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Morgan Stanley: Tesla is world's most important automaker

What makes a company important? Clothing companies are important because they help cover those of us not willing or able to sew up a storm. Housing companies shelter us. And who could live without whoever it is that makes pop rocks?* But those are basic needs kinds of things. When we start to discuss things like excitement and innovation, "important" is a more subjective idea. Nonetheless, if you're going to claim that anyone other than Tesla is the most important automaker in the world, you're going to have to argue with Morgan Stanley Research analyst Adam Jonas. Jonas called the California automaker the world's most important automaker in a new report to investors and he didn't mince words: "Not even two years after the delivery of the first Model S, Tesla Motors has transformed from fledgling start-up to arguably the most important car company in the world. We are not joking. ... Tesla is also emerging as an emblematic force in America's effort to foster high tech manufacturing job growth." His main reasons are as follows: Parts suppliers now thing positively about Tesla and are thinking of building dedicated production lines just to supply Tesla with parts for its electric vehicles. Other automakers are also paying close attention to Tesla. This is a sign that the company has finally become a serious competitor. Tesla could directly employ 20,000 people in seven years and create 100,000 related jobs at other companies. However many jobs are created, Tesla will have a positive effect on the US GDP. The Tesla Model S is the "most American made car on the road, pushing 90 percent US content," which to us might make Tesla the most important car company in America, but Jonas sees a larger impact, apparently. According to Market Watch, Jonas also sees a big potential in Tesla upcoming battery plant: "The success of the Gigafactory holds the key for the development of an entirely new industry. If Tesla can achieve battery cost per kWH below $150 and defend the IP, there is significant potential for revenue streams not captured in our $320 price target." Jonas knows there are risks and downsides, which you can read more about at the Los Angeles Times. *Just trying to think of the least essential product as a joke here.

Tesla Model S Easter egg turns car into submarine

When thinking about Elon Musk, the first thing that comes to mind may not be his sense of humor. However, the Tesla boss is embedding a pretty funny Easter egg in the company's cars that references a part of his own collection. Musk famously purchased the Lotus Esprit submarine from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me for about $967,000 in 2013. At one point, he even intended to install a Tesla powertrain and make it fully transformable. From anyone else that plan would sound like pure fantasy, but Musk has the money and the means to make it happen, if he wants. Now, every Tesla Model S driver gets to share in just a little of that very cool ownership experience. A person on YouTube filmed how to access the Easter egg, and it's extremely easy. Just hold down the T on the infotainment screen for a few seconds, enter the appropriate code 007 and check the suspension settings page. Instead of seeing a Model S, Bond's submersible Esprit now appears. As another cool touch, users can set the vehicle's depth in leagues, and the options max out at 20,000. This is almost certainly a subtle reference to the classic story 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Maybe someday Musk can get the Lotus' conversion complete, and we can see it working for real. Until then, this a neat way to show the unique car off. Related Video:

Tesla Model S P85D details leaking out

When the cat pokes its nose out of the bag, sometimes you can see a bit more than the cat intended. This week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk Tweeted a tease about "revealing the D" and promised to show more on October 9th, giving us a week to prepare for the big surprise. This ignited a debate over at the Tesla Motors Club and user Adelman has now posted a picture that a friend took of a Model S with P85D branding [UPDATE: Image removed from this post, but you can see it here]. This doesn't help us know exactly what we're looking at, but it does make the picture a bit clearer, since we can eliminate the idea that there's a Tesla Model D coming. And things come even more into focus when we put Musk's Tweet into context with not only previous company statements about an all-wheel drive Model S based on work being done on the AWD-only Model X but also a new Tweet by Edmunds' Mike Magrath that says, "According to the guide there's supposed to be an all-wheel drive Tesla here at the Paris Motor Show. There is not." See the Tweet and pic below. Given these pieces, it's looking pretty clear that the "D" Musk mentioned will be the AWD Model S. Now, about the "something else" he hinted at. What could that be? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.