The Grand Tour presenter used a steel ruler to measure just how convex the Cybertruck’s steel panels really are
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by Brad Anderson
September 12, 2024 at 14:29
- The Grand Tour host put the Cybertruck through its paces in California.
- James May ponders if it’s the modern-day Lamborghini Countach or DMC DeLorean.
- His perfect Tesla would be smaller than the Model Y but echo the Cybertruck’s shape.
We’ve watched and read heaps of reviews about the Tesla Cybertruck since it was launched late last year, and while James May is late to the party with his review of the pickup of the moment, he has managed to craft a review of it that’s unique. The question is, does he like what’s potentially the most controversial car on sale?
To experience the Cybertruck, May headed to sunny California, the perfect place for a flashy and expensive vehicle like this. Much of May’s review focuses on the design of the Cybertruck, rather than its unique construction or the mechanical components that underpin it. He wonders whether it’s the modern-day version of the Lamborghini Countach or the DMC DeLorean, or if it’s been designed to be deliberately ugly like the original Fiat Multipla.
Watch: Tesla Cybertruck Owner Shocked By Tires Wearing Out In Under 7,000 Miles
No aspect of the Cybertruck has sparked more debate than its exterior design. As the entire bodywork is clad in stainless steel panels, it appears to be void of almost any curves and is dominated solely by sharp lines, flat surfaces, and pointed corners. While this is largely true, May discovers that many of the panels, such as the hood and the front doors, are slightly convex.
Curiously, the rear doors are almost completely flat when measured vertically and slightly convex horizontally. The rear quarter panels also have flat areas and slightly convex surfaces. May says Tesla’s designers and engineers likely did this intentionally, knowing all flat surfaces would look a little weird.
After exploring the cabin and driving the Cybertruck, May concludes that he does indeed like it, but he wouldn’t want to own one. That’s not a huge surprise, as he says he isn’t a big fan of pickup trucks in general. What he’d like to see is a new Tesla model that is slightly smaller than the Model Y and has a design similar to that of the Cybertruck.