It’s been nine years this week since AutoWeek was able to drive the Tesla Model S for the first time. A promising car, but still from a manufacturer that had yet to make it all come true. A look back.
It is hard to imagine now that not so long ago, Tesla was an ambitious new company with only one model: the Model S. A car that could count on a lot of interest right away, but at the same time still with considerable interest. argus eyes was viewed. After all, with the Roadster, Tesla had not really shown that it could become a serious player in the car industry. With the Model S, however, this changed, it would soon become apparent.
In November 2012, we could not have imagined how great the success would really be. Yet the first signs were already there. “Have the Americans gone crazy or do they have a trump card with the Model S? A first look at the specifications does not rule out the latter,” Cornelis Kit started his test report. The interior also stood out in a positive way. An interesting detail is the influence of Mercedes-Benz that was still present at the time: “The first thing that strikes you when you get in is the high-quality finish, it feels more German than what we are used to from Detroit. Once inside, we recognize the levers from the steering column on the steering wheel. Mercedes-Benz E-class, just like the buttons for the windows and those for the mirror adjustment. Not surprising, Daimler has shares in Tesla.” Nowadays, a large screen is definitely not very noticeable anymore. That was different in 2012: “We have had all the buttons with these German parts, by the way. For the rest, the Model S can be operated via a 17(!) inch touchscreen.”
Driving the Model S was also quite an experience. After all, the lightning-fast and seamless acceleration that was possible with an electric car was still a fairly new experience: “The response to the power pedal is very direct and when you press it firmly you feel as if the car is being pushed forward by a big hand. cast without hesitation.” Overall, the Tesla Model S left a very good first impression. Funnily enough, we also saw it as a formidable competitor for a brand that eventually fell into oblivion relatively quickly: “(…) we already consider the Model S capable of attracting the necessary customers from the German establishment, especially with our tax regime. As a Fisker salesman, I would arm myself to the teeth.”
Curious about the full first impression we got of the Tesla Model S? Our first driving test with the Model S can be found here.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl