Tesla Roadster Sport Model

[dpeilow]

I respect that. I always honor requests to keep something too myself or to sit on some info for a couple days/weeks.

From a PR perspective, though, a little bit of advanced info among fans helps build anticipation and can increase the impact of the press release/announcement. It also helps fans feel connected to the brand. Just as long as a few beans are left in the bag.

Likewise - in fact by default I assume that something isn't public domain unless I'm told it is ok otherwise.

The only exception has been when a wrong assumption/speculation has threatened to get out of hand and the resulting official announcement to quash it would have been a disappointment (or worse) to the fans. But in that instance I assumed the source would have known full well what he could and couldn't have told me - I am (we are) also the public, after all.

 

[mpt]

Roadster Sport

0-60 in 3.7 seconds; probably sub 12 quarter mile.

News just out from Michael Van der Sande. Apparently it's all in the motor windings.

Some more at Tesla Roadster Sport Edition ? 0-60: 3.7 - News - PlanetTesla

MPT

 

[dpeilow]

Tesla Motors Introduces Roadster Sport

 

[doug]

Odd you can never find these press releases on Tesla's own website in a timely manner.

Tesla Motors Introduces Roadster Sport

Next-Generation Sports Car Has 15% More Peak Power and Delivers 0-60 Mph in 3.7 Seconds

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tesla Motors Inc. began taking orders today for the Roadster Sport, a high-performance sports car based on the world’s leading all-electric, zero-emission vehicle.

The Roadster Sport does 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, compared with 3.9 seconds for the standard Roadster. It comes with a hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque. In addition to Yokohama’s Ultra High Performance tires, the Roadster Sport has improved suspension with adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars that will be tuned to the driver’s preference.

The Roadster Sport starts at $128,500 in the United States and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe. Deliveries begin in late June.

“This car can beat nearly anything in its price class – yet it is twice as efficient as compact hybrid sedans,” said Michael van der Sande, Tesla’s senior vice president of global sales, service and marketing. “If you refuse to compromise on performance or the environment, the Roadster Sport is your only option.”

The Roadster Sport is the first derivative of Tesla’s proprietary, patented powertrain. San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla plans to begin producing the all-electric, zero-emission Model S five-passenger sedan in 2011.

Tesla has delivered more than 150 Roadsters to customers, and about 1,100 people are on the waiting list. Customers who haven’t taken delivery may upgrade to the Roadster Sport.

“The Roadster Sport embodies Tesla’s spirit of continuous improvement,” said CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “The Roadster has been a great success, but no one at this company remains satisfied with the status quo.”

The press release leaves some questions. By "customers who haven’t taken delivery" do they mean those who haven't taken delivery by June? Does the June timing correspond with the start of 2009MY deliveries? Will 2008 customers who will already have their cars be able upgrade their motors later?

Anyhow, it's exciting to see this kind of performance progress.

 

[graham]

I think this is actually great news. I am glad they are continuing to expand the product line.

Like doug, I wonder about the upgradability of existing customers. It might be interesting to take delivery of a stock 2008, and then upgrade to a sport motor when it is time to replace the ESS in a few years.

 

[Alpine Driver]

damn sexy look.
Which color is this?
Some kind of a new "matte red"? Or just some photoshop color?

 

[graham]

I was thinking it was Very Orange shot in dim light. Perhaps it is a different color altogether.

I think I like the new wheels. Less sure about the exposed CF on the hood (although the roof is not too bad).

 

[TEG]

Not as much of a difference as I had been anticipating. So the ESS ("Battery Pack") is the same? What about range? It sounds like these are relatively minors mods for a slight increase in performance. Since they more or less said that their profit margins (or loss) per Roadster has been a problem, I suppose this is a good way to move the price up without having to incur much cost in the process. A more exclusive version for those able to afford the best. I bet they could sell a lower priced roadster with less performance (some Tesla customers are just EV fanatics, or like it for the looks, but aren't performance fanatics).

When they tested VP13 at the track and saw 1/4 in 12.7 was that with these mods?

