I had my test drive yesterday, and despite finding the car fairly powerful with good handling characteristics, it was a major disappointment for my wife and me. Having recently sold our Panamera after 16 months of ownership because of it feeling too big and heavy for local around town driving, and the very poor visibility it had on the side and rear, I found the Model S to suffer from too much heft, length and width.
This car was to replace my wife's 2013 Lexus GS F Sport which she loves. I have had the GS on a road course and on an autocross track during the GS driving experience, and personally have 30 years of racing and hpde experience. The current Lexus GS has much better low speed maneuverability and is easier to drive as a grocery getter and errand runner. And since this was to be her car, she's reluctant to switch to such a big and heavy vehicle. The Tesla's excess mass gives it a driving feel not unlike the Fisker although clearly not as massive as that. The Tesla clearly overcomes its mass at speeds over 45 and tolerates road irregularities well and corners fairly flatly. The fit/finish and ergonomic issues exist but those to me aren't major, nor is the lack of adequate seat lateral support, but that's where cars like the GS F Sport truly shine. This GS also out- handles every other medium sized luxury car in its class (5 Series, E Class, and A6) which is unlike any Lexus before it.
I am the car fanatic of the family and make all the car decisions. Despite poor parking lot characteristics, I overall liked the Model S for what it is-the best electric vehicle available to date with good acceleration and handling at what I feel to be a reasonable price point. Since I prefer a sports car as an every day driver, the Model S isn't for me. Unfortunately it doesn't fit the bill for my wife either.
My only hope is for the 40 kW battery Model S to shed 200 plus pounds. Until the weight of that car is known, I will leave my deposit alone. Why there isn't definitive info available about that yet, is a mystery considering its release is supposedly 3-4 months away.
While I hope I'm not a downer for many of you, I think the Tesla S may be a great car for all of us at first (with people staring and everyone complimentary ting and inquiring about it- similar to our Porsche Panamera experience). After a year of ownership and shelling out $2000 for another set of 8000 mile tires, it may not be everything you expected.
This car was to replace my wife's 2013 Lexus GS F Sport which she loves. I have had the GS on a road course and on an autocross track during the GS driving experience, and personally have 30 years of racing and hpde experience. The current Lexus GS has much better low speed maneuverability and is easier to drive as a grocery getter and errand runner. And since this was to be her car, she's reluctant to switch to such a big and heavy vehicle. The Tesla's excess mass gives it a driving feel not unlike the Fisker although clearly not as massive as that. The Tesla clearly overcomes its mass at speeds over 45 and tolerates road irregularities well and corners fairly flatly. The fit/finish and ergonomic issues exist but those to me aren't major, nor is the lack of adequate seat lateral support, but that's where cars like the GS F Sport truly shine. This GS also out- handles every other medium sized luxury car in its class (5 Series, E Class, and A6) which is unlike any Lexus before it.
I am the car fanatic of the family and make all the car decisions. Despite poor parking lot characteristics, I overall liked the Model S for what it is-the best electric vehicle available to date with good acceleration and handling at what I feel to be a reasonable price point. Since I prefer a sports car as an every day driver, the Model S isn't for me. Unfortunately it doesn't fit the bill for my wife either.
My only hope is for the 40 kW battery Model S to shed 200 plus pounds. Until the weight of that car is known, I will leave my deposit alone. Why there isn't definitive info available about that yet, is a mystery considering its release is supposedly 3-4 months away.
While I hope I'm not a downer for many of you, I think the Tesla S may be a great car for all of us at first (with people staring and everyone complimentary ting and inquiring about it- similar to our Porsche Panamera experience). After a year of ownership and shelling out $2000 for another set of 8000 mile tires, it may not be everything you expected.
