Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk Returns Fire At George Clooney

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Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk was interviewed at the DealBook conference on Tuesday, and one of the topics he was asked about was George Clooney’s comments about his Tesla Roadster. Musk must have liked part of the answer he came up with so much that he posted it on his Twitter feed later.

Elon Musk fires at Clooney over Tesla

Musk tweeted:

“In other news, George Clooney reports that his iPhone 1 had a bug back in ’07.”

Last night during his interview, the Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO said Clooney’s words were “a needless comment needlessly reported.” Clooney had apparently said he hated his Tesla and that he was one of the first in line to get a Tesla, which would have put the timing in 2008. He auctioned the car off later because he claimed he was stuck by the side of the road all the time with it.

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Musk pointed out last night that the original Tesla Roadster was released in 2008 and that the Model S is a much better and newer car without the problems the Roadster had. He noted that the Roadster was Tesla’s first car and that saying Tesla’s first electric car was the equivalent of saying that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s first smartphone, the iPhone 1, had a bug back in 2007.

Tesla on the defensive

All in all, this has been a difficult week for Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA). Much of the interview last night at the DealBook conference was focused on the three Tesla fires which have captivated headlines. However, Elon Musk pointed out several times just how safe the Model S really is, and the facts surrounding these accidents support his remarks.

The driver in the second wreck apparently believes that the car saved his life, and Musk compared the headlines surrounding that story to the sinking of the Titanic. He noted that the focus was on the small fire which happened after the car had smashed through a concrete barrier, kept on going and eventually smashed into a tree. The driver was unscathed, and the fire didn’t even start until minutes after the violent crash.

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