Quote:
Originally Posted by GrussGott
Here's my quickie review of it:
- The interior is a basic design, although the materials are nice (leather, alcantera, etc)
- The center touchscreen display is absolutely massive - it feels as big as a kitchen cabinet door and the software (100% custom i understand) is stellar
- The wheels and brakes are HUGE: 21" wheels, no idea what the rotors are but they're big
- All of the cords, ports, doors, latches, keys, etc are well done and feel solid & expensive
- The car drives like a bat out of hell; it's as fast as an M3
Here's the interesting part:
As a dude who spends a LOT of time thinking about cars the Tesla (and fiskers, etc) have been curiosities but nothing approaching interest. I've always considered myself the carbon-burning fire-breather type ... the kind willing to spend 1000s just to hear the engine better.
What I wasn't prepared for was getting back to my M3 and having it suddenly feel ... old timey. Like going from an M3 to a chariot; fast and raw feeling but out-dated.
I can't say I have anything approaching desire to get a tesla sedan, but I can't shake the feeling that it has the drivetrain of the future ... or at least my future.
Suddenly the i8 is sounding pretty compelling.
weird.  |
The Tesla is as fast/faster than the M3 until the first corner. After that it is "goodbye, Mr. Bond". Even the Lotus Evora that is used as the base platform runs away from the Tesla Roadster after the first corner.
The issue with any electric is going to be weight from the batteries. That extra weight, especially concentrated in the way that it is typically concentrated, adds enough inertia to the car to make cornering an adventure.
I can't imagine that they've solved that sort of issue with the sedan. Perhaps using an idea like Ferrari's to use a HYBRID and have a bank of batteries slung insanely low on the chasis might fix the issue, but you'll never get enough battery power without huge weight issues.
On top of that is the reliability factor. Tesla even went so far as to sue Top Gear to try to keep it quiet that their cars are so unreliable that both samples broke during a few day test. Electrics are just not "ready for prime time".