P1 and Elon at Jay Leno's Garage

[doug]

Jay Leno's Garage

 

[WarpedOne]

Just watch me take off.

Hehe

 

[BBHighway]

Interesting that Elon said it is considered to be made in America, since the most expensive parts are installed in California. I always assumed it would be classified as assembled in Great Britain. I guess you can say the final assembly is in San Carlos.

Still, all the major components come from outside the USA. So like many cars, it's partly foreign, party domestic.

 

[mt2]

Interesting that Elon said it is considered to be made in America, since the most expensive parts are installed in California. I always assumed it would be classified as assembled in Great Britain. I guess you can say the final assembly is in San Carlos.

Still, all the major components come from outside the USA. So like many cars, it's partly foreign, party domestic.

That's not the way I heard it. I thought he said that government considers it made in America because the drive train is put into it in California. I guess that makes the Tesla garage an "assembly plant".

I'll have to go back and listen again. But not tonight.

 

[TEG]

I got the impression that Jay really warmed up to the car after driving it for a while.

We got the obligatory comment about gas engine car noises played through the sound system...

Funny how jay shrugged off the idea of putting golf clubs in the back. (For him Pebble Beach is for car shows not golfers!)

Thanks for the link, Doug.

 

[AGR]

Thanks for the link!

Interesting that most of the Tesla Hyperbole quickly evaporated with the car at Jay Leno's...it was refreshing not the hear the 0 to 60, and supercar hyperbole from most of the other presentations that Tesla has made or expected reviewers to mention.

Finally a realistic presentation of the car....from Elon's comments the cars are shipped from England as a glider (no powertrain) the electric motor, battery pack are installed by Tesla at San Carlos.

The later versions will have a single speed transmission with a modified electric motor to compensate for the lack of a 2 speed transmission.

Jay understood very quickly that for a car guy the instant torque of an electric motor is the captivating feature of the car...he demonstrated the instant torque on several occasions.

Totally refreshing to finally see a Tesla in a car guy environment, devoid of all the Tesla hyperbole, accompanied by an excellent demonstration of instant on torque.

Jay Leno has a better grasp of what a Tesla is all about than some of the folks at Tesla.

 

[Cobos]

I also liked the video as well. I think some of the reasons Jay Leno is so ready to accept an electric sportscar is simply because he has ridden both great and not so great gasoline sports cars as well as his own 90 year old EV. So he knows what EVs do best and as a car guy he can really appreciate the immediate torque as we saw. In some ways its to be expected that he sees the advantages with the Roadster, but I suppose we are so used to explaining things to non-EV people that we get surprised when we don't have to

Cobos

 

[malcolm]

Thanks for the link doug.

Great video

But then experienced TV presenters like Leno certainly should know how to create snappy online content.

I wonder if this may lead to an item on the Tonight Show?

Darryl? Any comment?

 

[vfx]

He is the instant torque spokesman to be sure.

There was a nagging bit of doubt somewhere in Jay, from his body language (folder arms) when talking with Elon to his searching delivery of descriptions of the cars features. I want to believe he simply is a questioner by nature (I have not watched him review other cars). He seemed to know that Tesla has solved all the problems of EVs (and said it) and a part of him wants to embrace the car and the concept but even his last line about the future is not delivered with total conviction.

The guy knows cars. loves car, all kinds of cars. If I were to guess his reservations it would be the lack of palpable energy distribution. No explosions, no high-pressure steam tanks, no big gears and manly metal moving.

Other guess might include his time and effort in his own alternative projects, his gift of the hydrogen BMW and his realization of Electric's lack of public infrastructure.

It was a great video with Jay espousing his favorite feature.

I should be happy and I am. I'm just curious what Jay is holding back...

 

[vfx]

But then experienced TV presenters like Leno certainly should know how to create snappy online content.

I was amused how he kept shouting. A pro like him who should know better but the car guy in him acted as if the car was making engine noise.

Old car paradigm
Speed equals noise

Tesla paradigm
Speed equals just more speed

 

[malcolm]

I think he was just suffering from wind (noise)

 

[TEG]

I didn't want to read too much into the body language and such, but I agree that Jay seemed a tad standoffish at first, but then looked mighty happy driving around in the car (kudos to Elon for loaning it to him!)

