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2012 Tesla Model S [Image update]

08/20/2009, 5:09 PM

By Mark Kleis

Not wanting us to forget the Model S sedan revealed earlier this year, Tesla Motors has released a new series of photos showing the sleek four-door in motion. The car will rival other EVs, like the plug-in hybrid Fisker Karma, plus traditional luxury vehicles, like the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Model S will be Tesla’s second model, joining the Roadster sports car, with production slated for late 2011.

Tesla has yet to announce an official on-sale date for the Model S, but the sporty EV sedan will retail from $49,900 after a $7,500 tax credit when it finally rolls into dealerships. Tesla says Model S customers will be able to order the car with a 160-mile, 220-mile, or 300-mile battery pack. It’s not clear how the price will be affected by the range options.

As expected, the Model S is a rather dramatically styled four-door sedan. A sloping roofline gives it the appearance of a four-door coupe while the rear looks to have been influenced by the Jaguar XF. Designed by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla says the front end styling of the Model S will be the future face of the electric automaker. Short front and rear overhangs not only give the Model S a clean, sporting look, but also allow for the maximum interior volume. Large 21-inch wheels sit at all four corners, giving the Model S a truly planted look.

Inside, the Model S’ interior is highlighted by a 17-inch touch screen. The large screen controls all of the vehicle’s radio, navigation and HVAC functions, and is also highly customizable. The Model S comes packed with 3G wireless internet and HD satellite radio.

In keeping with the Model S’ green theme, Tesla uses chrome-free vegetable tanned Italian leather on interior, and 100 percent recycled PET carpeting from Futuris. The Model S also sports a panoramic roof for added style.

Tesla claims the Model S will have “more room than station wagons,” which seems to be proven by the sedan’s seating capacity for five adults, plus optional rear-facing seats for two small children in the cargo area.

But where the Model S really shines is in its performance. The electric sedan will be offered with a range of up to 300 miles, and a QuickCharge system taking only 45 minutes to top off the EV’s battery, given the correct electrical connection. For those looking for even faster fueling, the Model S’ battery can also be swapped out in just five minutes, making it compatible with Shai Agassi’s Better Place initiative. The Model S’ door handles even retract for improved aerodynamics, proving Tesla really has an eye for efficiency.

Despite its 3,825 pound curb weight and single-speed transmission, the Model S can make the sprint from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, crossing the quarter-mile stripe in 14 seconds flat. Give the Model S a longer track and it will top out at 120 mph.

The Model S’ stopping power is just as impressive as its acceleration, thanks to six-piston Brembos up front and four-pot calipers out back. The Model S can haul itself down from 60 to zero in just 135 feet. All-wheel drive will become available down the line, giving the Model S even more sure footedness.

Leftlane’s summary of the Model S unveiling

Venture Capitalist Steve Jurvetson’s ride inside:

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08/20, 5:12 PM

posted by:

Nightblack_97

Great car but unnecessary…
Give us more naturally aspirated direct injection 4 cylinders mated to dual clutch transmissions…. please!
Save the enviroment and make every day like an f1 race… just a little more relaxed

08/20, 5:19 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

This is really looking good, in my opinion. But does an EV need an air scoop that big?

08/20, 5:22 PM

posted by:

2WheeledSpeed

4 cylinders aren’t big enough for everything, plus F1 uses V8s (Small ones, but still).

08/20, 5:33 PM

posted by:

DenverGuy217

Sweet looking ride

Boy LLN is turning into TN – Tesla News today

08/20, 5:38 PM

posted by:

eff1Fifty

Looks better than the volt… and for not much of a price difference.

I wonder if this thing will have the fake exhaust notes

08/20, 6:08 PM

posted by:

xcatchmyshadowx

i wouldn´t say it´s got a highly innovative look or a very own personality but it is nice to look at.

08/20, 6:12 PM

posted by:

AutoCritical

Wow, to be honest its hotter than a Volt, but i guess you’re comparing a ‘peoples’ car with a ‘luxury’ car…but for similar prices?!

08/20, 6:14 PM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

I can’t help but think of a cheap asian car when I see this, Kind of like they sucker you in with it’s looks…then you realize its not that good!

08/20, 6:33 PM

posted by:

Donfuy

Not bad, but the front end looks like an amalgamation of Citroën’s and Mitsubishi’s own front ends (and ALMOST a maserati)

I really like the profile of it.

08/20, 6:40 PM

posted by:

Rafa LL

08/20, 6:41 PM

posted by:

Rafa LL

Last picture from the official Images album, that would be.

08/20, 6:41 PM

posted by:

carstuff

Good attempt by Tesla. Price is very reasonable for this type of vehicle. BIG question it will answer is if there is a large enough segment for a buyer that will live with 150 mile range. Probably is, but not the answer that will get 75% of the market.

