Its’ Electric
By: Two for the Road USA
Bill: The folks at Tesla call the Roadster Sport “the game-changer” that offers supercar performance with zero emissions, world-class acceleration, handling and a very edgy design that places the Roadster amongst the world’s most coveted sports cars. After having the opportunity to spend just a bit of time behind the wheel of one, I’m inclined to agree. The electric motor and single-speed transmission generate nearly 295 lb-ft of instant torque and 288 horsepower at zero rpm. This car will set you back in your seat and keep you there. It is an amazing experience.
Cathy: First let me tell you about how it looks. The one we tested was red as seen on our website.
It was the perfect fit for my 5’2 height and somewhat proportioned weight. The best part is that it doesn’t look like a car in Toy Story 3 and doesn’t feel like a toy car once settled in the cockpit. The Tesla only weights 2,200 pounds. Unlike other green cars that look a little awkward, the Tesla gives you a sense of speed and sport yet elegant and safe.
Bill: The Tesla Roadster explodes from 0-60 in a mind numbing 3.7 seconds with zero emissions, doesn’t use a drop of gasoline and has a range near 250 miles on a charge. That number puts the Tesla Roadster in the same performance category as the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and the Porsche Carrera GT and even the exotic Pagani Zonda C12S, all cars that cost much more than the Roadster Sport which starts around $129,000. The only thing missing from the Tesla is the roar of a screaming engine however; you do get the jet-like whine of the electric motor which is actually pretty cool. This car has a huge fun quotient.
Cathy: I disagree with Bill, there was plenty of screaming when I pulled out of my driveway and hit the gas pedal down my street. Once I got to the open road the screaming was even louder, like me on a roller coaster. Bill likes a certain kind of roar and I like the inner Zen that this car produced.Bill: The Tesla is hand-built with carbon fiber with a monocoque chassis built with resin-bonded and riveted extruded aluminum that adds rigidity and strength to the lightweight Roadster. Inside the cabin there’s no more waiting for the engine to warm up because the moment you start the Tesla, temperatures adjust to your settings to keep you comfortable.
Cathy: When speaking to our fellow Press Association member Ron Will, who was a designer of the corvettes in the good ole days explained what Behavioral Design was. It has to do with the way a thing performs its function. Is it easy to operate? Is there good feedback? Does it fell like an extension of your own senses? These are the considerations he said that designers consider when they address the behavioral aspects of a product. If the product doesn’t work well, people will catch on and not want to own it. Well the Tesla passes the Behavioral Design test for me…
Bill: What I found most fascinating about the Tesla was the performance and handling it provides with zero emissions. If you’re looking for the absolute best of all possible worlds in a performance Roadster, I don’t know how you can miss with the Tesla. Cathy and Bill: There is a whole lot more to Tesla then we can talk about here but we will say, if you’re looking for an exhilarating Roadster for special events or as a daily driver, you need to check out the Tesla Roadster Sport. They’ve sold some 1500 world wide and they’re not building many of them so if you’re interested, you may want to check one out sooner rather than later.
Tesla plans on coming out with a sedan and a SUV. We can hardly wait.
1.888.51. Tesla
www.teslamotors.com
