Tesla Motors’ Model S P85D is an all-wheel-drive version of the Model S, and it is so good that when evaluated by Consumer Reports, it secured a score of 103 on a scale of 100. The score is surely insane but at the same time highlights the quality offered by Tesla.
Tesla P85D: powerful and efficient
Consumer Reports stated that the vehicle came with a mind-blowing combination of power and efficiency, forcing them to recalibrate their ratings to accommodate the “exceptionally strong performance” of the car. Tesla’s car led to a new standard of perfection and was eventually given a score of 100. Consumer Reports said of all the vehicles it tested, the Tesla sedan was the fastest, and in its “insane mode” took just 3.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour.
“This is a glimpse into what we can expect down the line, where we have cars with the performance of supercars and the comfort, convenience and safety features of a luxury car while still being extremely energy efficient,” said the magazine’s head of automotive testing, Jake Fisher, in an interview with Bloomberg.
Fisher informed the media outlet that based on the score obtained by the P85D, they must reassess the car to allot weights to things like acceleration, where the Tesla vehicle was twice as fast as others. The executive said once they get used to the advantages of being ridiculously fast and energy efficient, it will no longer make sense to go “linear” on those terms anymore.
Interior materials not on par with other luxury cars
While the test vehicle priced at $127,820 got a record score for its performance and efficiency, Consumer Reports has criticized it for the quality of its interior materials compared to other luxury models. The Tesla P85D is available at a starting price of $105,000. The Model S topped the magazine’s buyer survey for the second time in a row last year when it scored 98 out of 100.
For the second quarter, Tesla sold 11,532 units of the Model S, and in the first half of the year, it delivered 21,577 units. The original annual target set by Tesla was 55,000, but it has been revised to a range of 50,000 to 55,000 due to production risks as the company is soon to begin volume assembly of the Model X sport utility vehicle.
