Finally saw a Tesla S yesterday.

Didn't think this little backwater burg had one around. Neat looking car, bigger than I expected.

First thought: sure those Audi-esque LED's around the headlights are necessary to be as oh so cool as the rest of the hoi polloi (and we all know just how important it is to be on the bleeding edge of fashion) but wouldn't it have even a teensy bit better range without them?

Yep, they are surprisingly large.

From what I gather, LED DRL don't consume enough energy to have a drastic affect on range. Gratned, it's possible the CPU will shut them off if range becomes an issue.

There's one that parks here. Fit and finish are very good. Minimal panel gaps, and fillers where there are gaps. I suspect air noise is all but non-existant.

Interior was a bit of a dissapointment to me. It reminds me of something else, just not sure what. The kinda garish chrome and carbon fiber and such, almost cheesy.

I'm seeing one or two a week now. They're pleasant to look at, but so much more understated than say a CLS or Panamera. I'd seriously like to try one out.

I'd rock one.

We have had a couple in the shop, never when I have been there though. The CLS vs the Panamara, I would say Panamara all the way inside and out. I have seen a couple of Tesla S cars on the street and the outside of them looks gorgeous.

I saw the original Tesla (Lotus esque one) at the golf club I used to work at. Fit and finished really impressed me. When I saw an S for the first time, I bought stock in the company the next day (after some research on it). I would have done better to wait a week to buy the stock since it dropped about 10 dollars a share in said week, but since then it has been phenominal.

Oh wait, cars... Sorry.

We seemed to have a big influx of them during tourist season around here. I think I saw three of them in one day out in our tiny little town. My best theory is that they're all being sold in the bay area, and this is about the limit of their range to take on a vacation.

Beer Baron wrote: We seemed to have a big influx of them during tourist season around here. I think I saw three of them in one day out in our tiny little town. My best theory is that they're all being sold in the bay area, and this is about the limit of their range to take on a vacation.

Oh yeah, here in San Jose I see 3 or 4 on my 15 mile commute to work every day, and there's at least 3 that park in the parking lot of my building (out of 300-400 cars). They're sprouting like weeds.

My take -- I haven't driven one, but it's tough to see spending that kind of money on a car with those kinds of limitations. The fact that it's a thousand pounds heavier than my Audi doesn't help my appreciation of it either, even it does result in a low center of gravity.

Saw one the other day near Kona Hawaii.

The interesting thing about that is: Sure, it doesn't use gas, and regular is about $4.50 there, but electricity is SUPER expensive there (42c a kw/h compared to ~10c kw/h most places)

Of course, no one buys one of those to save on gas. But if you are doing it for the pollution, on the Big Island, there is a MASSIVE source of natural pollution (volcano) at one end of it.

codrus wrote: My take -- I haven't driven one, but it's tough to see spending that kind of money on a car with those kinds of limitations. The fact that it's a thousand pounds heavier than my Audi doesn't help my appreciation of it either, even it does result in a low center of gravity.

The fact is, most people, even with high end luxury sedans, drive less than 40 miles a day. Even with it's 265 mile range, the average Tesla S will rarely even NEED to use the supercharger stations that are sprouting up all over due to never needing to go that far.

AND, most families that have one already have more than one car and so they tend to have a gas car (most likely an SUV) for longer trips (or they do the typical fly a plane there kind of thing).

Seriously, it's not enough of a limitation for the average driver.

As for the weight, like an M5, it weighs what it weighs. When it handles this good and accelerates this good, why care? It's not like it's making it have worse MPG. Seriously, it's also a non-issue if you really think about it.

I followed one for a bit on the Merritt Parkway tonight. Good-looking car, but I can't get used to the fact that it doesn't have exhaust pipes. When every four cylinder car nowadays has dual exhaust pipes, you'd think they'd have a non-functional set as an option...

It not about corporate perceived needs, it's about consumer wants. You can want your electric car, and pretend that it would satisfy most of us if we'd think your way. Fact is, we don't, and it doesn't.

Your argument is as bad as the anti-truck argument.

They don't quite fit my needs, but I think they're cool. I can see them fitting the needs of a lot of people. If I were a wealthy tech-geek living in the bay area inclined to spend $65k on a car (which there is no shortage of), it would be a perfect sedan for running around in. Luxury. Economical to drive around. Able to use carpool lanes and get waved through tolls (which I kind of disagree with, but whatever). Enough range to go from anywhere in the bay area to as far as South Lake Tahoe (although maybe not Reno) on a single charge. Top at all off with a dose of "Gee Whiz!"-factor.

