--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What Musk had done that the rival…" description: "\"“What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or didn’t have the means to combat was turn Tesla into a lifestyle. It did not just sell someone a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/ashlee-vance-4672_programming_what-musk-had-done-that-the-rival-automa_1365695.jpg" --- # What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or… ![“What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or didn’t have the means to combat was turn Tesla into a lifestyle. It did not just sell someone a car. It sold them an image, a feeling they were tapping into the future, a relationship. Apple did the same thing decades ago with the Mac and then…” quote by Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/ashlee-vance-4672_programming_what-musk-had-done-that-the-rival-automa_1365695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/ashlee-vance-4672_programming_what-musk-had-done-that-the-rival-automa_1365695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/ashlee-vance-4672_programming_what-musk-had-done-that-the-rival-automa_1365695.jpg) > ““What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or didn’t have the means to combat was turn Tesla into a lifestyle. It did not just sell someone a car. It sold them an image, a feeling they were tapping into the future, a relationship. Apple did the same thing decades ago with the Mac and then again with the iPod and iPhone. Even those who were not religious about their affiliation to Apple were sucked into its universe once they bought the hardware and downloaded software like iTunes. This sort of relationship is hard to pull off if you don’t control as much of the lifestyle as possible. PC makers that farmed their software out to Microsoft, their chips to Intel, and their design to Asia could never make machines as beautiful and as complete as Apple’s. They also could not respond in time as Apple took this expertise to new areas and hooked people on its applications. You can see Musk’s embrace of the car as lifestyle in Tesla’s abandonment of model years. Tesla does not designate cars as being 2014s or 2015s, and it also doesn’t have “all the 2014s in stock must go, go, go and make room for the new cars” sales. It produces the best Model S it can at the time, and that’s what the customer receives. This means that Tesla does not develop and hold on to a bunch of new features over the course of the year and then unleash them in a new model all at once. It adds features one by one to the manufacturing line when they’re ready. Some customers may be frustrated to miss out on a feature here and there. Tesla, however, manages to deliver most of the upgrades as software updates that everyone gets, providing current Model S owners with pleasant surprises.”” [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tesla's success stems from selling a lifestyle and identity, not just a product; continuous software updates reinforce this relationship. **In simple terms:** Tesla sells an image and ongoing upgrades, not just cars. Key Takeaway Focus on building brand ecosystems. Themes branding innovation customer experience software updates Mood optimistic inspirational Type marketing business strategy When to use this quote - product launches - software rollout strategies - customer loyalty programs - competitive positioning - market differentiation Key Concepts lifestyle marketing ecosystem control continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - What makes a brand feel like a lifestyle? - How can companies maintain excitement without frequent hardware changes? A Different Perspective Relying on software updates may alienate customers who prefer tangible upgrades. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [New car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-car/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I do not think Tesla can last but that does not mean I am going to short it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/i-do-not-think-tesla-can-last-but-that-does-not-mean-i-am-going-to/) [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/) > [The world sucks, man. But Tesla does have a mid-size sedan now, and that's very important to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/the-world-sucks-man-but-tesla-does-have-a-mid-size-sedan-now-and-that/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [On paper, I am a Tesla guy. I've got money, I'm a nerd, and for years I professionally ran a blog advocating for technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/on-paper-i-am-a-tesla-guy-i-ve-got-money-i-m-a-nerd-and-for-years-i/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [“Musk had never run a car factory before and was considered arrogant and amateurish by Detroit. Yet, one year after the Model S went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-had-never-run-a-car-factory-before-and-was-considered-arrogant/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk came to see man’s fate in the universe as a personal obligation. If that meant pursuing cleaner energy technology or building spaceships to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-came-to-see-man-s-fate-in-the-universe-as-a-personal-obligation/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“The guys like Straubel who had been at Tesla since the beginning are quick to remind people that the chance to build an awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/the-guys-like-straubel-who-had-been-at-tesla-since-the-beginning-are/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“I may have been optimistic with respect to the timing on some of these things, but I didn’t over-promise on the outcome,” Musk told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-may-have-been-optimistic-with-respect-to-the-timing-on-some-of/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“When Musk announced in 2014 that Tesla would open-source all of its patents, analysts tried to decide whether this was a publicity stunt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-announced-in-2014-that-tesla-would-open-source-all-of-its/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“As Musk put it, “Try to imagine explaining that you’re investing in an electric car company, and everything you read about the car company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/as-musk-put-it-try-to-imagine-explaining-that-you-re-investing-in-an/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“This left Musk searching for an industry that had tons of money and inefficiencies that he and the Internet could exploit. Musk began thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-left-musk-searching-for-an-industry-that-had-tons-of-money-and/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk’s vision, and, of late, execution seem to combine the best of Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. With”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-s-vision-and-of-late-execution-seem-to-combine-the-best-of-henry/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“During a time in which clean-tech businesses have gone bankrupt with alarming regularity, Musk has built two of the most successful clean-tech companies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/during-a-time-in-which-clean-tech-businesses-have-gone-bankrupt-with/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who