Tesla received this week glowing endorsements from two major auto magazines.
Motor Trend awarded the Tesla Model S its “Ultimate Car of the Year” award.
We are confident that, were we to summon all the judges and staff of the past 70 years, we would come to a rapid consensus: No vehicle we’ve awarded, be it Car of the Year, Import Car of the Year, SUV of the Year, or Truck of the Year, can equal the impact, performance, and engineering excellence that is our Ultimate Car of the Year winner, the 2013 Tesla Model S.
The mere fact the Tesla Model S exists at all is a testament to innovation and entrepreneurship, the very qualities that once made the American automobile industry the largest, richest, and most powerful in the world,” we wrote. “That the 11 judges unanimously voted the first vehicle designed from the wheels up by a fledgling automaker the 2013 MotorTrend Car of the Year should be cause for celebration. America can still make things.
Other cars considered included:
- 1996 Dodge Caravan
- 2004 Toyota Prius
- 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
- 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Sedanette
- 1972 Citroen SM
- 1968 Pontiac GTO
- 1986 Mazda RX-7
Motor Trend said every car was selected because it was the best representative of the decade when it won, and still the Model S stands apart.
“In our 70 years of identifying a Car of the Year, none is more deserving than the 2013 Tesla Model S,” the report said.
Tesla also received a “Car of the Year” award for the Model 3 from the U.K.’s Auto Express magazine, calling the EV “the best Tesla yet.”