Honda for that matter) why should they consider Tesla to be a good risk?

The brilliance in Tesla's move is that it has kept the price "revenue neutral" for its customers. Yes, they "lose" the US$7500 tax credit, but the net-net is pretty much a zero impact. And, as Steve notes in the first post, being able to build and inventory parts is as much a part of the game as selling the car.

Let's hope that Musk keeps his snoot out of the Marching Powder...unlike some other car entrepreneurs we can name...

Put me down for $8000 too, if you're just giving it away.

$8000 is still $8000. Not exactly pocket change.

Why would you want one of these trumped up short range shit-buckets anyway? Surely Honda's hybrid or the upcoming generation of electric vehicles is a better bet. Looks great, but goes nowhere fast!

...In a sports car?

Stereo = weight = slower speed.

So your paying $3000 to go slower...

Granted you don't have the sound of 110db 12" from your ears, so guess you have to listen to something...

- Will these floor mats massage your feet?

- Are they made of solid gold? Leather? Endangered species fur?

- If you rub them with your feet, will the static discharge help recharge the batteries?

- Do they have embedded LCD screens linked to undercarriage cameras filming the ground, so you have the impression you are floating inches above it (or have the impression the floor was torn off?), adding to the impression of the vehicle is roomier, or that you are floating on thin air?

Then, there is NO WAY floor mats will cost 150 quid / bucks / whatever.

> Tesla says the increases will _effect_ 350 customers

What? The increases are going to produce 350 additional customers? Pretty smart move by Tesla, then. I mean, I would have thought that the increases would _affect_ their existing customers - just shows what I know.

BMW floor mats are $130. So, as long as Tesla floor mats last a couple years and have a logo $150 seems just fine.