|
|
11-02-2012, 12:56 AM | #1 | |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
So I rode in a brand new Tesla ...
Quote:
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. |
|
11-02-2012, 08:15 AM | #2 |
Major
120
Rep 1,379
Posts
Drives: Goal: Another ///M
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Garland, TX & Northern England
|
I think you be better off with a fisker than tesla. Longer battery and both petro + Eletric.
The problem that I hear most from owners is that driving hard eat the battery life quickly so sometimes you have to wait for a recharge before taking it out again. I just think of them like a nice prius. Maybe it's new car old car feeling. Drive the new ///M6 and our e92 will feel old also.
__________________
14 Lexus GX460 & 14 Lexus ES300H 14 BMW 528d Touring Estate - UK Previous M's: 11 BMW M3 JZB ZCP 6MT, 02 BMW M3 Conv 6MT & 02 BMW M3 Coupe 6MT |
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 08:49 AM | #3 |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 10:41 AM | #4 | |
Lieutenant Colonel
117
Rep 1,625
Posts |
Quote:
Especially the new M6 GranSport.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 10:43 AM | #5 | |
Captain
56
Rep 868
Posts
Drives: 2011 E90 M3, Jerez Black
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SF Bay
|
Quote:
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". |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 10:51 AM | #6 | ||
Porn Star
1314
Rep 3,350
Posts |
Quote:
Quote:
Nice quick review Guss. My father actually owns the Tesla 2-door and is taking delivery of the 4-door next month (he has a bunch of cars so he likes to try different things). The 2-door is a straight rocket, and a toy. Also good for the winter as it has a substantial amount of weight over the rear tires. I 100% love driving that car though, I have driven it daily for several days in a row and it's extremely user-friendly and easy to drive despite the fact you feel 2 inches from the road (it has very good front clearance). The steering wheel is comically small, similar to a Logitech video game wheel. CMK, I have also driven the Fisker for awhile, as my father was considering that as well. 1 word describes it: HYPE. It's kind of cool because when you're inside it, looking over the front you feel like you're in the batmobile because of all the cool curves and lines of the hood. The car is massive, slow (compared to the tesla), and gets much worse range. Add to that the fact that it makes a very odd 'whurrrring' noise as you're driving (simulated sound so pedestrians will hear you coming), and it becomes a little odd. The backseats are really small, and the trunk is no bigger than the Tesla roadster haha. Really, it's ridiculously small. The Fisker LOOKS cool, but that's where the intrigue ends. I think the next primary electric vehicle will be the likes of a Volt, which is 1/2 and 1/2. EVENTUALLY we'll see more mass-produced all-electrics.
__________________
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 11:03 AM | #7 | |
Lieutenant Colonel
117
Rep 1,625
Posts |
Quote:
I don't think were ever going to see a large variety of all-electrics simply based on the limited range and long charging times. I think the swing will be to hydrogen fuel cells in the future |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 11:19 AM | #8 |
is fast cars
391
Rep 2,137
Posts |
You'd think the guy who was able to put together a group to send shyte into space would be able to pull off a similar level of success building a car.
It snagged "Automobile of the Year" recently - hope, in the long run, it proves to be as good as some of the reviews I've seen. I love my fire-breathing oil burner, but I also love competition in the marketplace. I just hope that the government doesn't get so involved that all cars will have to be hybrids in a decade or so. We're already seeing makers adjust to governmental pressure (auto start-stop in current M3, turbo six in upcoming M3/4). I hope it's not the case, but we may be living through the final golden age of the internal combustion engine...
__________________
Daddy's Rocket Sled!
Clarkson: "It is... pretty much perfect... Why don't I have one of these cars?" Harris: "The saloon is definitely the M3 of choice." |
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 11:45 AM | #9 |
Captain
36
Rep 927
Posts |
It's not govt pressure, it's CAFE requirements.
__________________
Craig Brickner
Click to Join: BMWCCA # 366493 |
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 12:52 PM | #10 |
Major General
890
Rep 9,031
Posts |
Tesla is pretty sweet. Get one with 200 mile range and t pretty similar to what we get with our cars, but you get to charge it at home. Not to mention, you should getter range compared to a gas engine since you're not idling unless you have the heater or AC on.
They have the batteries on the floor of the car, so it has the lowest center of gravity of any car out. They set up "Superchargers" along routs to popular destinations that let you charge in 30 minutes. The optimum model seems to run about $85,000, so around the price of a well equipped 550. There's also minimal maintenance on the cars. It has a usable front trunk and optional jumpseats in back for kids. Their new SUV looks great too and the top line model will be really fast. The Fisker is just a waste of our tax dollars. They catch on fire when parked and a few burned up in the floods. The battery range is crap and it has terrible usable space. .
