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Tesla Model S Outperforms Aston Martin
- etler 13y agoI am not a car guy, but the Tesla cars regularly give me goosebumps.
- eksith 13y agoDitto. It's a bit beyond my budget too, but this and the Model-X are really the top picks for my parking space.
- gilesvangruisen 13y agoImpressive as Rapide is both lighter in weight and more powerful than the Model S (470bhp vs. 416bhp). Both cars have the same amount of torque. (443 lb-ft)
- eliben 13y agoThis is because you're comparing maximum torque. The actual graph is likely unlinear and this is where the Tesla is winning.
- mpyne 13y agoIndeed if there's one thing electric motors in general do very well, it's to produce lots of torque at a much wider range of speed than an ICE.
- toomuchtodo 13y agoCorrect. An electric motor can output its full amount of torque from 0 RPMs; this is where an ICE falls down (and hence, the need for an expensive transmission).
- sliverstorm 13y agoThe Tesla probably also didn't have to shift. You can hear the Aston had to shift at least once.
- gilesvangruisen 13y agoAh I see; that makes sense. I don't know much about mechanics. I just like pretty cars.
- eliben 13y agoThe difference in price between fully charging / fueling is particularly striking. I wonder what this means wrt. electric cars and the environment? What would our emissions look like if all cars were magically electrical tomorrow?
- alexcroox 13y ago£4.50 for 260~ miles is very exciting! Really hope they make an affordable version soon, and the UK gets geared up for these (although with a range of 260 miles it could be easily charged from home overnight)
- at-fates-hands 13y agoProbably worse: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html "Electricity is a significant source of energy in the United States and is used to power homes, business, and industry. The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the nation, accounting for about 38% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 32% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2011. The type of fossil fuel used to generate electricity will emit different amounts of CO2. To produce a given amount of electricity, burning coal will produce more CO2 than oil or natural gas." A lot of people don't realize the amount of CO2 that electricity produces. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexepstein/2013/08/21/with-the-tesla-model-s-elon-musk-has-created-a-nice-fossil-fuel-car/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexepstein/2013/08/21/with-the-... "The Tesla’s state-of-the-art materials, particularly that $30,000 battery, take a massive amount of energy to build–and that energy comes from fossil fuels, particularly coal. In fact, some studies argue that the Tesla battery takes so much fossil fuel energy to make that the car over its lifetime emits more CO2 than a gasoline-powered car."
- chc 13y agoThe first link doesn't seem all that relevant (you're citing one number tangentially related to the issue at hand and acting like that constitutes a comparison — surely that would require at least two numbers, if not more). The second link is a propaganda piece on a guy's blog.
- ianstallings 13y agoPerformance is all well and good but the cost of an aston martin is for fit and finish in all aspects. Notice the panel gaps on the Tesla versus the Aston Martin. Notice how the interior looks a little clunky on the Tesla S versus the hand crafted interior on the AM. Car companies spend decades accounting for fit and finish and Aston Martin had major issues with it in the past. Tesla owners know that their cars are essentially still in beta and allow such things. But eventually that needs to change. And I'm sure it will. It just takes time and $. Don't get me wrong, I believe Tesla is an incredible company and doing something awesome. But there's more to a car than just performance specs.
- umsm 13y agoIt's so hard to judge things like this from a low-res video. You need to be in it and actually drive it to judge. That being said, the reviewer mentions that the interior and exterior is on the same level as the AM, yet the AM feels dated.
- etler 13y agoThey mention that in the video. He says "It isn't meant to compete with a car like the aston to be honest, on any level. We just wanted to show how fast it is in a straight line".
- dfrey 13y agoIt would have been interesting to see how the model S compared to the Aston Martin around a track. Everyone already knows that electric cars accelerate quickly in a straight line.
- ajross 13y agoUnquantifiable qualia are always the last refuge of arguments like this. I guess a "panel gap" can be measured, but I can't even begin to understand how "clunky" and "hand crafted" are defined (or why they should be in opposition for that matter). All that stuff is fine, I guess. There will always be luxury markets, and that's where the Rapide is aimed, and I'm sure the purchasers like them just fine. But that's not where Tesla is aimed. I think there was a Matthew Yglesias post a few days back about exactly this: look at Tesla's stock price. They're looking to be another GM or Toyota or Daimler, not just another spit-and-polish luxury vendor (or Ford subsidiary in this case, I believe). The real point here is that there's an existing market for performance sedans, performance is something that can be measured objectively, and Tesla's offering competes very well.
