"Road Magazine" (roadmag)
04/28/2014 at 12:32 • Filed to: Tesla Model S, Tesla, Review, Tesla Roadster, Tesla Motors
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"Road Magazine" (roadmag)
04/28/2014 at 12:32 • Filed to: Tesla Model S, Tesla, Review, Tesla Roadster, Tesla Motors | 1
| 8 |
The internal combustion engine then, is it really old technology? Is it time to move on? Tesla seems to think so with its Model S. I set to find out and after a few talks with Tesla, they provided me with a lovely Tesla Model S P85, and my god, was I impressed.
Tesla offers the Model S in 3 different variants: the base model being the 60 kWh battery at £49,900, a mid-range 85 kWh battery at £57,300 and the range-topping Performance 85kWh at £68,700. The 85 kWh Model S comes with a 312 mile range while the 60 kWh can achieve 240 miles of range. This amazing amount of range is what makes the Tesla Model S such a game-changer.
When it comes to performance and handling, Tesla have got this sector in the bag. It's completely mind-blowing how they've managed to make such a heavy car handle and accelerate so well. Although the acceleration is down to it being all electric (0RPM 100% Torque), the Model S still weighs about the same as the equivalent F10 5 Series, yet it can out-accelerate and out-drag it effortlessly.
Our test didn't go into traveling to the best driving road in the world to see how it handles, we simply took it to residential roads and busy main roads to see how the Tesla puts up with massive potholes, slow moving traffic and other road imperfections. You'd expect a new marque to cut corners with a ride just made for the thrill factor, however, this is not the case with the Model S. It softens any imperfections in the road giving you a silky smooth ride and in some respects, probably even better than its arch petrol powered rivals.
The interior is none less than luxurious. Many car manufacturers are going through a little phase where a minimalistic layout is the right layout, but never seem to get it right. No matter what, there will always be buttons scattered across the cabin. The simple solution? A great big screen that controls absolutely everything in the car from the Sunroof to the Climate Control, it works and it works well. Once you spend a couple hours playing around with the screen, you realise how wonderful and awesome it is to use.
So what about space/practicality then? Well, the Model S has tons of rear head and leg room. The width of the car is at the Model S' advantage as the cabin boasts plenty of shoulder room. The boot is massive, it's deep, wide and long enough to get almost anything into it, in fact, Tesla even offers two additional seats in the boot which can be occupied by children. Moving to the front of the car, the bonnet opens displaying beautiful slab of emptiness, more space to put your shopping! Once again the 'boot' in the 'bonnet' is actually really large, it's incredibly deep but obviously not as wide as the boot itself. How was this possible? Well, building a car as an electric car from the ground up makes it all possible while placing the batteries low down in the car adds to the practicality.
So you're interested in buying one? Go for it, prices start at just £49,900 (including £5K grant from UK government) which includes many incentives such as free congestion charge. The Model S is a technological success that we should praise for showing us the path to the future. Just goes to show, you can still have thrills and save the world! 10/10.
It's stylish, refined, comfortable, great value for money, it can save the world and it creates a path for our future. It's a benchmark, a landmark of a car.
!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!
Party-vi
> Road Magazine
04/28/2014 at 12:49 |
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*0 RPM 0% torque
*this may be wrong I hated Physics class.
SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
> Road Magazine
04/28/2014 at 13:13 |
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Nice write up.
One thing though
Tesla even offers two additional seats in the boot which can be occupied by children.
Like for children you've offered free candy and/or your own children who are being too loud and rambunctious, and who keep asking if we are "there" yet (We'll get there when we get there, dammit)? Or are these for normal children that would normally sit in the back seat and, lets say, deserve to have ample oxygen?
Jayhawk Jake
> SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
04/28/2014 at 13:16 |
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SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
> Jayhawk Jake
04/28/2014 at 13:19 |
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Hah! Silly me. I forgot it was a hatch. That makes more sense.
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Road Magazine
> Jayhawk Jake
04/28/2014 at 13:24 |
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I'm not sure if the one on the right will be comfortable on a long journey, the child on the left probably will.
OPPOsaurus WRX
> Road Magazine
04/28/2014 at 13:35 |
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I've seen two so far. I didnt really like the red but the black was great.
amaakaams
> SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
05/05/2014 at 15:35 |
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Well it's not really a hatch either, because it does have a "trunk" its in the front and probably what EU people would call a boot. Well I guess it would still be a hatch, but the hatch area wouldn't be considered the trunk or the boot.
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SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
> amaakaams
05/05/2014 at 17:02 |
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True. I guess it would be more accurate to say that is has a hatch.
A boot hatch and a frunk... What an peculiar car.