 

[doug]

When they tested VP13 at the track and saw 1/4 in 12.7 was that with these mods?

Road and Track got that got that 1/4 mile time with VP23, which we assume is stock. I'm also surprised it didn't include a lighter battery pack. The cosmetic options actually add more weight.

 

[Palpatine]

I am seriously tempted to upgrade my order to the Sport model.

 

[domenick]

Tesla Roadster Sport

A faster, better handling Tesla Roadster?

You bet! For $128,500.

Edit* I should pay closer attention. There's already a thread. Admin, feel free to delete this thread.

 

[Joseph]

Eberhard said on the tesla blog, "motor city," that they examined different ways to manufacture the copper rotor.

He said ACP made a more efficient motor, but was difficult to mass-produce and involved, "quite a bit of hand labor and tweekmanship."

Mabye Tesla is employing a similarly labor-intensive "tweekmanship" in the rotor production. If it didn't require such tweekmanship, I don't see why it would cost so much or why they wouldn't make it standard.

Unless they engineered a new way of mass-producing the motor with high-efficiency, and thus the increased price is to offset the cost of new manufacturing equipment? It'll be interesting to see how the specs will differ.

 

[graham]

I am curious if anything with the sports model will help prevent the overheating problem with continued heavy acceleration? Also is the top-end changed at all?

 

[vfx]

Sounds like buyers who have not taken a delivery can upgrade to a sport but they would just have to wait until June if they did not already have a delivery date past June. Like the checker's light went out and shoppers have to get in a new line at the Supermarket.


Int

roducing the Roadster Sport

Tesla is taking orders for the Roadster Sport, a shockingly high-performance sports car based on the world's leading all-electric, zero emmision vehicle. Price starts at $128,500 in the United States and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe. Deliveries begin in late June. Tesla has delivered more than 150 Roadsters to customers, and about 1,100 people are on the waiting list.

Customers who haven’t taken delivery may upgrade to the Roadster Sport.

Improved Power and Handling

Power motor: Hand wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque
0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds
Custom tuned suspension: Adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars tuned to driver's preference
Dark finish forged alloy Tesla wheels
Tires: Yokohama A048 Ultra High Performance
Unique Sport badging

 

[TEG]

Those high performance tires might reduce the range a bit.

 

[TEG]

I wonder if that picture is an actual photo or a rendering. What kind of glassy surface could they use to do that? It is a fairly wicked looking photo by the way.

Are those unfinished carbon fiber mirrors?

 

[doug]

It's clearly a rendering.

 

[vfx]

By the way, it looks like the front vents and the back deck are painted black. Also red calipers, black mirrors, and possibly the wing

Flat red paint? Smoked headlight covers? What's that silver thing below the door? A badge?

 

[graham]

Oh? I was assuming a lot of that "black paint" was actually exposed carbon fibre...

 

[Palpatine]

I am going to assume that the Tesla Sport Roadster has the same modes as a normal Roadster (as if any Roadster can be normal).

So to achieve 3.7 second performance, you would likely have to be in "performance" mode.

Now I don't know about you guys, but I have only been on a few test drives in a Roadster and each time was standard mode. And THAT was plenty fast for me. I cannot even imagine the difference in Peformance mode.

Does anyone have the 0-60 time for a normal Roadster in Standard mode?
I would bet it is still low 4 seconds.

Since I know that my Roadster battery will be harmed by using the Performance or Range mode too often, I plan on using mostly the Standard or Storage mode at all times.

Just about the only time I will ever consider using Performance mode is if I take it to do a 1/4 mile track run. We might do that once or twice for fun, just for the experience. But I don't see it happening often.

So if you get a Tesla Sport Roadster, do you think the performance would be that much better in Standard mode? The high performance tires will certainly lower the range a bit.

For an owner that plans to use the Roadster on a daily basis (like me) I think a normal Roadster is appropriate.

For an owner that plans to use the Roadster for only special weekend fun or for some racing, then certainly the Sport model would fit that decision.