Here were my raw thoughts (as told to several hundred of my closest facebook friends):
It was a relatively short drive on a specific course; unlike the other events which aimed for a route that had some freeway speed driving, we were limited by Aurora Ave., so I didn't get to really mash it.
Overall impression - this is a car that has stunning beauty on the outside (5/5), with an interior that competes well but feels a bit stark (4/5), performance that is incredible (5/5). 250+ miles is an incredible range for an all-electric car of this size, and proves that if you want to ditch the gasoline engine, you don't have to have a car that looks like an engineer picked up a large stuffed rat from the taxidermist to turn into a vehicle.
The upsides - This car is *very* quiet, virtually a roller coaster on acceleration (start at 7:30 in the video if you want to see my passenger's reaction
, it corners beautifully because of its low center of gravity, and it has a smooth ride that compares well to what you might consider competition in the high-end sedan market. The technology is a completely new model for operating a car, the 17" touchscreen controls everything. Seats are spacious and feel comfortable. Door handles are pretty damn neat. The rear-facing jump-seats are a great option and cargo storage is plentiful.
My downsides - small things, really... you'll notice that the user interface on the controls isn't quite perfected yet. If you touch a function, then change your mind and want to stop or change it quickly the interface gets a bit confused (see the second video where both the sunroof and the air ride changes don't feel perfect from a UI point of view... for example, it should block out your attempts to even touch a control if the car is doing something it doesn't want you to interrupt, instead it allows you to move the control then beeps at you). The visors and the attached mirrors feel like something out of my '65 GTO, they don't "feel" like they're part of a high-end vehicle; I can't put my fingers on exactly *why* and maybe it's just the size and shape. The stark space between the front seats is a missed opportunity, admittedly Tesla knows of it and has some options for us.
This won't be a winter car for me; despite the fact it's all-aluminum (no rust!) it is RWD and will have 21" tires and that won't work well in slippery snow. I will consider a set of 19" wheels to go with it for winter driving.
Overall, I loved the (short) test drive and I'm looking forward to delivery of my new Model S! September/October can't arrive soon enough.
