Matthew DeBord/BI
- Over the years, I've driven all of Tesla's vehicles: the original Roadster, the Model S, the Model X, and the Model 3.
- But I've also driven hundreds of other vehicles, many if which represent the best-of-the-best coming from the world's automakers.
- I thought it would be interesting to see how Tesla's all-electric vehicles stack up against some of the gas-powered competition.
- Remember, if you want all-electric, you're currently limited to Tesla and just a few other vehicles, most of which don't have luxury or performance credibility.
- As it turned out, I preferred a BMW 5-Series and a Porsche Cayenne SUV to Tesla's Model S and Model X, but I favored the original Roadster over an Alfa Romeo 4C and the Model 3 over an Audi A4.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
In just over 15 years, Tesla has gone from an ambitious idea about electric cars to selling almost 250,000 vehicles a year and challenging the world's top automakers.
That in and of itself is an impressive achievement, but Tesla's vehicles are actually quite good. I've driven them all, and I can vouch for their quality and performance. Sure, they have some quirks, and Tesla has definitely endured some growing pains. But there's no discounting the fact that Tesla is the first successful new American auto brand to emerge in decades.
Still, the traditional auto industry is no slouch — it's game has probably never been better. Over the years, I've driven hundreds of great cars and trucks. So I thought it would be fun to put the Tesla fleet up against some of my favorites from the petrol-burning world.
Here's how it went:
The Tesla Original Roadster. This was the first Tesla I ever drove, and at the time I was overjoyed. I revisited the car half a decade later and renewed my love for the peppy all-electric spider.Matthew DeBord/Business InsiderRead my appreciation of the original Roadster.The original Roadster wasn't an original Tesla design: it was based on a Lotus platform, with Tesla adding the drivetrain, batteries, and software.Matthew DeBord/Business Insider
The Roadster was instrumental in changing perceptions about EVs, which up to that point had been thought of as glorified golf carts. With range of over 200 miles and a 0-60m ph time of 3.7 seconds, for the more advanced version. Matthew DeBord/Business Insider
The Roadster is also the first production car to be launched into orbit. Tesla CEO Elon Musk made his personal Roadster, piloted by "Starman," the payload on the 2018 launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. Production ended in 2012.SpaceX/Youtube
The Alfa Romeo 4C. This is the only car that we've driven at Business Insider that really compares with the Tesla Roadster. It's a bonkers little spider, with a snarling mid-mounted engine.Hollis Johnson
The 4C is practically a race car. In our review, we noted:
The 4C is actually built around a lightweight, high-strength, carbon-fiber cell. In fact, it's the only car with a price tag less than $100,000 to incorporate the pricey technology, which is one of the many attributes of the 4C that make it kind of an oddball. The only other non-supercar to be built around a carbon-fiber tub is the BMW i8 hybrid sports car. The carbon-fiber driver's compartment allowed Alfa Romeo cut off top of the car without compromising its structural rigidity.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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