SPY PICS: Tesla Model X

Progressive US car-maker Tesla has always done things differently, and that even applies to the camouflage used on this almost production-ready Model X -- the company's first SUV.

Due to be unveiled later this year before sales are expected to begin in the US in the third quarter, the car will be winging (literally) its way to Australia in 2016.

As well as being a pure electric vehicle with a driving range that's likely to between 400 and 500km – depending on the battery chosen – these new spy shots confirm the Model X will stick with the bold 'falcon wing' door design premiered on Tesla's original concept from 2012.

These "brilliantly functional" wing doors will improve access to the third row says Tesla.

Snapped undergoing final testing near Tesla's HQ in Palo Alto, California, these are some of the clearest images yet of the impending seven-seat SUV, whose design is only partially hidden by white coverings.

The same prototype was caught on video by YouTube user nbkagzw13 on a public road in Silicon Valley.

The images and footage provide potential customers, car aficionados and tech heads alike a good indication of what the car will look like when it's unveiled later in 2015, showing off a smooth, aerodynamic silhouette that incorporates elements of the Model S design into the nose.

While it also looks a lot like the Model X concept, the curvy shape has the effect of hiding the vehicle's significant size, which will offer accommodation for seven occupants and, according to the spy photographers at Automedia, the interior will be much the same as the one in the Model S.

As such, expect a huge 17-inch touch-screen to dominate the central dashboard, featuring version 7.0 of the company's software, which enables things like automatic steering on highways.

The Model X is expected to be offered as standard with all-wheel drive, making use of the Model S's S85 and P85D powertrains. This means it could also be one of the quickest luxury SUVs on the market, with a 0-100km/h time of less than five seconds.

As a guide for what to expect, the entry-level Model S outputs 285kW and the most powerful version currently bangs out 515kW of power and 930Nm of torque.

In January Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained that after a two-year production delay due to the success of the Model S, the new Model X was already sold out for 2015 in North America. It's understood the company already has more than 20,000 "reservations" for silent SUV.

"We've already sold all the Model X we can make this year," said Musk. "If you want to order a Model X, you'll unfortunately have to wait until 2016."

That means Australian buyers could be forced to wait even longer, perhaps into the latter part of 2016, before they arrive.

But Musk says the wait will be worth it, and to expect the unexpected with the Model X.

As well as being the first electric vehicle with a towing capability, complete with optional tow hitch, it'll be a hoot to drive too.

"It has the centre of gravity of a sports car," asserts Musk. "Its low centre of mass is because the battery pack is so low."

And the price? Roughly the same as the Model S, says Tesla's plain-speaking CEO. As such, expect a price of around $100,000, since the Model S is priced from $96,208 plus on-road costs.