The bet is on; $1M says the Model S will be on time

[AnOutsider]

Mr. Musk then bet me $1 million that he would do it and, graciously acknowledging our rather different financial situations – he’s wealthy and I’m not – said the bet would be only $1,000 to me. In either case, he wrote, the winnings would go to the charity Doctors Without Borders. Seeing this as a rare opportunity to facilitate a $1 million donation to a worthy cause, I accepted.

I thought Neil initiated the bet and Elon accepted and said he'd pay either way.

 

[Lyon]

And the bet is over. Dan Neil pays up.

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/

Well duh.

I'm going to be shocked if he doesn't like the car though.

 

[Discoducky]

http://green.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/

Well duh.

I'm going to be shocked if he doesn't like the car though.

Hope this makes several headlines and then Elon donates anyway.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Discussed here: The bet is on; $1M says the Model S will be on time

 

[Citizen-T]

Awesome.

 

[Jason S]

Somebody get that man a test drive slot.

 

[XrstalLens]

Elon just posted the following on Twitter:

"Thanks Dan, you are a good sportsman. I will still donate to DWB as though I'd lost. on.wsj.com/L8t2JC"

 

[XrstalLens]

Elon just tweeted this: "Thanks Dan, you are a good sportsman. I will still donate to DWB as though I'd lost. on.wsj.com/L8t2JC"

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/

 

[brianman]

Well played, Elon.

 

[Lyon]

Well played, Elon.

No kidding, it's nice to see two grownups acting like it for a change.

 

[PhatCat]

Somebody get that man a test drive slot.

+1. And send the link to Jalopnik who could learn something about journalistic class.

 

[doug]

I thought Neil initiated the bet and Elon accepted and said he'd pay either way.

Right, that's what was reported when we first read about the bet. But now Dan is claiming Elon initiated. So who bet whom?
At any rate, it cool that Dan and Elon is making good on their pledge. (Now what about that 2008 hat eating pledge? :wink

No kidding, it's nice to see two grownups acting like it for a change.

I guess you forgot about the angry emails and the term "douchebag" being tossed around.

 

[vfx]

Maybe it was both. The approach from Neil, the amount by Elon and the reduction by Neil.

 

[Mycroft]

I think Neil's original skepticism was completely justified. Just look at the difference between slapping together a few Roadsters from an outsourced parts bin with what they've been able to do with the Model S in just a few short years. IMHO, only a Musk, Ford, Jobs, Gates, Dell, or even DeLorean could pull it off. And even then, only if they were lucky. I doubt Elon could have done it if he hadn't been able to buy the NUMMI plant they way he did.

 

[Larry Chanin]

I doubt Elon could have done it if he hadn't been able to buy the NUMMI plant they way he did.

Yes, while the recession made it challenging, the demographic that Elon was selling to was somewhat insulated from its effects, and of course he got an unbeatable deal on the NUMMI plant. One could argue that he couldn't have done it without the recession. :wink:

Larry

 

[Arnold Panz]

I heard Gilbert Passin basically say that there is absolutely no way they could have set the Model S up for production if they had gone with the original planned location and not gotten the former NUMMI plant. I still feel bad for that town in CA that thought they were getting the plant, but this obviously was necessary for Tesla to become a viable mass market car company.

Larry, it's a great point to say that even though the financial crisis (and lack of lending as a result) almost killed Tesla, in a way it actually saved Tesla because they were able to get the NUMMI plant for free ($40m purchase price, simultaneous $40m investment by Toyota in Tesla), equipment included.

 

[doug]

I moved the posts regarding the Model S development costs here: Model S development costs so far?

 

[vfx]

... or even DeLorean could pull it off.

Worth noting the Tesla's reservations on just the S exceed the 9000 cars sold by DMC.

 

[Mycroft]

Worth noting the Tesla's reservations on just the S exceed the 9000 cars sold by DMC.

True. DeLorean had Musk's vision, drive and determination, but he didn't have his business management ability or luck.

 

[daniel]

While circumstances certainly helped Tesla set up the Model S production, I wouldn't sell Elon short by saying that he'd have failed without the NUMMI plant, or without the recession, or without whatever. I think he's shown that he can roll with the tempest and come out standing. Maybe he'd have lost the bet and the S would have been delayed past the original release date, as the Roadster was, but I think he'd still have pulled it off. Just as there are many challenges ahead, and I think he'll deal with them as they arise and build Tesla into a solid car maker.