Video: Tesla Model 3 reservation holders get early preview

New Zealand beat Australia to be one of the first countries in the world outside of North America to get a close look at the Tesla Model 3.

About 600 reservation holders were expected at the Tesla Auckland store and service centre on August 15 to check out a left-hand drive Model 3.

Australia follows on August 21 with simultaneous showings at Tesla stores in Sydney’s central business district, Chadstone in Melbourne and Tesla Brisbane.

Tesla Owners Club of New Zealand founder and president John Fitness was among the first reservation holders through the Auckland showroom doors to inspect the electric sedan.

His impressions include the car being bigger than he thought, but it’s still about 0.475 metres shorter than his Model S.

It will be good for urban driving and parking, he says.

“I think the Model 3 will take off in New Zealand.

“It’ll be a game changer and hopefully I’ve got the first right-hand drive one coming here.”

His wife will use it after the Model 3 right-hand drive becomes available mid to late 2019.

Fitness says their household is becoming “petrol-free”, so it will succeed his wife’s Holden Captiva.

He replaced a Holden Commodore V6 with the Model S in September 2017.

They ordered the Model 3 in March 2017.

He became a convert after trying out a Model S in the USA.

“My wife won a bet with me that the Model 3 on display here would be red,” Fitness laughs.

The Model 3 on show in Auckland for several weeks is a long-range version with nearly 500km range and can get to more than 96km/h in 5.1 seconds.

It’s priced at US$57,500, with New Zealand pricing expected to be revealed around the time the right-hand drive arrives.

Features include a glass roof allowing plenty of headroom, a 15-inch touchscreen, 19-inch wheels, eight cameras, 12 sensors, and locking or unlocking with two valet cards or using a smartphone.

Interior cubbyhole lids have magnet opening and closing to reduce breakage risk.

Karen Foster reserved her Model 3 in April 2018 after she and husband Wayne fell in love with their Model S. She also says the Model 3 is bigger than she first thought.