Of course, I am not a wealthy tech geek with the ability to have multiple $60k cars. Nor do I need to deal with the traffic getting around SF. I have a different car to fit different need.

Strange that... almost as if not everyone has the same needs of their cars and so different things can appeal to different people and remain "cool" in totally different ways.

dj06482 wrote: I followed one for a bit on the Merritt Parkway tonight. Good-looking car, but I can't get used to the fact that it doesn't have exhaust pipes. When every four cylinder car nowadays has dual exhaust pipes, you'd think they'd have a non-functional set as an option...

They should have a pair of glowy blue circles on the back like the warp drives on the starship Enterprise that get brighter the harder you accelerate.

I think the thing the separates the Tesla from an Audi or BMW or Genesis is that the company that builds it is predominantly owned and staffed by Americans.

buddy of mine has bought and sold 5 and now owns his 6th. He uses it to run back and forth from DC to Boston for work. With the free supercharging stations, the payments on the car are a wash compared to what he used to pay in gas..

They are super sexy though

PHeller wrote: I think the thing the separates the Tesla from an Audi or BMW or Genesis is that the company that builds it is predominantly owned and staffed by Americans.

And uses real American robots to build their cars.

aircooled wrote: Saw one the other day near Kona Hawaii. The interesting thing about that is: Sure, it doesn't use gas, and regular is about $4.50 there, but electricity is SUPER expensive there (42c a kw/h compared to ~10c kw/h most places) Of course, no one buys one of those to save on gas. But if you are doing it for the pollution, on the Big Island, there is a MASSIVE source of natural pollution (volcano) at one end of it.

...and plenty of wind farms on the big island, too. There's one down near south point I think this one was near Kapaau/Hawi ....and there's also the solar plant I toured that is just south of the Kona airport

They are popping up all over Manhattan. I probably see more of them then I do new 5 series, and every person I talk to seems to absolutely love it. More than one person pointed out that it has little jump seats in the back so as long as your kids are small you can put 7 people in it

aircooled wrote: Saw one the other day near Kona Hawaii. The interesting thing about that is: Sure, it doesn't use gas, and regular is about $4.50 there, but electricity is SUPER expensive there (42c a kw/h compared to ~10c kw/h most places) Of course, no one buys one of those to save on gas. But if you are doing it for the pollution, on the Big Island, there is a MASSIVE source of natural pollution (volcano) at one end of it.

I bet it's still way cheaper than gas. The car won't help offset its big purchase price so quickly though. We have the same problem around here.

I don't see how it matters where the volcanoes are, a big eruption is only equal to a couple of days' worth of global man-made emissions anyway.

foxtrapper wrote: It not about corporate perceived needs, it's about consumer wants. You can want your electric car, and pretend that it would satisfy most of us if we'd think your way. Fact is, we don't, and it doesn't. Your argument is as bad as the anti-truck argument.

What are you arguing here? That ignorance and stupidity is a good thing and that we automotive enthusiasts shouldn't try to educate people?

And what's this about the anti-truck argument? Whose anti-truck argument?

Worked on a Tesla S P85 today. Nice car, as I thought it would be. Things that stand out to me with the car:

Door handles are weird to me. I think its cool that they pop out and you just touch the inside of them but it weirds me out. I have the fear that they will go back in while my hand is there.

The inside controls are that of a Mercedes Benz, at least the window/lock controls and gear selector on the column.

The huge screen in the center concole is badass. So easy to access everything.

I really don't like how the car turns itself on when you get in it. I also don't like turning it off through the center screen.

Overall, the car is waaay cooler than the Fisker as far as luxury electric/hybrid cars. If distance drIving wasnt a concern and both cars cost the same, the Tesla would still get my vote.

I will post up a pic of it when I get home.

Funny, I saw a black P85 rolling down I75 between Detroit in Toledo. God I love they way the look and perform. Thing absolutely slignshot from 60-80mph, too.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

I saw one in the raging heat (94 humid degrees) of this past Tuesday. It was on the side of the road. I didn't know if it had crapped out or not. Didn't seem like a very battery-friendly day.