08/20, 6:43 PM

posted by:

carstuff

Volt 400 mile range, $40k
Tesla 150 range $50k
Tesla 300 range $75k???

08/20, 7:57 PM

posted by:

scratchy

carstuff , but the Tesla has big turbos on that electric engine.

08/20, 8:14 PM

posted by:

gugy

I like it.
I think this car will be a success if they indeed overcame most of the hurdles to make this work really well. I hope they will

08/20, 8:36 PM

posted by:

F3INT))AP3X

I was at the Rolex Historic race at Laguna this last weekend and they had the Fisker Karma doing parade laps and had it on exhibition at a booth. Let me just say that although that car has great looks and decent performance I think it is going to be trumped by the Model S all day long. Tesla is already in the game meanwhile Fisker is just entering it and on looks alone the Model S wins as well.

08/20, 9:11 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

I know comparisons to the Volt are inevitable but they’re also irrelevant. The Volt will also be eligible for a tax credit so therefore the price gap will widen even more. When the Volt powertrain makes its way into a Cadillac then we’ll be comparing apples to apples.

08/20, 10:05 PM

posted by:

Pazzo Canguri

They day i buy a quite soundless electric or even hybrid car is going to be a cold day in hell and i will walk instead…..

08/20, 10:41 PM

posted by:

2.5Blk

the idea of a 300mile range and needing to find a plug still doesn’t appeal to me.

08/20, 11:35 PM

posted by:

orangecones

300 miles is about what i go between fill-ups anyway so the idea of having to plug in rather than fuel up is very appealing. Of course, 2nd city car. I’d still rather have a larger gas/diesel car for longer trips….at least until the battery swap locations are more available.

08/20, 11:38 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

This car will defintely take America in the Direction it needs to go. ALL ELECTRIC and 300 Mile range. The only thing once we all have our Electric cars that do 300 miles or better on a single charge. It won’t solve grid lock traffic, idiots that cut off and uncourteous drivers from doing the things that piss people off since the automobile was invented.

08/21, 12:22 AM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

idrinorbarsaku you sir are indeed a moron. we need more companies that innovate that run on something other than Black Gold ok. Get with the program. 300 miles on a charge ain’t good enough for you????
I be willing to bet that clunker you drive now never met a pump it did’nt like and won’t even get half the range of the Tesla S Sedan.! (ANd EVERY other Block your Jaloppy goes it Burns a Pungent but horribly smelly blue smoke that comes from its tail pipe polluting everywhere it and you go.

08/21, 12:41 AM

posted by:

Soravia

Electric motors, batteries, DC converters, controllers all make massive amount of heat. Yes a big air inlet is necessary for an electric car.
The battery swap idea is something that could use more support for local governments.

08/21, 1:10 AM

posted by:

ayrtonJ

Looks kind of like a Aston Martin Rapide.

08/21, 2:23 AM

posted by:

DetroitWatcher

I saw this car in the flesh a few weeks ago at the Art Center Classic… good looking, but kinda bland when compared to the Fisker Karma.

08/21, 8:51 AM

posted by:

Borat

I am not a fan of electric locomotion, but since we are on the subject, this is a very good looking smallish sedan. It was conceived and developed in less time then GM took to bring G8 to our shores (to kill in a year). It looks much better then Volt and costs basically the same. If GM is a symbol of our national degeneration, this is a symbol of what we really are: nation of thinkers and pioneers.

08/21, 9:29 AM

posted by:

AFSOCSARGE

Beautiful Vehicle one that I hope will be on the road soon. This vehicle with Hybrid, , Flex-Fuel, and Bio-Fuel should be part of a 10 Year Plan to get America off of Foreign Oil. Electric alone can not do it or sustain it.

-Sarge

08/21, 11:25 AM

posted by:

Need4SSpeed

“If GM is a symbol of our national degeneration, this is a symbol of what we really are: nation of thinkers and pioneers.”

…. right because companies like Ford and General Motors haven’t been pioneers in advancing automotive technology for the last century????

“It was conceived and developed in less time then GM took to bring G8 to our shores (to kill in a year)”

What year is it? Oh it’s 2009 so still 2 more years before this is even scheduled to be produced? I’m surprised you left out Ford taking forever to bring the Euro Spec Focus stateside…

I’ll kill myself before I drive an egg shaped Hybrid, but with how the Tesla Model S is priced, performs, and looks I could see myself driving an EV a lot sooner than I would have ever thought.

