The 2012 Tesla Model S: Better Than the Porsche Panamera?

The automotive industry is buzzing about the newest superstar electric car from Tesla, the Tesla Model S. Quite different from Tesla's previous offering, the roadster, the Model S is a four-door supercar with the acceleration to stomp Porsche's 911 off the line, coupled with the silence and efficiency of a clean electric power plant.

Tesla has been making waves since it first came onto the scene with the roadster, and they've always had plans to build a four-door car that could compete on a level field with the large European luxury sedans. Expanding battery technology and high-performance electric motors have now made those plans a reality. Set to be offered as a 2012 model, the Tesla Model S is graceful, beautifully styled, and everything you just wouldn't expect from an American automaker. In addition, you might just find that the beauty and luxury of this sedan comes with an attractive price tag: $49,900 for the base model. While at first glance that may seem high, It's important to take into consideration that you won't be paying for gas price changes throughout the year. Additionally, the Tesla Model S can be charged anywhere you can find a plug. This means that you can set up your own solar or wind power system and significantly reduce your overall cost of ownership in this car. That's not too bad for a car that accelerates like a car costing twice as much.

Performance of the Tesla Model S is right out of the Roadster's book. You'll find that the battery-powered motor provides a quick 5.6-second jaunt to 60 miles per hour, and an overall range of 300 miles between charges, equivalent to many gasoline-powered car's one-tank ranges.

There are two different primary options from which you must select when you choose the Tesla Model S. The first option is the base model, and the second is the limited-edition signature model. Both use the same motor and battery system, but the signature model is limited to the first 1,000 vehicles produced, and includes special interior option packages that will be released during winter 2012. Unfortunately, the option packages for the basic Tesla Model S haven't been released yet, either.

While there has been a lot of excitement surrounding the Tesla company, its roadster, and now the Model S, there are some significant problems that Tesla is going to have to overcome if it wants to be a real mover in the automotive world. For one, it will have to move 20,000 Tesla model s sedans in order to break even on the production costs and begin making a profit. Whether Tesla can make this happen is anyone's guess. One thing's for certain, though. They've built a beautiful car that's bound to have a lot of people talking for a long time.

Tesla Motors.com; Tesla Model S Design Studio. http://www.teslamotors.com/models/design