Model S First Drive Reviews

[SoCalGuy]

Anyone have an idea when the media folks will get to drive the cars? I remember with the Karma, the media got test drives well before the customers (and months before the first deliveries!).

[W.Petefish]

To do a proper review it'll take a month or two. But I suspect that we'll see reviews fairly soon after the 6/23,24 event.

[strider]

I thought there was speculation that TM was going to do a press event along with the Founders deliveries on Friday. Not an extended test but may let the journalists take it on the test drive run or perhaps even the test track.

[Citizen-T]

I thought there was speculation that TM was going to do a press event along with the Founders deliveries on Friday. Not an extended test but may let the journalists take it on the test drive run or perhaps even the test track.

Yes. Sounded like the press is getting 10 min test drives. Much like the test rides they got before the Oct 2 Beta event last year.

[NigelM]

Jalopnik was particularly ticked off - I gather they weren't invited - and very scathing about other reviewers accepting 10 minute rides.

[Lyon]

Jalopnik was particularly ticked off - I gather they weren't invited - and very scathing about other reviewers accepting 10 minute rides.

I thought that Model S was vaporware? Why would Jalopnik even want to waste their time reviewing something they've already passed judgement on? Moreover, why would Tesla want to give them the opportunity to bash the car more. Jalopnik claims to be highly objective but this anti-Tesla vendetta makes that kind of hard to believe.

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Jalopnik was particularly ticked off - I gather they weren't invited - and very scathing about other reviewers accepting 10 minute rides.

Name a "flimsy milksop who passes himself off as a reporter". Who is "Matt Hardigree"?!

[strangethingintheland]

Anyone have an idea when the media folks will get to drive the cars? I remember with the Karma, the media got test drives well before the customers (and months before the first deliveries!).

The Slate article states this Friday reviewers will be able to drive the car for more than 10 minutes.

Here's the relevant claim by Will Oremus of Slate:
"The lowest-priced version will have a 40 KwH battery, with an advertised range of 160 miles if you keep the speedometer pegged to 55. Speed up or slow down, as drivers are wont to do, and the range will likely fall significantly. Just how significantly, we don’t know: Tesla hasn’t let any reviewers drive the car for more than 10 minutes. (A company rep tells me that will change Friday.)"

[AnOutsider]

The Slate article states this Friday reviewers will be able to drive the car for more than 10 minutes.

Here's the relevant claim by Will Oremus of Slate:
"The lowest-priced version will have a 40 KwH battery, with an advertised range of 160 miles if you keep the speedometer pegged to 55. Speed up or slow down, as drivers are wont to do, and the range will likely fall significantly. Just how significantly, we don’t know: Tesla hasn’t let any reviewers drive the car for more than 10 minutes. (A company rep tells me that will change Friday.)"

Hmm, article reads like it doesn't have all its facts right, so it might not be 100% accurate.

Re: the karma test drives, as you said, the press got them long before customers (and even longer before first deliveries ACTUALLY happened). At the time, and in hindsight, it looks more like Fisker was trying to save face on their delays by throwing the press a bone. The cars had many issues during those drives and it was around the time the first deliveries were supposed to be happening. I'd hope that by the time the press get lengthy drives in the S, it will be solid.

As for "when", the embargo lifts on Friday. I'm thinking that some journalist will get their hands on one of the early cars delivered Friday and do at least a partial review from there.

[VolkerP]

I'd fully understand if some early sig holders were pissed to read a clumsily written "review" of their new car even before they take delivery.

Imagine, after years of waiting, you make preparations to go to Fremont when the phone rings. Your best friend, who's always been a bit - reserved - on that Tesla thing, calls you and reads some "review" to you: "Car Mc'Azin wrote, 'Even the door handles didn't work!' How are you supposed to get into your new $100k gadget, Mr Electric? Ha, Ha!".