Wasn´t the chevy vega car of the year back in the 1970s?? How did that work out?

And how many people can afford this elephant?

Didn´t a bunch of these explode a week or two ago in a car loading depot in Newark NJ? Oh, yeah, it was raining. That explains it.

Unemployed people can´t afford $50,000 cars. Guess its just another perk from the Obama administration to the 1%. Thanks to the Chinese for the loan.

This is but one reason Obama wants higher taxes on those making 250K+. He wants to buy a fleet of these for govn workers.

fta: The Tesla S has three battery choices–40 kWh, 60 kWh, and 85 kWh. Travelling at 55 mph, the kWh figures can be translated to the stated range capabilities of 160, 230, and 300 miles, respectively, according to the manufacturer’s website. The firm plans to make 20,000 of the cars next year.
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50k is the STARTING price mind you. It goes up to 97k with the biggest battery options. So if you don´t have anywhere to go and you can get there slowly and you have 100 grand laying around to waste, more power to ya.. coal power that is.

Another coal-powered piece of junk with a battery that is destructive to the environment both during production and at the end of the car´s life.

Surprised they had room for that in a ten page magazine mostly ads. Maybe it was an...

The only reason it won, was because BMW & Mercedes haven´t one!

Automotive expert reporterette spells "Porche" instead of Porsche. Caliber appropriate to modern journ-o-lism.

I guess they missed the issue of BBC´s Top Gear when they tested it. The car is joke.

I almost always find that if one of these outfits recommends a car, refrigerator, washing machine etc, the things they call its strengths will turn out to be its weakness. I bought a cloths washer that was supposed to be the quietest on the planet. Sounds like a 747 taking off. Tech says there is nothing wrong with it. Similar results for my car, dvd player and vacuum cleaner. My guess...payola.

If I had a hundred grand to drop on one of these I would rather have a nice BMW because I sure wouldn´t be worrying about gas mileage.

I will also bet that the energy and pollution caused by the manufacturing of this vehicle and it´s high-tech batteries exceeds any benefit to the planet.

Now, twenty-thirty years from now we will probably have some genuinely cost effective and eco-friendly automobiles. Of course, in a Communist country only the Dear Leaders and their high toadies will be able to afford one.

This is a farce.

In a related note, they also picked the Amirex Class C as the Fire Extinguisher of the Year.

And the cost of a replacement battery? And how long to recharge?

Idiots.

But wait! There´s Obamacare, the most intrusive piece of legislative crap ever foistered in the great unwashed to say nothing of the associated bribes!

We are in for a world of hurt.

The Ford Escort was the car of the year in 1982. How did that work out?

Do these spontaneously burst into fiery cauldrons of hellish burning death like the other electric cars?

Motor Tend also chose the Chevy Volt as 2011 Car of the Year.

Need more be said?

Not one mention of the massive increase in need for fossil fuels to be burned in order for this POS to operate. The last election cemented for me how under educated and completely unprepared for reality the average U.S. citizen has become. I despair more each day. I´ve got my guns, maybe a total collapse is required before we can rebuild this republic.

Used to be a good magazine. It has gone the way of the National Geographic for the same reason. PC crap.

I HAD a subsciption to Motor Trend. I cancelled because of the continued proselytizing about global warming in issue after issue.

The Tesla "Car of the Year" is just another example of making themselves irrelevant - the 2011 Car of the Year was the Chevy Volt. Need more examples...?

Excuse me, those were Fisker Karmas that exploded -- under seawater.

The car guys like it because it accelerates. Hate it because there is no vroom vroom. They don´t seem to think this company will survive.

Difference between Vega and this seems to be that a Tesla is a car, not a Yugo. The real problem with electric cars is the battery. They have tried for 100 years to get the battery right and they can´t. Once they resolve that issue, I´ll consider one. Tesla S looks nice has 362 horses and 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds.

Battery life estimated at 100K miles and a replacement battery can be paid for at time of vehicle purchase, cost: $14,000.

Yeah and that old joke still works... "Look at that S car go!" (escargot...snail)

#17, educate yourself.

The Ford Escort is the 5th best selling car of all time.

Will insurance companies pay out on fire insurance when one of these self-exploding cars sets fire to your attached garage and then your house? Enquiring minds want to know.