Now keep in mind that Jay has driven the Tesla before. So he already knew some of the driving dynamics.

I have seen a few other people visit Jay's garage including his old friend Ed Begley, Jr. Jay seems to have a funny relation with EV enthusiasts. He doesn't want to alienate his "big iron" buddies by cozying up to closely with the "greenies", but he does seem to be caught up in the alternative power movement to some degree.

How about this for a theory:
Perhaps Jay has one of the cars on order.
Perhaps he is a tad grumpy because he is impatiently waiting for his car and it had been delayed.
On the other hand he could be happy because he is seeing that it is worth the wait!

 

[AGR]

Most of Jay's interviews are in the same fashion, he lets the guest presenter do the presentation first, Jay is always down to earth, very realistic, and pragmatic when he reviews any of his cars.

Any car guy as an innate understanding that EV's are a future oriented direction for commuter vehicles, its not a major leap of faith. Although the EV folks seem to think so.

The other point Jay made that got lost in the trees is when he made reference to his Baker electric that is very old and to this day does not require maintenance....and that a modern EV should be better and be almost maintenance free....Elon was surprised when Jay mentioned maintenance.

Elon lost his cool factor with his 2 tone faded jeans...he did not exude passion about the car....Elon is not a car guy, gas or EV or hybrid.

Tesla positions itself as if its detached from the car business, car guys, when in reality its not...when you put a Tesla in a high powered car environment like Jay's Big Dog Garage the hyperbole evaporates which is refreshing.

It was interesting to hear Elon say that its not an Elise, since the door sills were lowered, the wheelbase is stretched, the body is CF...Jay was probably thinking..."it sure looks like one".

Instant Torque....Hardly Any Maintenance....

 

[TEG]

Elon is not a car guy, gas or EV or hybrid.

Anyone who went out of their way to obtain a McLaren F1, and drive it for years is a car guy in my book. (although I don't know if Elon ever tried to personally "soup up" a car or if he has spent time on the track.) Elon didn't invest in Tesla because it was an easy way for him to make more money. He is a car guy, and an EV enthusiast big time even if it doesn't come across so readily sometimes. He literally "put his money where his mouth is".

By the way, Jay is/was a McLaren F1 owner as well.

 

[AGR]

TEG,

A car guy exudes and oozes passion its there 110% of the time, its automatic, its innate, its part of the person, especially when presenting your pride and joy...there is excitment, there is electricity.

Having the funds to buy an F1 or invest in a EV company does not make an individual a car guy.

In Silicon Valley being green is the hot thing these days....one venture capital firm and its buddies invest in this EV, the other firm and its buddies not to be outdone invests in another EV.

 

[stopcrazypp]

TEG,

A car guy exudes and oozes passion its there 110% of the time, its automatic, its innate, its part of the person, especially when presenting your pride and joy...there is excitment, there is electricity.

Thing is, a lot of the initial passion gets worn down after the first few days. And who knows how many times Elon had to explain the whole premise of the car to people; it has got to be a little tiring. And as one of the major investors and chairman in the company, he has some obligation to present the car most ideally, which also wears down any passion for the car. Another thing is not everyone's personality can exude passion so readily (I personally am that kind of person who doesn't show much emotion outside even if I'm really excited about something). I don't think judgements are appropriate in such a short video.

 

[TEG]

I gather Jay likes black 2 seat sports cars with red leather interiors:

Advance auto zone blog about fast cars and auto trader: 2007 SEMA Show: Jay Leno Shows off Green 600-HP Modified Corvette Z06

(Particularly if they have "eco-cred")

 

[AGR]

These are the folks that modify a Z06 into a C6RS

Pratt&Miller

 

[X-CEOsWife]

I was reading the comments on this Jay Leno video JayLenosGarage.com. I noticed Dan Frederiksen commented on a post by someone named “Jennifer,” however, I could not find the original post from Jennifer. Does anyone know what it said? Why was it removed from Leno’s site? I am very curious, especially since it apparently mentioned Martin and the history of Tesla. You all know how protective I am about this topic! Can anyone help me out by providing this information?

Carolyn

 

[malcolm]

Hi Carolyn

Can't find anything in the google caches, but I know that Dan posts on Martin's blog. Maybe he can be reached through there? He might recall the gist of "Jennifer's" comment