TESLA MODEL S DAYLIGHT VIDEO

Apologies in advance for the brevity of the clip below. 19 seconds of the Tesla Model S isn't really enough time to enjoy the beauty of this car. Forget the engineers behind the electric technology and the accountants behind its affordable price - the Model S designers deserve huge credit for making this car appealing.

The Good Car Guy has already posted plenty of pics and a video that's mostly from inside the car. The video below shows what it'll be like to see a Tesla Model S drive by on the street. Careful: it will make you want one.

WATCH TESLA MODEL S IN MOTION

Tesla boss Elon Musk takes the concept version of the 2011 Tesla Model S out for a spin. Yes, the commentary can be a bit annoying, but the excitement is palpable. Forgive.

Tesla's new sedan is a 7-seater capable of 0-60mph in under 6 seconds with a fill-up price of under $7.00 and a range of about 300 miles. For more on the car, click here. In order to listen to the electric whir, click play below.

WATCH NEW TESLA ROADSTER PROMO VIDEO

In spite of its $100,000+ pricetag, the Tesla Roadster looks pretty good in light of recent news suggesting the California Air Resources Board will restrict new paint colour options to lighter shades. The hope is to lighten the load on air conditioners which are forced to work too hard when a car has been sitting in the sun all day. (Jet Black and Twilight Blue are available shades for the Tesla, by the way.)

Indeed, the Tesla Roadster comes standard with air conditioning. Surely it'll sap the Tesla's battery power quicker, necessitating more charges taking electricity off the grid. Perhaps a paint colour exemption is in order? You know the kind of exemption we're talking about - where a Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid can pull into a better parking spot at the mall because it has a hybrid sticker on its rump and achieves 20mpg on the highway while your Chevrolet Cobalt XFE can do 37mpg and doesn't received preferred parking? Yeah, you know the kind.

Anyway, watch the new Tesla Roadster promo video below. You'll wanna go buy one immediately... maybe.

BY THE NUMBERS - TESLA MODEL S - WITH FULL PHOTO GALLERY

First things first: Tesla's second model is a beauty. The Model S, a four-door follow-up to the Lotus Elise-based Roadster, will be one of the best-looking midsize luxury sedans on the market once production begins. Think Jaguar XF... but better.

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Tesla was hot and heavy into keeping Model S facts, figures, and specifications secret leading up to the vehicle launch. With mainstream manufacturers, that'll often happen because there are very few facts, figures, or specifications ready to offer. Not so with the Tesla Model S, as you can see by the extensive array of Numbers-driven sentences below. Check out the gallery of the Tesla Model S and all its 13 photos before scrolling into the details below.

7,500 - anticipated U.S. tax credit for the Tesla Model S which will take the actual selling price to $49,900

300 - mpc, that's miles per charge, an oh-so-terribly-smug term that flaunts itself in front of mpg, although that figure comes with extra cost. Standard will be battery packs limiting range to 160 miles, optional packs worth 230 miles or 300 miles will be available

5 - estimated USD cost of electricity for driving 230 miles in the Tesla Model S

130 - estimated top speed of the Tesla Model S

6 - seconds under which any driver should be able to extract 60mph from the Tesla Model S, although a Sport model is supposedly capable of 0-60mph in less than 5 seconds

45 - quickest possible full-charge for the Tesla Model S while using a 440v outlet

7 - total passenger seating inside the Tesla Model S, with regular 5-seat capacity plus two rear-facing seats for children under the hatch; luggage goes up front

8,000 - total battery cells inside the Tesla Model S's "powertrain", compared with just 6,000 in the much quicker (but smaller and lighter) Roadster

.27 - Tesla Model S's coefficient of drag, compared with .35 for the roadster

35,000 - price of competing cars, says Tesla, after taking into account the potential fuel savings whilst gas strikes $4.00/gallon again and the Tesla Model S continues to use electricity at today's rate

1,200 - total weight of batteries inside the otherwise 2,800 pound car taking curb weight up to - you guessed it - just over 4,000 pounds

4 - hours needed to charge the Tesla Model S at a 220v outlet

5 - estimated time needed to change the battery pack at a government-affiliated service station partner where, says Tesla, you could be the owner of the smallest battery pack and rent the larger 300-mile range battery pack for a longer trip

1 - total speeds in the Tesla's transmission

2011 - year in which the Tesla Model S goes on sale; in fact; in the latter part of the year

BRABUS TESLA ROADSTER MODIFIED WELL COSMETICALLY

Colour The Good Car Guy surprised, but I genuinely wasn't expecting a Brabus-tuned Tesla Roadster yet. Well, I simply wasn't expecting a Brabus-tuned Tesla Roadster.... at all.