08/21, 12:39 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

Borat I like your thinking. :) I think when “The World” has become familiar with and tested to see of how good electric cars can be then we will be able to work on other more important problems like cancer, and exploring our solar system, Fusion energy and so on and so forth.
Sarge your another idiot. You want to hold the line where so retard statistian has said its not sustainable. It is indeed sustainable. Unless the Sun goes out tommorrow. The World can produce Electricity in abundance through Wind, Solar, and Water. And this does’nt even stretch the imagination in what other areas we can generate a whopping amount of cheap energy that everyone can tap into and then we concentrate on other problems.

08/21, 12:40 PM

posted by:

RaineMan

The vehicle would perform even better, ride more comfortably, and get better range if those rims were something reasonable like 18’s.

08/21, 12:53 PM

posted by:

Stix

I could care less if the Model S gets some of its’ styling cues from Citroen or Jaguar, that doesn’t change the fact that the Model S looks miles and miles better than the Chevy Volt, which looks like a bloated pig to begin with.

Yes, you cannot compare the Model S to the Volt as they both have different power trains. But it really doesn’t matter, because the Model S looks to be a good example of setting a long-term solution for future trends. The Volt can only accomplish so much right now, until people start running into some unintended consequences with the Volt, and GM would have to start seriously competing in the BEV market.

08/21, 1:24 PM

posted by:

Borat

For the past 25 years GM & Ford have little to write about. Hummers, Expeditions with Excursions are not exactly pinnacles of automotive brilliance. Excess perhaps. innovation hardly. Not to mention a little blemish on corporate history like bankruptcy and devastation to all investors. At the moment GM is functioning only due to taxes collected from the rest of us. Not that Ford in much better shape. Ford have not produced a decent car for US market in 10 years and owes to creditors almost 150 billion dollars. I wonder when fat lady will cry for them.
Tesla started life less the 10 years ago. Like any start up it was violent beginning (founder and original CEO suing current management), but company already has one car on the road and selling ahead of schedule and there is the second model ready for production. At current structure at GM (which is basically the same as in pre-bankruptcy days) we are talking millenniums.
Perhaps something happened in the past 50 years that affected domestics, they were leaders and visionaries from beginning of the century till 60’s, lets face the music – it is not the same now.

08/21, 4:59 PM

posted by:

IIL

Lovely car!!!

08/21, 6:18 PM

posted by:

AFSOCSARGE

Bankruptcy2009
Thanks for the insult you insipid Drone, like all simple minded idiots you are the Poster Child !
There is no 1 Golden Bullet and a Multi Prong attack on Energy Dependency is the rational and practical approach since there currently are no Solar Power Plants now or will be under construction anytime soon. You are an Ass Clown Period, I never stated anything negative about Electric Vehicles Dumb Ass ! The American Power Grid is over 100 years old and flooding it with electric vehicles would totally destroy it fool !

-Sarge

08/21, 6:58 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

Sarge, don’t worry about the grid. We won’t see one million EVs on the US roads for at least 10 years, and if we did, when compared to the 240 million cars currently on the road, 1 million EVs is nothing. Not only that, EV isn’t going to solve our oil dependency problem for a long time, because there just aren’t going to be enough of them to make a difference.

With that said, I want an EV. But I don’t want one because it’s going to save the planet or anything. I want one because they look like a nice car, and because it will solve MY oil dependency problem and allow me to “fill up” in my sleep. I do hope some of these guys can keep the prices down, though.

08/21, 7:09 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

The interior is really cool on this thing. My biggest concern is all the backlit LED stuff aiming at the driver. I wonder how California will take that.

Tesla really did a nice job with this one. If I could afford it, I’d definitely buy it.

08/21, 9:53 PM

posted by:

AFSOCSARGE

beatusmongous
Thanks I Agree 100% with you !

-Sarge

08/21, 11:59 PM

posted by:

A4

Am i the only one that is baffled by the fact that you can get rearward facing seats in the trunk of that thing?

08/22, 12:12 AM

posted by:

A4

It’s sad that Bankruptcy calls everyone an idiot and yet he continues to have some of the most uneducated and baffling comments on here, all While Capitalizing random Words in sentences.

08/22, 10:24 PM

posted by:

Borat

I just noticed the rear seat. it is cool. I recall similar seats on Citroen Estate in 80’s. At a time I thought that there is no way a typical family of 3 (daddy and mommy achieving 300 lbs) could fit into the car with child between them. The same applies to Tesla S.

08/24, 1:26 AM

posted by:

beatusmongous

I’m just curious: Is “Model S” a bit of a jab at the Model T from Ford?

02/01, 1:39 PM

posted by:

JaSt

This is the first electric car that I’d drive and be proud of. Though I don’t like the gigantic touchscreen because it unnecessarily drains the battery and it will blind you at night.

 
 
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