What will Top Gear think of Roadster improvements?

[vfx]

Agreed that 2.8 would be very marketable. However, given that the Koenigsegg is such a Top Gear favourite I would shoot for 2.6 just to demonstrate what a production electric car can deliver

Kevin shoots high!

Top Gear would still be haters.

[Kevin Sharpe]

I am sure there are people at Tesla who love the Roadster like we do - and business model be damned - they want it to be the best it can be!

IMO that's everyone who works for Tesla in Europe!

[Kevin Sharpe]

On the other hand I cannot figure out one single reason why not do it except that developing cost would be (much?) higher than max possible income.

Just make this a marketing expense... the value to Tesla is almost unimaginable

[Kevin Sharpe]

Kevin shoots high!

Like many on this forum, I like sports cars! If Tesla won't deliver the car I want then I'll have to look elsewhere (or have one built)

Top Gear would still be haters.

I'd considered it a success if Top Gear hated the 'enhanced' Roadster... sooner or later they will be forced to recognise that electric has arrived... I see that at every car show I attend... energy cost and 0-60 times resonate strongly with 'mainstream' car buyers here.

[vfx]

I'd considered it a success if Top Gear hated the 'enhanced' Roadster... sooner or later they will be forced to recognise that electric has arrived... I see that at every car show I attend... energy cost and 0-60 times resonate strongly with 'mainstream' car buyers here.

Disagree and agree.

Top Gear loved on the Roadster for first 1/2 of the segment and hated on it for the second half.

In conversion about the Roadster, 90% of people who bring up that show with me say the car fared poorly. I would not imagine much different conclusion and result next time.

...sooner or later they will be forced to recognise that electric has arrived

%100 percent agree (I'm sure all here do). I just think it's just gonna be 12 EVs and/or 5 supercar EV's to get them to slowly begrudge that EVs have arrived.
EVs are TG classic whipping boys and if the original Roadster did not change them it will take a few more stellar cars for proof-of-(EV)-concept.

[rsquared99]

KS - you've used the "mainstream" word several times to describe what Roadster buyers want in your neck of the woods. What is mainstream about buying a sports car? It's a tiny part of the car market everywhere and I'd venture to guess that there's nothing mainstream about owning a $100K, two seater. Because it's an interest of yours and your crowd doesn't make it mainstream. I really enjoy toodling around in my Roadster, but I consider that a pretty limited application for a car for most folks.

[Fabrizio]

rsquared99: Owning a $100K, two seat sports car is becoming more mainstream than it used to be - see Corvette Z06 Carbon and ZR1. But to your point, EV's will become mainstream (regardless of whether they are sports cars or sedans) when there is a charging infrastructure that allows one to drive wherever they want, how ever long they want, charge up in a reasonable amount of time and are competitively priced compared to ICE cars - taking into account cost/mile. I also agree with you that for most mainstream consumers, the Roadster is a limited application. But what percentage of 2 seat sport car owners only own one car? Hopefully, Tesla will be able to market a more affordable EV family sedan with the Model S range in the very near future - that will then become mainstream with the proper charging infrastructure..