TTAC: Tesla Born! Birth Watch Over! (begins Death Watch)

[Cobos]

Which isn't to say it never will. When TTAC insists that they need to test things like recharge time and not beleive Dougs excellent description it just shows they don't trusts basic physics. I suppose they also test every gas cars fuel tank to check if the mfg is wrong on the size of the tank as well? With that kind of attitude I can easily understand why Siry doesn't want to bend over backwards to make sure they get a car early. When a big posts about the non-delivery of Martins car on ABG doesn't get any response I really can't see why TTAC should get any. After all ABG is right up there with Teslas core supporters and customers while TTAC definately is NOT.

After all if you make a big point about your journalistic integrity you better be prepared to not get review samples at all or very late (I beleive there was a saying about eating cake and keeping it).

Cobos

 

[doug]

Well, it's not so much that Darryl committed and they're still waiting, but that Darryl casually committed and then 26 unnecessarily negative stories later he reneged saying that TTAC hadn't been objective enough. Personally, I don't blame him. Anyhow, though entertaining, I don't think TTAC is that important. The review I'm waiting for is Clarkson and the Stig. Probably won't happen until they have a Euro spec roadster out.

 

[vfx]

I am so torn about a TG review.

No doubt The Stig would like a car that handles as well as the Roadster and the track time will be respectable. But I'm actually concerned they would give the Electric Car to Captain Slow as comic relief in a race.

JC also loves the vibration and noise from 10+ cylinders and I'm sure the charging time is ripe for abuse.

It's a great car, but it's different. Could go either way in a show that likes controversy.

 

[doug]

I am so torn about a TG review.

No doubt The Stig would like a car that handles as well as the Roadster and the track time will be respectable. But I'm actually concerned they would give the Electric Car to Captain Slow as comic relief in a race.

JC also loves the vibration and noise from 10+ cylinders and I'm sure the charging time is ripe for abuse.

It's a great car, but it's different. Could go either way in a show that likes controversy.

My main concern would be if the batteries can hold up long enough to for what TG would want to do on the track. Recharge time isn't really an issue, unless they're stuck doing it between every other lap. And yes they could play that up for comedy. Given what the Roadster can do, though, I'd expect that the review would be balanced (overall) to very positive. They probably would do a race, with an Elise or Exige I'd bet. Clarkson will definitely miss the noise, but I think the main thing he cares about is whether or not he can get it to go sideways.

 

[doug]

Well so it looks like TTAC has officially started their Tesla Death Watch. I think that's rather premature. They're already on story #2, and it's not very interesting. Just copying what we've already read elsewhere. Oh well.

 

[vfx]

Great video. Thank you for including it.

Brings up a good point about the Lotus heritage of the Roadster. That gives it the local cred they sometimes employ.

...but I think the main thing he cares about is whether or not he can get it to go sideways.

Nice to know that they will have the two car settings to play with for power slides.

Maybe Tesla should send three identical cars to the TG test track. That way one is always on the track while the others are in states of charge.

 

[malcolm]

Well with the price of a litre petrol or diesel increasing by about one penny per week in my neck of the woods (Birmingham) I think we may see Clarkson and Co. calling on automakers to pull their fingers out and get a bloody move on.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Industry News: Tesla's Elon Musk Claims IPO To Come This Year

Looks like jalopnik got bit by the vaporware bug. Now it seems like autoblog/autobloggreen is the only blog I frequent that doesn't feel that Tesla is vaporware. I don't even bother to do any kind of clarification anymore, I just let the commenters pat themselves in the back while predicting Tesla's demise; it's pointless because when the next bit of news comes the same people will come back. It's depressing.

Tesla damn well better be taking care of their customers and hurry up on the production. What is most important right now is their status in the eyes of customers and investors. What a few blogs are saying don't really matter as long as they are doing their job and on track. All the news recently, even the IPO, isn't that much positive news. They need some kind of big whitestar unvealing or some more positive news in production or the final drivetrain.

On the Top Gear review, I'm looking forward to it. But I hope they do it on the final drivetrain. It will be interesting because they absolutely hate EVs on that show.

 

[vfx]

They are not too fond of California, USA either.

 

[Chris H.]

They are not too fond of California, USA either.

They do seem to like Lotus though, and Ariel.

Malc,

so you're a Brummie! I was in the Bull Ring a few years back, visiting the Canadian Consulate, and a long time ago I used to go to the stock car races in Coventry!

All the best,

Chris H.

 

[malcolm]

Yeah, the Bull Ring looks a lot nicer now.

I don't think that TG absolutely hate EVs. They are always on the lookout for the comedy angle in their shows and unfortunately, punishment cars like the G-Wiz lend themselves all too easily to that approach:

But a serious attempt like the Roadster will make them sit up and pay attention. And the Lotus angle is going to make any serious car buff take notice - not just the british ones.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Yeah, the Bull Ring looks a lot nicer now.

I don't think that TG absolutely hate EVs. They are always on the lookout for the comedy angle in their shows and unfortunately, punishment cars like the G-Wiz lend themselves all too easily to that approach:

But a serious attempt like the Roadster will make them sit up and pay attention. And the Lotus angle is going to make any serious car buff take notice - not just the british ones.

Lol, I'm well aware that it's comedy in both in their skits about "green" cars and about Americans, that's why it's fun to watch, so don't take my comment about "hate" too seriously. But the image they try to put out is that they are against green cars. It'll just be funny when the Tesla brings conflicting angles into the equation. On the one hand, it's "green" and American, on the other, it's a great sports car and has British/Lotus engineering.

 

[vfx]

I bet the Roadster mertits a comment about how such an amazing car can avoid the congestion charges they have to deal with downtown.