2012 Tesla Model S Review and Prices

The Tesla Model S is a full-sized battery electric sedan in development by Tesla Motors. It is an electric car that was codenamed WhiteStar during research and preliminary development. It was announced in a press release on June 30, 2008.[1] The prototype vehicle was displayed at a press conference on March 26, 2009.[2]
Production for the retail market is expected to begin in early 2012,[3] with a base price of US$57,400. The base model will have a range of 160 miles (260 km) when fully charged, and a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) acceleration of 5.6 seconds. There will also be larger battery packs available with ranges of 230 and 300 miles (370 and 480 km).[4] (The prices for the larger battery packs have not been announced yet.) Normal charging times will be 3 to 5 hours, depending on the battery capacity,[4] and a 45-minute QuickCharge will be possible when connected to a 480 V outlet. In addition, a battery swap will be possible in less than five minutes.[5]

Smooth, uninterrupted acceleration. Control in an instant. Feedback and information within arms reach. Comfort surrounds the driver.

Carry anything needed for a day, a trip, an unexpected shopping spree. The Model S offers luxurious space, seating for five adults and two children, and a second cargo area under the hood.

Tesla has yet to announce an official on-sale date for the Model S, but the sporty EV sedan will retail from $49,900 after a $7,500 tax credit when it finally rolls into dealerships. Tesla says Model S customers will be able to order the car with a 160-mile, 220-mile, or 300-mile battery pack. It’s not clear how the price will be affected by the range options.
As expected, the Model S is a rather dramatically styled four-door sedan. A sloping roofline gives it the appearance of a four-door coupe while the rear looks to have been influenced by the Jaguar XF. Designed by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla says the front end styling of the Model S will be the future face of the electric automaker. Short front and rear overhangs not only give the Model S a clean, sporting look, but also allow for the maximum interior volume. Large 21-inch wheels sit at all four corners, giving the Model S a truly planted look.

Inside, the Model S’ interior is highlighted by a 17-inch touch screen. The large screen controls all of the vehicle’s radio, navigation and HVAC functions, and is also highly customizable. The Model S comes packed with 3G wireless internet and HD satellite radio.

In keeping with the Model S’ green theme, Tesla uses chrome-free vegetable tanned Italian leather on interior, and 100 percent recycled PET carpeting from Futuris. The Model S also sports a panoramic roof for added style.

2012 Toyota Celica Review and Prices

Update 02.18.2010

Recent media reports indicate Toyota and Subaru have restarted development of their compact-sport-coupe project. The companies suspended efforts in early 2009 due to economic conditions.

Mighty Toyotas once-popular sporty coupe is set to be reborn as a low-dollar, high-mpg Mazda MX5- and Hyundai Genesis Coupe-fighter with rear-wheel drive and a Subaru powertrain. Goliath teaming up with David? Yup, and it could be just the start of a beautiful friendship.
What We Know About the 2012 Toyota Celica

Journalists all over are buzzing about the announced "low-cost sports car" being hatched by Subaru and Toyota. Each brand will sell its own version with specific styling on a shared rear-wheel-drive platform with a Subaru-sourced horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine. Subaru has already confirmed U.S. sale for its entry, name to be determined. In an interview with Digg.com conducted in February 2010, Toyota USA President and CEO Jim Lentz confirmed the companys plans to produce an "affordable" sports car for the U.S. market. Lentz cited the Toyota FT-86 Concept shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show as "a joint-venture product between Subaru and Toyota...(that) will be coming to market." Both models are rumored to come in at under $20,000 and likely closer to $17,000 if the dollar/yen exchange rate doesnt go completely haywire.

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The project was announced at a Tokyo press conference in April 2008. Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe provided only broad-brush outlines, but pointedly noted, "We havent had a sports car for a long time. This is a long-awaited-for model." Thats no doubt code for the general rap that Toyota hasnt made "interesting" cars since it dropped the Celica and the mid-engine MR2 Spyder convertible back in 2005. The criticism evidently stung, as Toyota reportedly set up a study group to generate ideas for upping the brands cool factor with the all-important youth market. Thats one reason for this new compact sport coupe, which aims to deliver slick looks, tight handling, and great mpg, all at a budget-friendly price.

A second motivation for Toyota is furthering ties with Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries. Toyota was quick to replace General Motors as a Fuji "alliance partner" back in 2005, taking an 8.7 percent stake soon after the American company bailed. With that, Subaru began building midsize Toyota Camry sedans at its under-utilized plant in Lafayette, Indiana, a mutually successful endeavor that reportedly led to the joint-venture sports car. Toyota now plans to up its stake in Fuji to 16.5 percent (for a reported $311 million)--partly, some analysts believe, for access to Subarus signature expertise in horizontally opposed engines and all-wheel drive. In exchange, Subaru is getting rebadged versions of Toyota "K-class" minicars for a lucrative segment in the Japanese market where the smaller automaker has been a weak player.

So much for background. As for the car itself, the 2012 Toyota Celica--and its Subaru sister--is rumored to be a sloped-roof hatchback with a slightly larger footprint than the late front-drive Acura RSX coupe (known elsewhere as the Honda Integra). Our dimensions reflect numbers reported on Toyotas Japan media site. If the FT-86 Concept is to be believed, the new Toybaru--or Subayota--will be a four-passenger package with a cozy rear seat and adult-size room in front.