- vwinsyee 13y agoI had to enable "Brightcove" in Ghostery in order to see the video. Hope this helps anyone potentially confused.
- MSM 13y agoI really hate these comparisons. What is the Model S trying to be? A luxury car? A sports car? A trip vehicle? Every article I read compares the Model S to some abhorrently expensive vehicle that does some specific thing poorly in comparison to Model S. I'd be much more interested in reading a top to bottom comparison between the Model S and a similar car. Do it with a BMW M3 or something, a reasonably priced luxury car that still tries to tailor to the sporty crowd. The Rapide is a $150k car that is outperformed by a $25k Ford Mustang. No one has ever gone into the draft room and thought to themselves "If only I could design a vehicle that cost less to produce than the Rapide AND was sportier!". Outperforming it is not an achievement.
- bhauer 13y agoOn the other hand, most of us already know how the Model S compares to its more natural rivals. The Internet is flush with information including such straight-forward comparisons. I actually revel in wildcard comparisons that demonstrate just how remarkable the Model S is. And let's not overlook the obvious: they are both upscale sedans with a penchant for spirited driving. This isn't a sedan vs coupe or sedan vs pickup truck comparison. It is actually conceivable that a Rapide buyer would cross-shop a Model S because of the unique cache of the Model S, and much less conceivable they would cross-shop a Mustang.
- Shivetya 13y agoAt the price point of all these cars they damn well be better amazing. Honestly I could care less about how great cars that cost as much as some homes do. For pete's sake we are talking about cars that cost upwards if not more than 100,000. Now, when Tesla starts slogging it out in the 30 to 40k range write me, until then they are just skimming off the crowd that with excess money who expect the same in their cars. Hats off to their accomplishment, but maintaining quality and luxury at that price range is baked into the price.
- jlgreco 13y agoYou only get up to around 100k if you are getting the high-end versions... The Roadster was the 100k+ one.
- joshdance 13y agoAnd my desire to buy a Tesla when I can, only increases.
- moocowduckquack 13y agoSo next they need to film them chasing each other in a Bond movie and stick lasers on the wheels, or something, and have lots of explosions. That's how you sell high end cars, right?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- user2 13y agoElon, take my money.
- wahsd 13y agoSomething that came to my mind is that the whole German economy, and Japanese for that matter, is in for some seriously choppy waters ahead. I think the Japanese are far more ahead than the Germans, but when you consider just how much of the German economy is dependent on combustion engine driven vehicles there have got to be some seriously anxious people in Germany right now. Worse yet for them if they are not anxious as heck.
- cashmonkey85 13y agoNot only are electric now superior cars but the restrictions on ICE are getting stricter and stricter to limit their damage.
- outside1234 13y agoYou mean like at Toyota, which has the most popular hybrid in the United States? Honestly, its Detroit that should be dead scared, the Volt is a piece of crap, and I don't see anything Hybrid that's interesting.
- post_break 13y agoI'd like to hear how the Volt is a piece of crap.
- nickv 13y agoWhy do you say the Volt is a piece of crap? You ever drove in one? I actually really enjoyed it when I had one on loan for three days.
- deusebio 13y agoNo one buys an Aston just for the performance. It gets killed in almost every category. It's much more of an emotional connection than anything else. I love them, but know there are countless other cars that can destroy it (911, GTR, etc, etc).
- beachstartup 13y agopossibly the most amazing thing about the tesla is it turns computer-guys into car-guys.
- logicalmind 13y agoI know you're kind of generalizing here, but I've been a computer guy and a car guy for decades. I've been in numerous car clubs for the vehicles I've owned and raced. I think you'd be surprised how many car guys are in the computer industry in one way or another. Most modern fuel injected cars have custom programmable computers that allow the competent programmer to get every last bit of performance out of their cars.
- beachstartup 13y agowhat i'm saying is people who never "got it" when it comes to cars are now doing so, because of the S. i've heard numerous people (i live in LA) and seen numerous comments on the internet say that now they "get it" - that is - they "get" why people would be "into" cars. like it was a huge mystery before, why someone would be passionate about automobiles. it's mind blowing. how can you not "get" why people are into cars (even if you yourself aren't into cars?)... like, i understand perfectly well why people are "into" things that i'm not.