__________________
Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 08:32 PM | #11 | ||
Goldmember
22
Rep 315
Posts |
Quote:
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 09:45 PM | #12 | |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
Quote:
"It's alarming to jam the accelerator of such a big car and have it surge forward so quickly and so quietly," says copy editor Rusty Blackwell. Like most electric cars, the Model S generates its torque almost instantly. Unlike most electric cars, Tesla's torque amounts to a prodigious 443 lb-ft, all of which goes to the rear wheels. The only indicators of your stunning momentum are the rush of scenery around you, a faint whine, and the digital speedometer's difficulty keeping pace. "Driving the Model S is decidedly not like piloting a Nissan Leaf or an electric Smart," notes road test editor Christopher Nelson. Contributor Ezra Dyer, meanwhile, was so impressed that he arranged an informal drag race to 100 mph with a 560-hp BMW M5. The Model S won. "It bears repeating: this thing is silly quick," he concluded. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 10:19 PM | #13 |
Major General
2750
Rep 6,759
Posts |
No current Tesla can take me to VIR for a weekend full of blissful tracking... And the price is on the ridiculous side for the time being.
Would the 2020 model allow it? Possibly, but I'm not holding my breath.
__________________
2018 F80 Santorini 2019 Z4 3.0i 2022 X2 M35i |
Appreciate
0
|
11-02-2012, 11:44 PM | #14 | |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
Quote:
well ... it aint gonna be a fisker http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...igh-end-carmak |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-03-2012, 12:24 AM | #15 | |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
Quote:
Found a great review from Motor Trend's Ignition: "car 3.0 ... most important car since the model t ..." |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-03-2012, 12:03 PM | #16 | |
Major General
2750
Rep 6,759
Posts |
Quote:
If I had $100 grand to spend on a fun car, I'd immediately buy a used GT3 or F430 stick shift. BMW on the other hand I think is heading in the right direction: carbon fiber and aluminum construction and a price tag around $30-40k for the i3 means I will certainly consider it for a daily driver.
__________________
2018 F80 Santorini 2019 Z4 3.0i 2022 X2 M35i |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-03-2012, 05:13 PM | #18 |
Welek Ya Kelb
33
Rep 139
Posts |
I love the Tesla and all, but I agree with ///M3THOD in that the car of the future will be powered by Hydrogen. Its just the most viable, convenient choice.
On the other hand... I wonder what the ///M division will do with alternate power cars ... could you imagine electric/hydrogen/hybrid M cars??? They've already worked wonders with diesel, the possibilities are just endless! |
Appreciate
0
|
11-04-2012, 09:38 PM | #19 | |
Lieutenant General
18117
Rep 11,746
Posts
Drives: 2018 M4 Comp Indv
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Newport Beach
|
Quote:
Here in silicon valley most of the big tech companies have charging stations in the front row of parking and it seems to be kind of a status symbol. At the same time, charging stations are popping up all over. So, in the end, I think electrics have already won - at least for the next few decades, but then who knows? |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-05-2012, 07:59 AM | #20 | |
Major General
2750
Rep 6,759
Posts |
Quote:
My comment was in respect to the Tesla. The compromise they made to extend the range to more useful values was to add a boatload of batteries; that in turn increased both the cost and the weight tremendously. BMW is trying to offset the weight problem by building the cars from CF and aluminum, all the time maintaining reasonable prices despite a technology which is way more advanced than the Tesla. I see this paying dividends early. But here is the rub from my point of view: with my commute, I fill up just about 2 or at the most 3 times per month. There is absolutely no financial incentive for me to pay thousands (or tens of thousands) more for an electric vehicle. For it to succeed, it needs to give me something more than my M3: more driving excitement, less cost, or perhaps both. The principle of the electric car doesn't bother me one bit. The execution does.
__________________
2018 F80 Santorini 2019 Z4 3.0i 2022 X2 M35i |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-06-2012, 05:33 PM | #21 |
Major General
2759
Rep 5,484
Posts |
I own Tesla stock so obviously I believe in the company, but...
There's no doubt it's a quick car in real world conditions but to say it's faster than gas powered performance sedans is a gross misstatement of the facts. Like the Roadster before it, it's all launch and midrange, with zilch for topend. A 328i would pull it above 100mph. I'm interested to see when they start putting multi-speed gearboxes in their cars. That would make a big difference in topend (which is really irrelevant in the real world, heh) As for a Model S giving an M5 a run for its money around a racetrack? No. The M5 traps 10mph higher in the 1/4 mile, and accelerates much, much harder between 70mph and 140mph than the Model S, which are the important speed ranges on a road course. It's also 600lbs heavier and the CG height isn't that much better, maybe half an inch to an inch, and the M5 comes with much better tires and brakes as well. It's not a contest, not even close. The fact that we're having this discussion, means Tesla has changed the game IMO
__________________
Last edited by Richbot; 11-06-2012 at 05:59 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|