Right a bit more detail...
VP04 was out on track twice. We missed the first run up the hill as it seemed to start a bit early, but arrived trackside to see it return back to the paddock. VP18 was at the FoSTech stand, an area highlighting new technology (various hybrid, electric and hydrogen cars were there).
I chatted with the guys looking after VP04 and VP18 for a while, covering the following:
- 29 cars are built and/or on their way to the US.
- VP18 will be getting drivetrain 1.5 next week. They are definitely expecting deliveries for this in September.
- DT 1.5 is getting 320bhp on the dyno, as reported someplace elsewhere recently.
- Now that the production logjam is broken, expect Model S announcements imminently.
- The guys from Hethel are driving regularly to the
Mira Proving Ground and having 80 miles left in the "tank". That's a fairly fast and twisty 145 mile cross-country route that is good for "spirited driving". When I asked whether left hand drive was a problem, I was told it doesn't matter - you are past the vehicle being overtaken before you know you pressed the accelerator :)
- A right hand drive car will come, again now they have time to think about these things. Expect it "about 2010".
- This may be a personal wish from the guys there, but once the main work on Model S is done, they hinted at a track car and maybe a race series. The adjacent
Lotus 2-Eleven was gestured at as an example. It's clear they are thinking about motor thermal management issues for such a vehicle - but then that has been discussed in the past too. (Note to ABG et al, this is not newsworthy)
- We talked about the announcement with Mercedes. I asked if the rumour that it was for ESS supply had any truth and got a "no smoke without fire" type response. Then we talked about ESS for Model S (whether it would be different) and I asked about a flat variant. I said "of course if the rumours on the german deal are true, you will definitely need a flat ESS". I got a wry smile ;)
Sitting in VP18, I was pleasantly surprised by the fit and trim quality (I drive a 2002 Audi S3 for comparison - i.e. a fairly high standard to compare to in this department). VP04 was clearly more of an engineering car in terms of the build, but VP18 bodes well for production cars IMHO.
Some other news for TV fans: Apparently, Top Gear have been approached for a road test, but they replied with "it doesn't fit our brand" (n.b. that is a comment from Top Gear, not Tesla - e.g. Top Gear's anti-EV, pro-oil stance hits again). This is being worked on (maybe they are making progress with
Richard Hammond). However,
Vicki Butler-Henderson got a ride up the hill and was so impressed she was hanging round the car for 4 hours looking at every detail. No word on if she signed up to the waiting list, but this looks good for a review on
5th Gear at some point. (We know she also liked the Smart EV.) Vicki has been a long time owner of a Honda S2000, so we know she likes her sports cars, but she also seems to be able to generally review cars on their merits rather than some clouded view.
By the Opel E-Flex stand, there was a sign explaining that 75% of European commutes are under 40 miles and that the car would be able to do that without the ICE running. Nevertheless I still heard "So it goes 40 miles and then the engine kicks in anyway - what the f**k's the point in that?". I had to resist the temptation to turn around and say "duh". I also heard a comment by the Honda CR-Z of "That's awesome... Oh my god it's a hybrid" [walks away]. It's clear there is still some way to go to educate certain members of the public :/
Finally - apologies but I did not get as many "proper camera" shots as I liked, as it's owner decided to be in a mood... I will ensure I have my own SLR before the London Motor Show :)
Tesla at Goodwood Festival of Speed
(This wasn't usually being allowed).
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