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As a car nut that has spent time on a race track (exhibit a: http://flickr.com/photos/pauls/sets/72157594286920410/ http://flickr.com/photos/pauls/sets/72157594

As a car nut that has spent time on a race track (exhibit a: http://flickr.com/photos/pauls/sets/72157594286920410/ http://flickr.com/photos/pauls/sets/72157594286920410/ ) in various sports cars, I see a strong dichotomy between Tesla owners/gawkers and real car guys. Yeah the Tesla accelerates faster than most people will have ever experienced before and it's neat with its whole 1 gear thing, instant torque and of course being all electric. But it will be the laughing stock of any track day. First off, as Wil pointed out, it doesn't like staying at 100mph+ for very long. That naturally makes it not a track friendly car. It will get passed up easily on the straightaways at some tracks (ex you can hit 140+ on the back straight at Road Atlanta). And the brakes will get roasted and it will run out of battery after just a few sessions. Not to mention that there's no fun in driving a car and not shifting gears and toying with the clutch, and of course being deafened by the loud sound of a free flowing V-8,10,12,whathaveyou Okay, just my little rant. In summary the Tesla is not a car guy's car, it's a SV show-off car.

iigs 18y ago
I agree that it's not going to hang with a lot of normal gasoline cars, but considering how far electric cars have come in such a short time (momentarily exclude the fact that there were electric cars in the early 1900s that were an evolutionary dead end), I think that may change before too long. Also, I believe that monkeying with a manual clutch is a misfeature (witness twin clutch type sequential manuals) and that loud engines are also just a matter of opinion, or only so popular because of the fast cars they represent, not the other way around. I think if/when electric cars are the fastest thing around there will be a lot of car guys who want nothing to do with the current side-effect of performance. (Also, big ups for track time. I haven't worked up the courage to get out there with mine yet.)
nazgulnarsil 18y ago
you don't have to be a track guy to be a car guy. some people genuinely enjoy cars that are terrible track performers.
DabAsteroid 18y ago
Yeah ... it's neat with its whole 1 gear thing, instant torque ...The same as a Corvette ZR1 (and also the same price) in third gear. http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92125 http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9212... 2009 ZR1 . Max rpm 6500 . Tire Dia 26.4 . Tire Circumference 6.9115' . Rear End 3.42 Gear Ratios Max speed(mph) 1 2.29 65.2 2 1.61 92.7 3 1.21 123.4 4 1.00 149.3 5 0.81 184.3 6 0.67 222.8
- PStamatiou 18y ago
  I could have given a massive list of examples of cars faster than the Tesla but figured "most people" covered me there. I was at NAIAS 2008 during press week and watched Jeff Gordon unveil the ZR1 at GM Style. pics elsewhere on my flickr account.
  - DabAsteroid 18y ago
    I was referring to the Tesla's wide torqueband -- "its whole 1 gear thing". It is not an exclusive feature. A ZR1 can also be driven in 1 gear only and still achieve both 0-60 in 4 seconds and a top speed over 100 mph.
whatusername 18y ago
"No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame." --- Just because it doesn't have the features you expect - doesn't mean it's not a killer product. It's the first car they've ever built! Do you honestly think there will never be an electric track ready car? Surely this a pretty damn impressive first step. As has been noted by others - the clutch is a misfeature - it's fun (I only drive manuals) - but I don't see it as being essential for the Tesla. And as for the noise - agree but also disagree - a big engine sounds awesome - but honestly - the important thing about a car is how it drives - not how it sounds.. It's going to take a few years for that to happen - but it will.

iigs 18y ago

I agree that it's not going to hang with a lot of normal gasoline cars, but considering how far electric cars have come in such a short time (momentarily exclude the fact that there were electric cars in the early 1900s that were an evolutionary dead end), I think that may change before too long. Also, I believe that monkeying with a manual clutch is a misfeature (witness twin clutch type sequential manuals) and that loud engines are also just a matter of opinion, or only so popular because of the fast cars they represent, not the other way around. I think if/when electric cars are the fastest thing around there will be a lot of car guys who want nothing to do with the current side-effect of performance. (Also, big ups for track time. I haven't worked up the courage to get out there with mine yet.)

nazgulnarsil 18y ago

you don't have to be a track guy to be a car guy. some people genuinely enjoy cars that are terrible track performers.

DabAsteroid 18y ago

Yeah ... it's neat with its whole 1 gear thing, instant torque ...The same as a Corvette ZR1 (and also the same price) in third gear. http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92125 http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9212... 2009 ZR1 . Max rpm 6500 . Tire Dia 26.4 . Tire Circumference 6.9115' . Rear End 3.42 Gear Ratios Max speed(mph) 1 2.29 65.2 2 1.61 92.7 3 1.21 123.4 4 1.00 149.3 5 0.81 184.3 6 0.67 222.8

PStamatiou 18y ago
I could have given a massive list of examples of cars faster than the Tesla but figured "most people" covered me there. I was at NAIAS 2008 during press week and watched Jeff Gordon unveil the ZR1 at GM Style. pics elsewhere on my flickr account.
- DabAsteroid 18y ago
  I was referring to the Tesla's wide torqueband -- "its whole 1 gear thing". It is not an exclusive feature. A ZR1 can also be driven in 1 gear only and still achieve both 0-60 in 4 seconds and a top speed over 100 mph.

whatusername 18y ago

"No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame." --- Just because it doesn't have the features you expect - doesn't mean it's not a killer product. It's the first car they've ever built! Do you honestly think there will never be an electric track ready car? Surely this a pretty damn impressive first step. As has been noted by others - the clutch is a misfeature - it's fun (I only drive manuals) - but I don't see it as being essential for the Tesla. And as for the noise - agree but also disagree - a big engine sounds awesome - but honestly - the important thing about a car is how it drives - not how it sounds.. It's going to take a few years for that to happen - but it will.