Anyone have an idea when the media folks will get to drive the cars? I remember with the Karma, the media got test drives well before the customers (and months before the first deliveries!).
Latest compiled list. [List of reviews/impressions from Model S Owners after delivery:] Jason Calacanis | dadaleus | Cottonwood | NEWDL | Jesse and Steve | ggr | dmetcalf [List of first drive reviews/impressions from news outlets:] MotorTrend: (June 22, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive - Motor Trend (1.5 hours) Driving the 2012 Tesla Model S - Wide Open Throttle Episode 22 (10 min) Temple of Tesla: Touring Elon's Factory - Motor Trend (? min) NEW TRACK DATA -World Exclusive! 2012 Tesla Model S Test and Range Verification (Aug 27, 2012) Range Tests Visiting Las Vegas in the Tesla Model S co.exist: (July) Inside The Tesla Model S | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation (10 min) Forbes: Taking A Spin In The Model S With Tesla Investor Nancy Pfund - Forbes (? time) (July 11, 2012) A (Quick) Test Drive: The Tesla Model S - Forbes (July 24, 2012) CNET: (June 22, 2012) Tesla Model S first drive: Quiet satisfaction | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews (? time) Can the Tesla Model S unkill the electric car? CNET On Cars, Episode 3 | CNET TV | Video Product Reviews, CNET Podcasts, Tech Shows, Live CNET Video(video) GigaOm: (June 22, 2012) Video: We test drive Tesla Cleantech News and Analysis (8 min) Wired: (June 22, 2012) Driving the Tesla Model S Quickly, And Briefly | Autopia | Wired.com (8 min) Review: Tesla Model S[/QUOTE] (4 days) Yahoo Auto: (June 22, 2012) Tesla Model S: First drive of the electric sedan that will change the world or die trying | The Lookout - Yahoo! News (1 hour) Engadget: (June 22, 2012) Tesla Model S first drive: the sports sedan goes electric (update: video) (10 min) Daily KOS: (June 22, 2012) Daily Kos: Tesla Model S Has Arrived: You Have a Duty to Buy One (If you can afford) (? time) Road&Track: (June 22, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S Review “What We Uncovered in a 10 Minute Test Drive“ RoadandTrack.com (10 min) USA Today: (June 26, 2012) First Drive: Tesla's Model S electric is spectacular (? time) Autoweek: (June 25, 2012) A missive from the Tesla factory grounds - Autoweek (20 min) 2012 Tesla Model S: Drive review - Autoweek (20 min) Edmunds: 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive (10 min) (June 26, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S | (Full Review) (July 25, 2012) NEW TRACK DATA -2012 Tesla Model S Track Test (August 15, 2012) Range Tests 2012 Tesla Model S Full Test | (Full 2 Day Test) (Sept 19, 2012) Automobile: (June 25, 2012) 2013 Tesla Model S - Status Update - Automobile Magazine (8 min) Daily Breeze: (June 28, 2012) Business Casual: Getting a charge out of Tesla's Model S - The Daily Breeze (? time) Classic Driver: (June 28, 2012) Driven: Tesla Model S - Classic Driver - MAGAZINE - driving report (? time) Automotive News: (July 2, 2012) On first glance, Tesla S is a winner (10min) Tesla's test drive: Manipulation or circumstance? (Time N/A) LA Times: (June 30, 2012) Saturday Drive: 2012 Tesla Model S - latimes.com (20 min) Winding Road: (July 2, 2012) Driven: 2012 Tesla Model S (8 min) Charging Point: (July 4, 2012) Tesla Model S first drive report (15 min) WSJ: (July 6, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S Signature Performance Review: I Am Silent, Hear Me Roar | Rumble Seat by Dan Neil - WSJ.com (1 hour) Bussiness Week: (July 10, 2012) Test-Driving Tesla Motors's Super-Fast Model S - Businessweek (? time) MercuryNews: (July 13, 2012) Wolverton: Tesla's new Model S luxury sedan is a sweet ride - Inside Bay Area (15 min) Wolverton: Tesla's Model S is fast and fun - San Jose Mercury News (15 min) SFGate: (July 14, 2012) Tesla test drive: Smooth, silent, fast - SFGate (15 min) TechCrunch: (July 18, 2012) Test Driving The