First full UK road test of Model S with hi-res page scans

PV4EV · Sep 14, 2013

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Below are scans of the first full road test of a Model S, reproduced with written permission of the editor of Autocar | First for car news and car reviews

(The Autocar article reproduced below is not available online in the same layout/format.)

The car gets a great overall score, but some of the performance figures seem way off the mark compared to numerous other road tests.

For example, Autocar recorded a 0-100mph of 'only' 11.7seconds, which is considerably slower than the 9.5 seconds that Motortrend recorded. Also, the standing quarter was only 13.4s at 105mph, whereas Motortrend measured a whole second less at 12.4s and 112.5mph which would feel noticeably faster in the real world.

Its almost as if they tested a standard 85kwh car and someone's stuck a chromed '+' on the rear. None the less, an overall score of 4.5 / 5 is very good indeed.

The Motortrend figures can be found here :-
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1301_2013_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_tesla_model_s/viewall.html

dsm363 · Sep 14, 2013

Nice review. It does say to avoid the pano roof as 'it eats up headroom' though.

katysplus · Sep 14, 2013

Thanks for scanning. Just a quick read-through the highlights and noticed a few things (not obvious to me, but may be to others):
- full LED headlights an option
- folding side mirrors an option
- they think the 19" wheels and non-performance plus suspension may be the better all-around package (instead of a heavy saloon trying it's best to be a sports car and falling short)
- this UK test car (called a "prototype" which is probably wrong) seems to be getting 4.6 0-60, just like the other UK mag tested -- regular drivers over here can repeat 3.9s w/ a VBox on the street

Still a glowing review for the Model S -- it's clear that there is nothing else like it on the road.

sp4rk · Sep 14, 2013

More misinformation ... US electrical specs ... 110V provides 30 miles per hour recharging? Really?

arg · Sep 14, 2013

"Folding door mirrors are another option, though they will come as standard on Signature models"

Do they know something we don't, or is this an error (actually, quite a few minor errors in there, though they seem to have the main stuff right)?

Also a mention of LED hedlamps as an option.

wormhole · Sep 14, 2013

Confused about 2 things:

1. 0-60 time of 4.7 versus just about every other review that claims 3.9-4.2
2. Inability to complete single dry circuit lap because car entered 'safe mode' due possibly to overheating. Never read about this ever before.

texex91 · Sep 14, 2013

Great to see it on top again.

0-60 in 4.7--I don't think so (they were testing a +)...more like 3.7.

JGard · Sep 14, 2013

arg said:
"Folding door mirrors are another option, though they will come as standard on Signature models"

Do they know something we don't, or is this an error (actually, quite a few minor errors in there, though they seem to have the main stuff right)?

Also a mention of LED hedlamps as an option.

Wouldn't surprise me if the folding mirrors are true, lots of other countries require those, unlike the US. My rental Corrolla in Australia this past winter had power folding mirrors, whereas higher-end Toyotas don't even have that as an add-on option.

dsm363 · Sep 14, 2013

PV4EV: Can you point out the errors in the article to the editor? Maybe it can be corrected for the online version.

Denarius · Sep 14, 2013

They also say there are no cup holders in the front...

TommyBoy · Sep 14, 2013

sp4rk said:
More misinformation ... US electrical specs ... 110V provides 30 miles per hour recharging? Really?

And double that with 240V!

brianman · Sep 15, 2013

PV4EV said:
For example, Autocar recorded a 0-100mph of 'only' 11.7seconds, which is considerably slower than the 9.5 seconds that Motortrend recorded. Also, the standing quarter was only 13.4s at 105mph, whereas Motortrend measured a whole second less at 12.4s and 112.5mph which would feel noticeably faster in the real world.

Its almost as if they tested a standard 85kwh car and someone's stuck a chromed '+' on the rear. None the less, an overall score of 4.5 / 5 is very good indeed.

They have to drive slower because they are on the wrong side of the road and have to look out for potential oncoming traffic.

spentan · Sep 15, 2013

wormhole said:
Confused about 2 things:

1. 0-60 time of 4.7 versus just about every other review that claims 3.9-4.2
2. Inability to complete single dry circuit lap because car entered 'safe mode' due possibly to overheating. Never read about this ever before.

The only time I'd heard this was when Top Gear took the Roadster out. Its not like UK is hot, so I have no idea why this is a common trend.

Denarius said:
They also say there are no cup holders in the front...

lol, have they been removed for the UK version or something?

brianman said:
They have to drive slower because they are on the wrong side of the road and have to look out for potential oncoming traffic.

lol, hopefully don't have that problem here in Australia either

Denarius · Sep 15, 2013

spentan said:
lol, have they been removed for the UK version

The cup holders are clearly visible in the article... Just shoddy reporting.

arg · Sep 16, 2013

wormhole said:
Confused about 2 things:

2. Inability to complete single dry circuit lap because car entered 'safe mode' due possibly to overheating. Never read about this ever before.

Actually, this is well known and there have been a number of threads on TMC discussing it - this is the first one I remember: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/10986-Model-S-vs-Roadster-on-the-Track?p=209391&viewfull=1#post209391.

There was also an EV track event somewhere (can't immediately find the thread) where Tesla 'works' entries appeared to have this limit overridden...

brianman · Sep 16, 2013

arg said:
There was also an EV track event somewhere (can't immediately find the thread) where Tesla 'works' entries appeared to have this limit overridden...

You're probably thinking of Laguna Seca ReFUEL.

arg · Sep 16, 2013

brianman said:
You're probably thinking of Laguna Seca ReFUEL.

Ah, yes - thanks.

Thread is here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/13097-REFUEL-2013-June-30th-2013?p=378227&viewfull=1#post378227 (and link to previous year's thread in the first page of that one).

Not actually a clear report of what was going on, but both years Tesla works cars were alleged to have avoided the power limit.

Mark77a · Sep 16, 2013

Hey PV4EV Thanks for scanning,
Model S gives some real choices
... are you trading in Roadster ?

Realist · Sep 16, 2013

The acceleration times in UK and EU magazines are tested with 2 persons in the car. So therefore the results are slower than US tests most of the time.

The data on the Model S is interesting. The car is very fast up to 100 mph. With 3,7s from 30-70 mph it’s in M5 and Panamera turbo league. Impressive. Still, the performance drops off sharply above 100 mph. From there to 125 it takes app. 10s. That’s about as fast as a 300hp AUDI A6 TDI. All in all still really fast stuff.

The handling results however are nothing to cheer about.

GSP · Sep 16, 2013

Realist said:
The acceleration times in UK and EU magazines are tested with 2 persons in the car. So therefore the results are slower than US tests most of the time.

Very interesting. I did not know this, despite decades of reading car magazines from the US and also occasionally from the UK. Thanks.

GSP

First full UK road test of Model S with hi-res page scans

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