- realrocker 13y agoTesla Model S is revolutionary in the sense that it's very ordinary. Everything in there has been done before. Once it becomes a popular choice, Tesla can make down-graded release of the same technologies at even cheaper prices. The average drive range in Asian cities is a lot shorter than in the US. Think of the possibilities! If only Tesla manufactured auto-rickshaws which is popular in cities like Bangalore. We would have green, silent and "cool" mobility. We would be still stuck in traffic jams but hell, it would be a walk in the park compared to now.
- sliverstorm 13y agoTesla Model S is revolutionary in the sense that it's very ordinary Of course, take heed from the Insight and Prius of the late 90's vs. the Prius of the 2000's. You have to hit just the right mark of ordinary but not too ordinary- if it is too weird, people won't buy, but if it's too normal nobody will notice how progressive and smart and cool you are for buying it.
- hop 13y agoElon had a Mclaren F1 as a daily driver after he sold PayPal, so I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with a supercar down the road as their tech evolves and batteries get denser. Ultra low center of gravity, flatter torque curve with no transmission, order of magnitude less parts than a Ferrari engine... They could murder it on the very top and low end of the market.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- CamperBob2 13y agoPlease do not link to auto-playing video pages without indicating that you are doing so in the headline.
- ballard 13y agoTop Gear UK declared Aston Martins uncool, so comparing anything to them (without making fun of them) would make the comparee seem less cool. So the article seems more like a backhanded compliment.
- bcaulf 13y agoAutocar.uk is an enthusiast news and review site. They are careful about their reviews and it means a lot that Sutcliffe is so excited after driving the Model S. He was a professional racer. Autocar have tremendous integrity and independence unlike many US car mags which ritually praise US models for no reason other than their origin. But Autocar also do comparisons that don't really mean much, like a track race between an SUV and a trackday special. The rolling start race with the Aston isn't meant to signify anything other than the real world result of the huge torque in an all electric. When the Model S ships in the UK their review will be a must read. This is just a little fun.
- codex_irl 13y agoI enjoy reading about the progress Tesla is making, but I will not consider buying any electric car until the price is < $30k and I can at least drive from the bay area to Tahoe and back for a ski weekend on a single charge.
- ntaylor 13y agoYou'd need a pretty big tank to do that using a gas-operated vehicle; it's around 400 miles. My Accord V6 gets 250-300 miles on a tank, the Model S gets around 265.
- redler 13y agoOne key difference is how low you'd be willing to let your remaining range drop. You probably wouldn't feel much fear driving around with 40 estimated miles left in the Accord. But I imagine 40 miles left in a Tesla might cause a little anxiety. The same-numbered range of a gasoline-powered vehicle is lengthened by the high confidence of being able to refuel within a few miles.
- redact207 13y agoThe car's not perfect, but it is a massive turning point in automotive history. Electric cars have fumbled at the hands of traditional car manufacturers who have just tried to swap out the engine and think that's it. Tesla has not only completely redesigned the car from the ground up, it's also had to jump start the supporting infrastructure with its super charger network. That's a huge but necessary undertaking to make it a viable alternative to traditional cars with their vast network of petrol stations. These comparisons between expensive performance cars are fun but they're only done for entertainment value. Ultimately this car is changing the industry and the fundamentals to how automotive transport is designed and serviced. If ever there was a collectors car, decades into the future this will be it.
- vpeters25 13y ago> Electric cars have fumbled at the hands of traditional car manufacturers who have just tried to swap out the engine and think that's it. Actually if car manufacturers take an existing, good looking car and swap the engine with a battery bank it would be something I would be interested in driving. But instead they somehow make their hybrids and EVs as ugly as possible.
- Cyph0n 13y agoFor those who also found the custom video player annoying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUW0l7bZn1s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUW0l7bZn1s
- scotty79 13y agoNext Bond car?
- jpkeisala 13y agoWhy Tesla is so good when pretty much every other electric car has been reviewed bad and impractical?
- petercooper 13y agoTechnology is really allowing unexpected results in car tests lately. One of my recent favorites was AutoExpress's Mercedes A45 vs CLS63 drag race where the A45 won decisively despite being a mere 2 liter 4 cylinder vs a 5.5 liter V8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPzCbTNpPWg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPzCbTNpPWg (and I know which one I'll be buying next)