Digital Trends: Tesla Model S vs Jaguar F Type (July 20, 2013)

[augkuo]

I think if Tesla sets up an autocross circuit like what Jaguar is doing for the F-type that would dispel the notion that the Model S is a
"practical" car

 

[vfx]

Still scratching my head on the wife part. It's like she (or he) had never even seen the screen to make that remark.

 

[Odenator]

A much better review of the Model S will be coming out soon from Digital Trends.

 

[cloroxbb]

Well, I guess I want the practical car in this equation then.

We are a one car household at the moment, and I am stuck driving my wife's 2012 2 door Toyota Yaris. When I have to "floor it" I HATE the loud engine at that point because it makes people look and see that I am driving a Yaris haha. I would just laugh at people who tried to be loud in a crap car like the Yaris, so I hate being one of them, but it is a necessary evil. Since it is not a powerful vehicle in the slightest, I have to make the engine loud in order to do any kind of passing other vehicles.

I mean, it really is just different priorities from this author and me, but his "reasoning" doesn't make a lot of sense. Plus, how on earth did his wife almost "throw him into the backseat" using the seat controls on the touch screen? That is just BS. There is no way that that could even happen. And his wife is dumb for messing with driver affected controls in the first place.

 

[brianman]

"throw him into the backseat"

Yah, that part is just extreme poetic license. As an owner with both "Nap" and "Movie" profiles, I can confidently state that the "apply driver profile" speed is nowhere near fast enough to involve the word "throw" nor does it at any point put you at risk of ending up in the back seat.

I really wish reviewers would focus on facts rather than attempt to apply an artistic flavor that results in removing any value from the content they should be providing.

 

[jomo25]

Similar to saying: Fueling the Jag required me to visit toxic waste dumps to refill my tank and I almost died breathing the fumes while I had to stand there for 10 minutes.

 

[aznt1217]

Definitely want two minutes of my life back. Pointless article.

 

[Jonathan Hewitt]

My favorite was the Model S being too practical. In other words it's too awesome because it's fast, looks good, carries a lot of people, carries a lot of stuff, has utility, AND is "fuel efficient."

It would suck to get a car like that and people start thinking you're practical! He never would have gotten his reputation back.

 

[slr999]

I think a lot of people are taking this article more seriously than it was intended to be. Luxury buyers are fickle is the only takeaway I can see.

Worth noting that somebody I know saw the Jag and thought it was very similar to the Roadster. And that Elon's only gas-guzzler left is an E-Type...

 

[TheAustin]

He chose...Poorly.

 

[Norbert]

So the only positive thing about the Model S is the "carpool feature"? That was enough for it to become one of his two final candidates, and then he writes an anti-EV article like that? It doesn't really add up.

Reminds me of the Fox news guy who argued that EVs wouldn't become successful because if he had an EV he'd forget to charge it at night and that would lead to a divorce. Or something like that...

 

[dsm363]

His top 3 criteria seem to be that the engine roars and that it is low to the ground and seats two people. He said he considered the Model S because it was so good but the article he wrote was just odd. Even mentioning the seat moving because his wife changed the settings while he was driving tells you a lot ('threw me to the back of me seat...etc').

 

[FlasherZ]

I've ignored Rob for a very long time. He calls himself an analyst, yet he primarily makes money from being a contrarian in various trade rags. He tends to be an analyst in everything he can find (and anything someone might read). When IBM and Novell were sued by SCO / The SCO Group, claiming that source code was copied into Linux, Rob made his mark by swearing that Linux was in its death throes and SCO had an airtight, open-and-shut case. 10 years later, every major court decision has gone the other way. Think of him as the random hit-piece bottom feeder.

 

[fluxemag]

Sorry but I love that Jag. Very cool car. Love my MS more though. I didn't read the article because it seems pointless.

 

[Norbert]

His top 3 criteria seem to be that the engine roars and that it is low to the ground and seats two people. He said he considered the Model S because it was so good but the article he wrote was just odd. Even mentioning the seat moving because his wife changed the settings while he was driving tells you a lot ('threw me to the back of me seat...etc').

It seems he doesn't actually say the MS is "so good", he just creates the impression he would. Instead he counters every potentially positive aspect (except the carpool feature) with something negative. For example, in passing he mentions the home charging as potentially positive, but offsets that with the lack of places to charge other than at home. He mentions the acceleration, but says he doesn't care if it isn't accompanied by engine roar. "Screw practicality" actually means "screw EVs". (Though I think he might test drive the future Roadster 2 with a different outcome.)

 

[dsm363]

It seems he doesn't actually say the MS is "so good", he just creates the impression he would. Instead he counters every potentially positive aspect (except the carpool feature) with something negative. For example, in passing he mentions the home charging as potentially positive, but offsets that with the lack of places to charge other than at home. He mentions the acceleration, but says he doesn't care if it isn't accompanied by engine roar. "Screw practicality" actually means "screw EVs".

Good point. When showing that the jag isn't as quick to 60 mph as almost all versions of the F-type, he counters with 'acceleration isn't everything, what is the top speed'? I guess he likes to drive more than 130mph and track his car (possible I guess). Not saying someone doesn't have to right to want a small sports car of course but his reasons for comparing the Model S don't add up. He likely wanted page hits and it worked.

 

[Norbert]

Good point. When showing that the jag isn't as quick to 60 mph as almost all versions of the F-type, he counters with 'acceleration isn't everything, what is the top speed'? I guess he likes to drive more than 130mph and track his car (possible I guess). Not saying someone doesn't have to right to want a small sports car of course but his reasons for comparing the Model S don't add up. He likely wanted page hits and it worked.

In the comment section, he gives more reason to hope that he might actually buy a Tesla sports car. Perhaps the Roadster 2 should have an optional fake engine sound (he seems to accept a fake one), for people like him. I guess for track driving (his interest), a fake engine sound is actually valuable as a feedback.

 

[brianman]

I think he's using the word "practical" when as if it meant "sane" or "rational" or "explainable". His arguments align with that inappropriate definition of "practical".

 

[dsm363]

I think he's using the word "practical" when as if it meant "sane" or "rational" or "explainable". His arguments align with that inappropriate definition of "practical".

For the author of the article and the word practical (fixed image below, original one had incorrect quote):

 

[brianman]

Slightly incorrect quote, but yes.