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Model S First Drive Reviews

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I have to say that one of the doubts I still have with changing my registration into an order is the lack of practical solutions in the interior. No (standard) consoles, no door pockets, no folding mirrors.

How could they have forgotten/skipped/ deleted (Alpha had them!) such simple, but important things? It can't be the cost, as those are low. Some important people must have had an off-day when they decided to go the minimalistic route.

It's a pity, because so much attention was given to the drivetrain, the suspension, the brakes/regeneration, the exterior. How, after all that attention to making the perfect car, can you put potential customers in a position that they have to walk away because the interior is simply not practical enough for storing maps, bottles, sun glasses, coins and all that other stuff people want within reach? I hope Tesla can make the necessary changes, there is still time!

I believe it is exactly what they say. Not a rush, not unfinished, but a conscious decision.
Personally, I like the idea. In any car we owned, junk we never used again went in most of those spots. Adding clutter and not much else.
Now, I know everyone is different. I just wanted to give you an alternate point of view:)
 
JasonS looks to be single handedly responsible for the new driving limitations during test drives :)

"Took a longer sweeping corner rated for 35 at 85. Took a 90 degree corner at 60 (or so - wasn’t staring at the speedometer) and got a little slide but it was sooo well controlled. I might’ve just thought it slid, because it was so smooth."

I can just imagine the Tesla rep sitting there quietly relaxed in Elon Musk's donated #2 car as JasonS takes a corner at 60 and puts the car into a nice "smooth" slide ... :p

I took the corner at least at 85 the first time through it and slipped through the first tight corner too but it wasn't in Elon's car .. anyway we were on private property still at that part and the car could take it at least 20% faster than you would feel comfortable!!!

My rep never told me to floor it, 30 -40 for the first corner was the last speed advice he gave (besides 'you should be able to pass the Lexus in the onramp curves' - really I could have driven a circle around the Lexus as it was getting on and still passed it)


I liked that one.

Yay . A good one that isn't snotty

someone likes T E S L A
 
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JasonS looks to be single handedly responsible for the new driving limitations during test drives :)

"Took a longer sweeping corner rated for 35 at 85. Took a 90 degree corner at 60 (or so - wasn’t staring at the speedometer) and got a little slide but it was sooo well controlled. I might’ve just thought it slid, because it was so smooth."

I can just imagine the Tesla rep sitting there quietly relaxed in Elon Musk's donated #2 car as JasonS takes a corner at 60 and puts the car into a nice "smooth" slide ... :p
Actually my Tesla co-pilot was happy to see somebody pushing the car (he implied he'd pushed it harder). We chatted about his car (a performance vehicle; not gonna say which one, don't want to get him in trouble) and the performance characteristics of the S. Was very nice. And I wasn't in Elon's car (tho I might've pushed Elon's just as hard... no offense!).

But, yes, I did drive it like a rental. :love:
 
Compiled list of first drive reviews

List of reviews/first drive impressions from news outlets to date:
-- MotorTrend:
+++ 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive - Motor Trend
+++ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUg-BZAR5ro
+++ Temple of Tesla: Touring Elon's Factory - Motor Trend
-- co.exist: Inside The Tesla Model S | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation
-- forbes: Tesla Model S: 'If Apple Made A Car, This Would Be It' - Forbes
-- CNET: Tesla Model S first drive: Quiet satisfaction | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews
-- GigaOm: Video: We test drive Tesla Cleantech News and Analysis
-- Wired: Driving the Tesla Model S Quickly, And Briefly | Autopia | Wired.com
-- Yahoo Auto: Tesla Model S: First drive of the electric sedan that will change the world or die trying | The Lookout - Yahoo! News
-- Engadget: Tesla Model S first drive: the sports sedan goes electric (update: video) -- Engadget
-- Daily KOS: Daily Kos: Tesla Model S Has Arrived: You Have a Duty to Buy One (If you can afford)
-- Road&Track: 2012 Tesla Model S Review – What We Uncovered in a 10 Minute Test Drive – RoadandTrack.com
-- USA Today: First Drive: Tesla's Model S electric is spectacular
-- Autoweek:
+++ A missive from the Tesla factory grounds - Autoweek
+++ 2012 Tesla Model S: Drive review - Autoweek
-- Edmunds: 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive
-- Automobile: 2013 Tesla Model S - Status Update - Automobile Magazine
-- Daily Breeze: Business Casual: Getting a charge out of Tesla's Model S - The Daily Breeze
-- Classic Driver: Driven: Tesla Model S - Classic Driver - MAGAZINE - driving report

I removed Jalopnik from the list since they just did a sloppy cut and paste job of other reviews and never actually test drove the car.
 
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Notiiceably absent from the list of reviews is Car and Driver. Is that normal? Does anybody know why?

My guess is C&D, NY Times, WSJ etc. will wait until they can do a "normal" review, which usually includes a couple of days with a car. Motor Trend was willing to go about 90 minutes and do their review based off of that, but if these guys were going to respond negatively to only getting that amount of time, better to wait until they can allow them to do their typical review.
 
LA Times 20 minute drive review: very positive, but balanced

Here's another one that just came in this morning:
Saturday Drive: 2012 Tesla Model S - latimes.com


List of reviews/first drive impressions from news outlets to date:
-- MotorTrend:
+++ 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive - Motor Trend
+++ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUg-BZAR5ro
+++ Temple of Tesla: Touring Elon's Factory - Motor Trend
-- co.exist: Inside The Tesla Model S | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation
-- forbes: Tesla Model S: 'If Apple Made A Car, This Would Be It' - Forbes
-- CNET: Tesla Model S first drive: Quiet satisfaction | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews
-- GigaOm: Video: We test drive Tesla Cleantech News and Analysis
-- Wired: Driving the Tesla Model S Quickly, And Briefly | Autopia | Wired.com
-- Yahoo Auto: Tesla Model S: First drive of the electric sedan that will change the world or die trying | The Lookout - Yahoo! News
-- Engadget: Tesla Model S first drive: the sports sedan goes electric (update: video) -- Engadget
-- Daily KOS: Daily Kos: Tesla Model S Has Arrived: You Have a Duty to Buy One (If you can afford)
-- Road&Track: 2012 Tesla Model S Review – What We Uncovered in a 10 Minute Test Drive – RoadandTrack.com
-- USA Today: First Drive: Tesla's Model S electric is spectacular
-- Autoweek:
+++ A missive from the Tesla factory grounds - Autoweek
+++ 2012 Tesla Model S: Drive review - Autoweek
-- Edmunds: 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive
-- Automobile: 2013 Tesla Model S - Status Update - Automobile Magazine
-- Daily Breeze: Business Casual: Getting a charge out of Tesla's Model S - The Daily Breeze
-- Classic Driver: Driven: Tesla Model S - Classic Driver - MAGAZINE - driving report

I removed Jalopnik from the list since they just did a sloppy cut and paste job of other reviews and never actually test drove the car.