has invested in SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, worked for Jobs, and knows Gates well, also described Musk as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/steve-jurvetson-the-venture-capitalist-who-has-invested-in-spacex/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [Musk is very inspiring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/musk-is-very-inspiring-to-me/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) ## More by Ashlee Vance > [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He points out that one of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-points-out-that-one-of-the-really-tough-things-is-figuring-out/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“sometimes at the Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/sometimes-at-the-sheraton-hotel-in-palo-alto/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Throughout these early years, the engineers credited Eberhard with making quick, crisp decisions. Rarely did Tesla get hung up overanalyzing a situation. The company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/throughout-these-early-years-the-engineers-credited-eberhard-with/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Whereas if they change a rule and something good happens, they don’t even get a reward. So, it’s very asymmetric. It’s then very easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/whereas-if-they-change-a-rule-and-something-good-happens-they-don-t/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“I might have fixed that thing but now I’ve made the person unproductive. It just wasn’t a good way to go about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-might-have-fixed-that-thing-but-now-i-ve-made-the-person/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk pulled Justine close while they danced, and informed her, “I am the alpha in this relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-pulled-justine-close-while-they-danced-and-informed-her-i-am-the/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“for Musk, the distinction between stumbling into something and having intent is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/for-musk-the-distinction-between-stumbling-into-something-and-having/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Well, we will decide we’re going into production and then a miracle is going to happen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/well-we-will-decide-we-re-going-into-production-and-then-a-miracle-is/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“You don’t tell Elon you can’t do something. That will get you kicked out of the room”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/you-don-t-tell-elon-you-can-t-do-something-that-will-get-you-kicked/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Founded in June 2002, Space Exploration Technologies came to life in humble settings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/founded-in-june-2002-space-exploration-technologies-came-to-life-in/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) [Explore all 91 Ashlee Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## More Musk quotes > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [Look not for musk in a dog's kennel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/look-not-for-musk-in-a-dog-s-kennel/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Musk is very inspiring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/musk-is-very-inspiring-to-me/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [It's hard for me to speculate about what motivates somebody like Stephen Hawking or Elon Musk to talk so extensively about AI. I'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/it-s-hard-for-me-to-speculate-about-what-motivates-somebody-like/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [Funny, isn't it? The airlines go to all that trouble to keep you from taking a gun on board, then they just hand you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/funny-isn-t-it-the-airlines-go-to-all-that-trouble-to-keep-you-from/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Do not resemble me-Never be like a musk melon Cut in two identical halves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/do-not-resemble-me-never-be-like-a-musk-melon-cut-in-two-identical/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [“And this is one of the first things one learns from Musk’s example—he is relentless in his pursuit of the bold and, the bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-diamandis/and-this-is-one-of-the-first-things-one-learns-from-musk-s-example-he/) [Peter H. Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-diamandis/) > [Doubt is a precipice on the way to God. Blessed is he who is freed from its bonds. He who fares without any doubt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/doubt-is-a-precipice-on-the-way-to-god-blessed-is-he-who-is-freed/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [His smell—the scent of a demon, cinnamon incense, amber musk—wrapped around me, filled my lungs. I felt like I could breathe again, without every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilith-saintcrow/his-smell-the-scent-of-a-demon-cinnamon-incense-amber-musk-wrapped/) [Lilith Saintcrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilith-saintcrow/) > [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [We laugh at the efforts of the musk deer to find the source of the scent which comes from itself and despair at our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/we-laugh-at-the-efforts-of-the-musk-deer-to-find-the-source-of-the/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) Browse all 96 Musk quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What Musk had done that the rival automakers missed or didn’t have the means to combat was turn Tesla into a lifestyle. It did not just sell someone a car. It sold them an image, a feeling they were tapping into the future, a relationship. Apple did the same thing decades ago with the Mac and then again with the iPod and iPhone. Even those who were not religious about their affiliation to Apple were sucked into its universe once they bought the hardware and downloaded software like iTunes. This sort of relationship is hard to pull off if you don’t control as much of the lifestyle as possible. PC makers that farmed their software out to Microsoft, their chips to Intel, and their design to Asia could never make machines as beautiful and as complete as Apple’s. They also could not respond in time as Apple took this expertise to new areas and hooked people on its applications. You can see Musk’s embrace of the car as lifestyle in Tesla’s abandonment of model years. Tesla does not designate cars as being 2014s or 2015s, and it also doesn’t have “all the 2014s in stock must go, go, go and make room for the new cars” sales. It produces the best Model S it can at the time, and that’s what the customer receives. This means that Tesla does not develop and hold on to a bunch of new features over the course of the year and then unleash them in a new model all at once. It adds features one by one to the manufacturing line when they’re ready. Some customers may be frustrated to miss out on a feature here and there. 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