Super-Connected, All-Electric Tesla Model S [TCTV] | TechCrunch (8min) GreenCarReports: (July 19, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive Of All-Electric Sport Sedan (1hr) 2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive Video (1hr) Fox News: (July 20, 2012) Quick Spin: 2013 Tesla Model S | Fox News (30 min) Popular Mechanics: (July 20, 2012) Tesla Model S EV Sedan Test Drive - Popular Mechanics (30 min) CNN Money: (July 23, 2012) Tesla Model S review: A good first impression - Jul. 23, 2012 (? time) ConsumerSearch (July 24, 2012) Hands-on with 2013 Tesla Model S (25 min) CarTalk: (July 24, 2012) Fast Forward: First Pedal to the Metal in Teslas Model S | Car Talk (? time) Slate: (July 25, 2012) Tesla Model S test drive: It's electric, it's got great lines, and there's a waiting list a mile long. - Slate Magazine (15min) Chicago Sun Times: (August 8, 2012) Tesla Model S electrifies Chicago - Chicago Sun-Times Vanity Fair: (August 6, 2012) Is the Tesla Model S the Most Important Car of the 21st Century? | Style | Vanity Fair AutoGuide: (August 7, 2012) 2013 Tesla Model S Review: Car Reviews Car and Driver: (August 8, 2012) 2013 Tesla Model S Car and Driver The Globe and Mail: (August 9, 2012) The do-or-die model for Tesla - The Globe and Mail AutoBytel Buyers Guide: (August 9, 2012) 10 Things You Need To Know About The 2012 Tesla Model S | Autobytel.com Auto Sympatico: (August 10, 2012) http://autos.sympatico.ca/features/14320/driving-the-tesla-model-s-sweet-swift-stunning IDG News: (August 14, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf-wlvVZmJg The Street: (August 16, 2012) Tesla Model S vs. the Competition: Test Drive The Truth About Cars: (August 20, 2012) (20 minute) Capsule Review: Tesla Model S | The Truth About Cars Autoblog: (September 11, 2012) ("an evening") 2012 Tesla Model S [w/video] Huffington Post (September 14, 2012) Prius Drivers Test Tesla Model S: Apple iPad on Wheels? Stuff (September 17, 2012) First drive: Tesla Model S - motoring | Stuff.co.nz The Car Connection (September 19, 2012) 2012 Tesla Model S Reviews and Ratings - The Car Connection NPR (September 24, 2012) (Short Test) Tesla's Big Gamble: Can The Electric Car Go Mainstream? : All Tech Considered : NPR Playboy (September 27) (Short Test) Auto First Look: 2013 Tesla Model S Car | Playboy.com New York Times (September 30) (1 week) One Big Step for Tesla, One Giant Leap for E.V.s - NYTimes.com On an Electric Highway, Charging Into the Future - NYTimes.com Motley Fool (October 4, 2012) (Short Test) Foolish Road Test! Driving the Tesla Model S (F, GM, HMC, TM, TSLA) Car and Driver (October 4, 2012) (Multi Day Drive and Testing) 2013 Tesla Model S - Driven - CAR and DRIVER - YouTube Montreal Gazette (October 10, 2012) (Short Test) Tesla Model S oozes confidence Yahoo Car of the Year 2013 (October 31st, 2012) Car of the Year 2013 2013 Automobile of the Year: The Tesla Model S (November 1st, 2012) Tesla Motors Inc. : Tesla Model S Blows Away the Competition and Wins AUTOMOBILE Magazine's "Automobile of the Year" 2013 Automobile of the Year: Tesla Model S [List of detailed first drive reviews/impressions from TMC users:] Todd Burch | gg_wants_a_tesla | Zextraterrestrial | Derek M | Trnsl8r | spatterso911 1 | spatterso911 2 | spatterso911 3 | capt601 | DrComputer | gjamrok | Silenus136 | AnOutsider | jbherman | westcoast | SoCalGuy | Francis Lau 1 | Francis Lau 2 | FlasherZ | Odenator | Discoducky | ian201 | jasonhi | EarlyAdopter | Vegi | 100thMonkey | olanmills Mycroft | BriansTesla | sandwood | teslasguy | kendallpb | dflye | Andrew Wolfe | BS Mann | johndoe74 | gjunky | kishdude | ADN_ModelS | AndyM | MikeK | wycolo | vfx | J in MN | Mkent | ohaq | Longhorn92 | aviators99 | steve841 | DavidM | Arnold Panz | mnx | stephenpace - originally compiled by loganss
To do a proper review it'll take a month or two. But I suspect that we'll see reviews fairly soon after the 6/23,24 event.
