Despite having announced the start of production in March, only a few of Tesla’s Roadsters have been delivered to customers due to rough patches in the assembly process. An update on the company’s website this weekend confirms the ‘logjam’ has been broken and cars should start issuing forth at a pace of about four per week.

Already 9 customer cars are on the streets in California, and 3 more were due this past weekend, bringing the total to 12. Another 27 roadsters lie in some partially-assembled state as the process gears up to speed. The company hopes to accelrate further once the final transmission arrives in September.

The new gearbox, known as ‘Powertrain 1.5′ has been employed in a few test cars already and will be ready for production in just a couple months. Customers with cars built in the interim will be eligible for a free upgrade to the new system once it’s available.

Alongside the announcement of increased production, Tesla CEO Ze’ev Drori hinted at a new Tesla store in Silicon Valley’s Menlo Park, where the carmaker’s main offices are located. The new store adds to the Los Angeles store’s experience by also being the location for all final assembly and testing is done on the cars as they are prepped for sale. The next stores for the brand will be located in New York, Chicago, Miami and Seattle.

 

It's kinda ironic that with all the groundbreaking tech they have in the car, the actual bottleneck is a piece of engineering would should be fairly straightforward, i.e. the gearbox.

Anyone we know among those 7 first customers?

 

Not sure if I should be posting this here, but this is production #8. It just arrived a couple days ago. I'll be at the employee grand opening party this weekend. Yes I'll take lots of pix if I'm allowed. I've been trying to get in with them for a few months, so wish me luck. I figure now that I've resigned it's ok to share that piece of info. Maybe somebody here can give them the extra nudge to add me on to the team.

 

Some photos from the party last night of the cars and facility. Great space and great vibes.

My host, Paul.


Flat black prototype.


Cars...




Sweet interior.


Hosted bar.


The space.

 

Service bay.





DJ.


Chillax area.


This one showed up late for the party.



What my biz cards will look like when I get into real estate, lol.