cnet news
At first glance, the idea of Tesla suing Top Gear over a review of the Roadster that occurred three years ago seems pointless, especially throwing in the fact that Top Gear, and host Jeremy Clarkson, have a huge international following. But it is precisely the size of that following, and the longevity of the Top Gear episode featuring the Tesla Roadster, that spurred the action.
Tesla filed suit against Top Gear for libel and malicious falsehood. In the Top Gear episode containing the review, Clarkson claimed that the Roadster, as tested on the track, only had a range of 55 miles. The show also portrayed both Roadster models supplied to the show breaking down and running out of electricity, halting testing.
It will be an outrage that the judge doesn’t throw the case out on his own motion.
Its FREEEEEEE Speech vs Corporate Self Interest/fraud. Tesla’s remedy is to take out an ad.
If this is in the UK courts they are probably going to at least have a good chance of winning. Remember that in the our courts nearly bankrupt a doctor for saying that homoeopathy is fake, all thanks to our draconian libel/slander laws.
Vaga–yes, its a good example of how there is good/bad in all we do. There is an “equity” when an issue is first presented, but there is a deeper issue as the what the consequences will be when choosing one remedy over the other.
It is “terrible” to let a guilty man go to protect the rights of the innocent, but the contrary law is even worse.
Same with the libel laws in the UK–even if Top Gear was wrong. I actually saw that show and thought they were exaggerating for the humor of it. I wonder how many people with $200,000 to drop on a car are swayed by a tv show?
I suspect Tesla is going to make a push for the global market soon. This is a good way of getting the brand name out in the news. (And by good, I mean cost effective, not ethically unassailable.)
JC stated Tesla’s claims, and said what they got on their track, no different from any other car Top Gear does. If a Lotus/Austin/Ferarri/etc has issues like breaks failed or a tiny gas tank you can bet they’d speak of it in the review.
If Tesla didn’t want to be criticized they shouldn’t have gone to critics. Top Gear never pulls punches.
Elon Musk of Tesla is, and always be, an arrogant ass. I seriously doubt the company will even exist 5 years from now…
Simple, Have Jeremy review the car again and invite Tesla folks to officiate that it is a fair review and let the chips fall where they may.
It’s either a great car or it is not.
Also have James May and Richard Hammond there to temper Jeremy’s sarcasm.
Not a trial a CHALLENGE!
If Jeremy loses he has to buy a pint for everyone in England.
Top Gear is not a car review show, its an entertainment show loosely centered around cars. If Tesla wanted a car review, they should have gone to Fifth Gear.
Tesla should have been prepared to give the car to Top Gear. Top Gear abuses the hell out of cars. They’ve run a Konigsegg off the track and busted it up. The fact is that the Tesla broke and they reported it.
As to not achieving the 211 miles claimed range, who the hell ever gets a cars full range on a track day? Top Gear ran a BMW M3 against a Prius on their track and the M3 got better mileage. The Top Gear track is not an economy test.
Top Gear’s track is notorious for breaking cars and poor fuel economy. It is a “performance” track – the idea is to push the speed and handling of the car to it’s limits.
They’ve had gas-powered BMW M5s break down, or finish the course with all the dashboard warning lights lit up. Clarkson’s own Ford GT gets less than 7 miles per gallon and it has broken down more than a few times.
The review of the Tesla is still pretty appealing – you can out-run a Lotus Elise. Clooney and DiCaprio can afford for buy a few spares if one breaks down.
As for the 55-mile range (versus the EU claim of 211 miles) – there’s always a difference between real-world and lab-tested conditions.
Top Gear’s track isn’t exactly real-world, but outdoors on a cold day your electric car isn’t going to do very well. That’s why they sell them in California.
Seemed like a pretty positive review to me. Wonder what kind of trade-in value I’ll get for my Corolla.
#10. Joe. Keep the Corolla.
Don’t talk about the government support for their company, or they’ll have Eric Holder shut down this blog.
Wait till you drive the “Mr. Fusion” powered Tesla!
WOW!
1,000,000 miles to the beer can/banana peel!!!
The top gear guys are like gear head Jon Stewart’s. Rude, honest, and perceptive.
Tesla ought to be considering splitting the battery pack so it doesn’t disrupt the handling, and improving reliability. Maybe send more cars to Top Gear to see how they break.