I thought there was speculation that TM was going to do a press event along with the Founders deliveries on Friday. Not an extended test but may let the journalists take it on the test drive run or perhaps even the test track.
Yes. Sounded like the press is getting 10 min test drives. Much like the test rides they got before the Oct 2 Beta event last year.
Jalopnik was particularly ticked off - I gather they weren't invited - and very scathing about other reviewers accepting 10 minute rides.
I thought that Model S was vaporware? Why would Jalopnik even want to waste their time reviewing something they've already passed judgement on? Moreover, why would Tesla want to give them the opportunity to bash the car more. Jalopnik claims to be highly objective but this anti-Tesla vendetta makes that kind of hard to believe.
Tesla says reviewers will have more than 10 minutes starting Friday, so says Slate The Slate article states this Friday reviewers will be able to drive the car for more than 10 minutes. Here's the relevant claim by Will Oremus of Slate: "The lowest-priced version will have a 40 KwH battery, with an advertised range of 160 miles if you keep the speedometer pegged to 55. Speed up or slow down, as drivers are wont to do, and the range will likely fall significantly. Just how significantly, we don’t know: Tesla hasn’t let any reviewers drive the car for more than 10 minutes. (A company rep tells me that will change Friday.)"
Hmm, article reads like it doesn't have all its facts right, so it might not be 100% accurate. Re: the karma test drives, as you said, the press got them long before customers (and even longer before first deliveries ACTUALLY happened). At the time, and in hindsight, it looks more like Fisker was trying to save face on their delays by throwing the press a bone. The cars had many issues during those drives and it was around the time the first deliveries were supposed to be happening. I'd hope that by the time the press get lengthy drives in the S, it will be solid. As for "when", the embargo lifts on Friday. I'm thinking that some journalist will get their hands on one of the early cars delivered Friday and do at least a partial review from there.
I'd fully understand if some early sig holders were pissed to read a clumsily written "review" of their new car even before they take delivery. Imagine, after years of waiting, you make preparations to go to Fremont when the phone rings. Your best friend, who's always been a bit - reserved - on that Tesla thing, calls you and reads some "review" to you: "Car Mc'Azin wrote, 'Even the door handles didn't work!' How are you supposed to get into your new $100k gadget, Mr Electric? Ha, Ha!".
He's even wrong in the first sentence I guess he's only one year off since Tesla was founded in 2003. All in all not a bad article compared to some of the things I've seen. I wonder if it's the editor who comes up with these headlines like "Tesla's New Electric Car Is Practical And Affordable, As Long As You're Rich"
His comment about range was 50% correct. Speeding up will reduce range. Slowing down, however, will actually increase range.
50 journalists testing model S now and doing factorytour Twitter / carrosmagazine: 50 journalisten uit de wer
#TeslaModelS handles spectaculairly well. And accelerates impressively quick Negatives Finishing could/should be better and steering is too insensitive. https://twitter.com/carrosmagazine/status/216272523535458304
1st review? Motorview http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1206_2012_tesla_model_s_first_drive/