Tesla Model S

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Paul Blore
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Re: Tesla Model S

Post by Paul Blore »

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to have plenty of opportunity to drive electric cars in the future, so for the time being, I'm going to enjoy burning up copious quantities of carbon based fuel. 8)

The choice is either:
Audi RS6
Range Rover Sport Supercharged
Porsche Cayman GT4

Decision, decisions.

Paul
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Roger King
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Re: Tesla Model S

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I think that's the right decision. I'd also want the infrastructure to be better. For a blast down to Italy, for example, you would have to plot the route between charging points and be prepared to wait for it to charge up every 220 miles or so, which would greatly extend journey time and dictate what route you could choose. I personally can't see purely electric being an option for a daily driver until they can get charging time down to 5 mins or so.
Out of your three, I'd probably go for the RR, but I don't know what I'm basing that on as I've never driven any of them.

Roger
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Re: Tesla Model S

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The problem with the RR Roger is that I spent a couple of hours hooning around in the SVR version on Saturday (the dealer didn't have a "standard" Supercharged on their demo fleet, only the SVR, which is significantly more expensive) and I fear that it may have spoilt me for the standard SC model and I can't afford the SVR.

The RS6 was brilliant fun as well. Very refined and smooth on its dynamic air suspension, but change the settings and it became a roaring monster, with really sharp handling. So far, I think the Audi is my favourite for its share range of capability and beautiful build quality.

I haven't driven the Porker yet, but it's obviously more of an out and out sports car than an all-purpose vehicle.

Paul
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peterc
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Re: Tesla Model S

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Checking technicalities.
RR V8 supercharged - 503 bhp - 460 ft lbs - 2335kg - 0-60 = 5 secs - £84,350
RS6 Avant - 552 bhp - 516 ft lbs - 1935 kg - 0-60 = 3.6 secs - £77,995
Cayman GT4 - 380 bhp - 310 ft lbs - 1340 kg - 0-60 = 4.4 - ??

For everyday all year round use the first two will cope with the adverse weather.
If the roads around you are bumpy and/or you need to look over the hedge for safety then the RR would be a little better.
Cheaper and faster the RS6 is the better punt and probably safer as well.
It also gives you the sort of performance you have come to expect from the 427.
My latest EVO mag has an article on the RS6 performance model. I'll bring a photo copy up this week end for you to read.
597 bhp - 553 ft lbs. Curiously no better 0-60 time albeit they suggest the other listing is wrong and should be 3.9 secs.

Enjoy making the decision. We are all a tweeny weeny bit jealous.
Peter C
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clive
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Re: Tesla Model S

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In days gone by I had an Audi A4 Quattro which I thought would be great in adverse weather including snow. This was when I was commuting daily from Perthshire to Livingston, some 50+ miles each way. One winter's morning I woke up to find about 3" of snow had fallen overnight and I thought it would be a great test for the Quattro. A couple of miles down the motorway, a lorry had got stuck on a hill and all the traffic had ground to a halt behind it. There isn't anything more frustrating than being stuck in traffic in a 4 wheel drive car when nothing is moving and you are blocked in!
Cheers, Clive.

(If I'm not here I'm in my workshop or on the golf course!)
Paul Blore
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Re: Tesla Model S

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I remember when the Ur Quattro first came out and some continental owners were having really spectacular crashes in them in the snow. They somehow thought that the Quattro all-wheel drive re-defined the laws of physics. Whilst 4-wheel drive clearly provides more traction, it is no different to any other car when you're breaking and some of the owners had failed to realise that vital point. The problems was that because of the extra traction afforded by the Quattro system, they were going much faster than they were used to when the time came to break. :roll:
catsx11
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Post by catsx11 »

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Last edited by catsx11 on Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Roger King
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Re: Tesla Model S

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catsx11 wrote:I imagine speed didn't help but was not the main reason for their crashes.
When the 2 drive tyres of a 2 wheel drive car loses grip, you only lose control of half the car - your right foot, steering and the other two un-driven tyres can 'help' but, when all 4 tyres of a 4 wheel drive vehicle loses grip, there is little to save you.
Indeed, very true. Also not helped by the completely unavoidable element of understeer from the front wheels, which is one reason why I do not like 4wd on any car. But then I'm rapidly becoming a true dinosaur, apparently. As if I cared... which is the mark of a TRUE dinosaur.
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Re: Tesla Model S

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I take it that it's a very long time since you've driven a road-going 4-wheel drive car Roger. ;)

They've come a very, very long way since the terminal understeer cars of the past. It is very difficult to tell that the current best of the crop are even 4WD apart from the almost total absence of wheel spin.

Paul
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Roger King
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Re: Tesla Model S

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Not that long, but I take your point, they're much cleverer than they were. But the fact remains that if you don't get understeer from front driven wheels, the electronics have decided that they're not giving you any drive, so at that moment it's a 2WD. FWD gives understeer, period. It has to. It may not be much, and it may be cleverly balanced by oversteer at the back, but... I've always preferred to make these decisions myself. Like I said, dinosaur!
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