People have been making electric drag racing cars for some time. I have seen an older body style RX7 that was really quick. Those don’t have much range at all.
This review ought to be a major victory for Tesla. It is, in some aspects, better than the Elise. That is insanely good. 99% of cars are IN NO WAY better than the Elise.
Did no one at Tesla *Ever* watch an episode of Top Gear?
In My opinion it was a very positive review…Perhaps this is a publicity stunt by Tesla to get millions of viewers to watch a three years old review. Engadget had a funny take on the story.
“Tesla sues Top Gear for libel, New Stig unavailable for comment (update: BBC responds)”
Tesla.
For the greenies with tiny dicks.
I watch Top Gear and I’d call it more of an entertainment show then a factual car review show, like Fox News and actual News. As much as I’m hoping Tesla and Tesla-Tec/Toyota further our vehicle needs they like they need to take there lumps from comedians and news networks with an agenda
It’s just a great way to get publicity.
I’m not seeing how that review was anything other than neutral: it did amazingly on some things, and poorly in others.
All they did was state their experiences while “testing” it.
I’ve never really gotten into Top Gear – I think Clarkson is obnoxious enough to be American, but that review seemed pretty fair to the Tesla.
How many people drive 55 miles in a day, nevermind racing hard on a tough course?
200 miles cruising, 55 miles hard out. Not bad.
Good move.
Take on the most popular motoring show in the world for doing what they have done to countless other cars. Show the good – and the shortcomings of cars that they review.
Tesla – you have only made yourself seem a bunch of sooks in the the view of the motoring public.
anybody who watches the show regularly knows they have a thing against current-day ferraris because of the electrical components near the motor getting too hot, and other cars because of their own problems. yea their track is that, a mini racetrack. but let’s face it, they are boorish car guys, not much different than most racing fans around the world (and yes i am one of those gearheads, so yes it takes one to know one). but it’s not a bad show none the less. and when it comes to their track comparing times on the cars, they actually have the same or similar driver to all the tests, and they take into account wet or dry conditions.
The tested Teslas were obviously deffective. Tesla as well as all other electric car makers should implement the http://betterplace.com model, for a 30-second automatic battery swap mechanism. Also, 480 volt chargers can charge an EV battery in 15 minutes.
Countries like Denmark and UK can charge most of the EV with wind power, as wind blows at night, and EV is mostly charged overnight. A smart grid also can use EV batteries to store wind power and send it back to the grid for as long as the car remains parked.
The real Tesla powered Vehicle used an antenna to receive electricity from the ionosphere. It did not have a battery backup.
Mr Tesla was invited to New York City and he died in his hotel room. The real Tesla powered motor vehicle was never heard of again.
Tesla tore down his original haarp equipment in Colorado. His ionosphere radio transmitter receiver allowed for world wide communications as well as wireless electricity delivery.
Now we have a laptop battery powered car. How Absurd to talk to us like we are babies.
So Tesla can’t handle the truth?
I would expect a very short range if driving at top speeds on a race track. 55 miles isn’t that bad considering the performance.
…and you can’t even claim that the guys are prejudiced against electric cars. They do dislike batteries, though. 😛
Fast off the mark.
Poor in the turns due to the slug of batteries.
Poor mileage at high speeds; duh! Everything gets poor mileage at high speeds due to wind resistance, etc.
The brakes failed and something else broke. So get your quality control under control.
Use the Ford system for charging batteries to knock down how long it takes to recharge!
e-Vehicle charging times have less to do with the car or the charging electronics than they have to do with the pipeline in the wall. A high-amperage two-phase (or even three-phase) power outlet would significantly cut recharging times.
that was the most positive review for a Tesla they could’ve asked for.
I was more impressed with their electric toy after seeing this, when it originally aired. I really thought it would be a lot slower and a lot more breakdown prone than that. If it can handle JC trashing it for a day then it’s probably fine for your daily commute
BTW the use of batteries in a electric car is FAR FAR more damaging to the environment than just having the gas powered Elise.
From the mining of nickel, acids, shipping the components all over the world to make the batteries before they’re shipped back to the Tesla factory in California, and then they shipped this car back to England.
Not to mention the coal powered electricity plants to recharge it……