Here it is, however. Brabus typically tinkers with Mercedes-Benz sedans and the SLR McLaren and even the smart fortwo, but this reach into Silicon Valley is welcomed. Not so surprising is the fact that Brabus doesn't seem to have actually tuned the Tesla. The science and technology behind the all-electric Tesla Roadster probably doesn't lend itself to being undone and redone. Blueprinting? Increasing capacity by way of enlarging the bore or stroke? Adjusting the fuel intake? Not so much.

Besides, the Tesla is plenty quick with 0-60mph times around four seconds, significantly quicker than its donor car, the Lotus Elise. 

Considering the bodywork done on this Brabus Zero Emissions Vehicle, it's not difficult to figure out the sequence. A Malaysian-owned British sports car company (Lotus) donates a car to a Silicon Valley-based electric car company that's funded by the man who sold PayPal to eBay (Elon Musk) which integrates electric capability into the Elise and then has the Malaysian-owned British sports car company build the Tesla Roadster which is then tuned by a German "manufacturer" that generally produces vehicles that are supported by Mercedes-Benz, the company partly responsible for bringing internal combustion vehicles to the market. Now breathe and take a look at the photo gallery below before comparing with the regular Tesla above.

NEW TESLA ROADSTER PICTURES

In recent days we've seen the LCC Lightning move about, and even with its higher-than-Tesla pricetag, it surely moves the technology goalposts. Nevertheless, the $100K Tesla Roadster is a Lotus Elise in the electric emperor's new clothes, so one sits up and pays attention.

Selecting the best of the most recent Tesla photos, GoodCarBadCar.net wishes it to be known that the Tesla has some angles on its side and some.... not so much. The first three photos you see are Tesla, the bottom shows its Lotus origins.

TESLA'S TEMP TRANS TROUBLES

Who killed the electric car? Or who couldn't get it started? Tesla's troubles to get their roadster into production will have a serious affect on customers after the purchase - and we know that. Not in a 1980's Hyundai kind of way, but as an acknowledged solution to Tesla's transmission issues.

The Roadster's first day of production is now slated for March 17th.  More problematic than the delays will be the need for owners to refurbish their Tesla Roadster's with the company's DriveTrain 1.5, since the early production models will be fitted with a 2-speed transmission. 

What would the auto world say if Toyota demanded that your purchase of a new Camry came with a temporary engine, and the dealer would refit you with a V6 later on? How would you feel if your new Armani suit came with unsuitable buttons, but Giorgio could reapply classier buttons a few months on?

To read about Tesla's personnel issues on GoodCarBadCar, click here. To visit the company's official site, here's the link.

TESLA AND EBERHARD

First, Tesla Motors founder Martin Eberhard's titles have quickly downgraded from lofty heights. Co-founder and CEO; to President; to a member of the advisory board. It now appears that Mr. Eberhard was... shall we say, fired? His words at this forum make rather clear the circumstances.

I'm no businessman, nor am I stupid. Did Ford ever fire Henry? Did Chevrolet rid themselves of Louis? Was Mercedes-Benz ridded of Benz? Seriously, these are questions. I understand that partnerships break up and the Don must sometimes be moved to the back room to make way for Michael, but really, folks. Have some tact. You fired the founder?

Tesla's Roadster is, to put it in ultra-simple terms - an electric Lotus Elise. In reality, the vehicle is much more complicated than that and also happens to feature a thorough rebody. The price is high and the production debut has been long awaited. (We're still waiting.) The 47-year old Eberhard developed the concept with co-founder Marc Tarpenning. The car debuted in Santa Monica about midway thru 2006.