WHY Is The EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Tesla Model S STILL Better Than Any Of Its Competition?

"To this day, this 8-year-old car is still better than many new vehicles built today. That’s impressive.
Time moves slowly in the auto industry, but Tesla is making it go faster.

Due to its lack of compromise, I would argue that Model S was the first modern viable all-electric vehicle.
I won’t argue if it was the most important electric vehicle to launch the revolution – since you could argue that without the Roadster there would be no Model S and so on, but I think it’s worth reflecting on Model S 8 years later."

Ok, so this dude is a total Tesla fanboy but even though I've never bought a Tesla or really even wanted one I'm smart enough to know that even now the Model S is still better than anything out there as a total package.

Ok, I can sense the snide comments, 001, but what about Taycan?

Seriously? EIGHT YEARS LATER AND THAT'S THE BEST THEY GOT?

A car that we can argue about which is more attractive, that or Model S...Bottom line is with 8 years to figure it out they should have been able to blow the Tesla range out of the water IF they are the superior engineers they have claimed to be all these years.

And the price. WHAT a joke. Let's be honest. It's just plain NUTS.

They must smoke a LOT of weed in Stuttgart.

So chime in Spies...WHY can't anyone catch Elon?

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MDarringer - 6/28/2020 8:05:16 PM

+4 Boost

(1) It wasn't taken seriously.
(2) The Germans were arrogant and have stumbled with the Taycan, Etron, and ID3.
(3) Honda stupidly thinks hydrogen is the answer.
(4) Toyota thought too highly of the Prius.

That said, the Americans are showing signs of doing a good job. The Mach E looks to be wonderful and--fingers crossed--the Lyrica could be too.

Hyundai-Kia are showing signs of good EVs coming.

MDarringer - 6/28/2020 9:33:38 PM

-3 Boost

The competition is other EVs.

The Model S is a sorry excuse for an S Class replacement.

It is also The E and 5 are simply better for similar money.

For $75-100K, the Model S just misses the mark.

What Tesla needs to do is to fully reposition it against the S Class and have its form factor not resemble a bloated-assed Fusion.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 6/28/2020 8:55:54 PM

+4 Boost

The Model S was truly the shot heard around the world.

After dominating large luxury sedan unit sales for years, increasing its capabilities and crushing high performance cars in the 1/4 mile, it is now influencing new production car choices made my the big brands and influencing interior design too. Many adding large screens and touch surfaces inside instead of buttons. You can even see this in the new Ferrari SF90.

You don't have to like it. But many do. If the big brands keep stumbling and don't raise the bar with their BEV offerings, Tesla will continue to roll along and one day may have the volume to seriously threaten the big players too.

MDarringer - 6/28/2020 9:05:51 PM

-3 Boost

Elon will sell Tesla.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 6/28/2020 9:37:44 PM

+4 Boost

In normal circumstances I would agree but there is too much debt on their balance sheet and Elon owns too much of the firm. Besides the Space X business just put two astronauts on the International Space Station. Not sure if he would be in the selling mood, but everyone has a price. Finding someone who would pay it is another matter.

MDarringer - 6/29/2020 4:06:35 PM

0 Boost

It wouldn't sell for its valuation anyway.

runninglogan1 - 6/29/2020 5:31:33 PM

+3 Boost

FAQMD - you're to dim to realize it but that's less than 1%. Lol.

vdiv - 6/28/2020 11:14:46 PM

+3 Boost

Seriously, indeed. The people who did the Model S are now behind Lucid Motors and the Air promises to be something, but it is taking forever for it to come out.

TomM - 6/29/2020 12:08:10 AM

+3 Boost

Agree - Tesla was never a Top Tier Premium car. It never actually competed at that PRESTIGE level. It was a second tier - at best. Real Top Tier premiums do not become that - just by appearing - it takes Decades to build up that reputation

And saying it is better than any of its competition is Stupid - name the other Second Tier EVs it competed with - there weren't any true competitors. And to say that it still is - is accepting an 8 year old car - without the depreciation normally applied to OLD designs.

Elon cannot sell Tesla - he has it far too leveraged to make it worthwhile to buy - and he uses the money to finance his Space Program

TomM - 6/29/2020 6:56:15 AM

+3 Boost

One forgets what the Tesla S competes with.

In interior space - the S has 94 cubic feet - the Chevy Bolt has 94 Cubic Feet.
For a tall person - the front seats of the S are really short as well.

In comparison - a Regular Mercedes S class has 112 Cu Ft of interior space. THe Maybach has 120 CuFt and EVEN a Mercedes E class has more interior space. Yes - because it is a Hatchback - the Tesla has more Luggage space - but it is inherently a COMPACT car - not a full size Luxury Sedan

supermoto - 6/29/2020 8:53:54 AM

0 Boost

The main competition for the S (and X) is the 3 and Y...which is one of the reasons why sales of the S have plummeted.

Truthy - 6/29/2020 2:43:59 PM

+1 Boost

The Taycan blows away the tesla in every objective measure. The reason it is still a good EV at 8 years old is that it does not make money. Other profitable automakers have reasonable shareholders. Tesla's genius has been to fully exploit corporate welfare. The tax incentive to buy EVs should have expired years ago. The ability for Tesla of to sell carbon credits has bee a huge revenue source. As other automakers produce viable EVs - such as the excellent Mustang Mach-E and the Lyric with GM's outstanding battery technology - this revenue source source will dry up.

MDarringer - 6/29/2020 4:08:17 PM

-1 Boost

Clearly you're unaware of the Taycan's embarrassing range rating.

I'd also like to know how you you know GM's battery technology is "outstanding".

dlin - 6/30/2020 2:23:55 AM

+1 Boost

Like... um... iPhone 6?