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Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice

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doofusgumby
12/28/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
uh, has nobody actually looked at the "brake failure" fuse issue with a jaundiced eye?!?

was the fuse for the POWER ASSIST braking circuit, meaning they become MANUAL brakes then and require far more leg power to use? I simply can't imagine tesla being so stupid as to design a brake system that completely fails from a fuse.
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Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
12/28/08

@doofusgumby: You're probably onto something there. That bit never passed the sniff test with me, but since I haven't seen one up close I have no idea exactly how the braking system works.
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Elhigh
12/27/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Car no go = dammit!
Car no stop = OH SWEET MOTHER OF GOD AAAIIEEE*CRUNCH*
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Motor_Yakuza
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Tesla is the future now, Clarkson is nuts.He can't understand the future, kuz he's an old guy without a vision.
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944turb0
12/26/08

@Motor_Yakuza: Electric cars have been "the future" since the beginning of the 20th century.
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Deartháir II
12/26/08

@944turb0: And judging from Tesla's progress, they will remain indefinitely in "the future" for many years to come.
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skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
I thought this would go away by now.

Watched the segment over again, and I can't connect the silver one dying with the power running out, it segways into the time required to charge it if it does run out.

And then the dark gray one shuts down because the motor was running too hot.

They go back to the silver one and say that while it was charging, the brakes broke down.

Tesla got a real review, their vehicles were driven by hoons, learn something from it, and improve.

Koenigsegg learned, and they designed a wing for Top Gear, nobody mentioned anything when it ate a tire.
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Novaload
12/26/08

@skulldriveshaft: Word.
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Bluegoose
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Yes. They showed a brief clip of Clarkson driving and the car cutting out. Then they showed the car being pushed into the garage. They are in the wrong here. However, Tesla is on its way to being a footnote in automotive history...if they don't get their act together soon. It reminds me of the Delorean story more and more every day.
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MushyHeirloom
12/26/08

@Bluegoose: Except with a body from a production car and a radical engine, rather than the other 'way round.

That said, an electric DeLorean might be cool. An Elise with a 2.8 PRV... meh.
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Jeremy Wilson
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Um, I watched the show and I was left with the distinct impression that the car ran out of juice. They even showed video of the car stopping while the voice over talked about it running out of power after 53 miles.

They might not have said it but they sure implied it pretty hard!
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Maxichamp
12/26/08

@Jeremy Wilson: I agree 100%. I love the show but am deeply disappointed with Clarkson.
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Novaload
12/26/08

@Jeremy Wilson: That was my impression as well when I watched it.
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DoctorNine
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
I am less impressed by their failure to get out product, than any namby pamby test drive. Get the product out, and let it walk the walk. The rest is immaterial.

(BTW Matt, second paragraph, link to old Tesla story, check your spelling.)
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A strolling player
12/26/08

In reply to Clarkson Ignores BBC's Carefully Worded Response, Responds To Tesla On His Own
Clarkson has a point. Fuse or no, brake failure is generally considered a "big problem".
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Uncle Bo
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
TG promotes itself as the #1 automotive brand on the planet. It's owned by the BBC which promotes itself as follows:

BBC mission

To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain.

Our vision

To be the most creative organisation in the world.

Our values

* Trust is the foundation of the BBC: we are independent, impartial and honest.

* Audiences are at the heart of everything we do.

* We take pride in delivering quality and value for money.

* Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation.

* We respect each other and celebrate our diversity so that everyone can give their best.

* We are one BBC: great things happen when we work together.

As a viewer, TG asks me to trust them as they entertain, inform and educate me. While I am ultimately responsible for my own beliefs, the BBC uses my trust in them to shape said beliefs. Personally I have no interest in the Tesla as a car but I did enjoy the segment and trusted that the BBC represented the car with a reasonable amount of honesty. If the BBC sacrificed some of my trust in order to deliver me a more entertaining segment, they should at least tell me they've done so.

I'd like to think the BBC and Top Gear staffers could create a very entertaining show, a show that I'd watch, without eroding their impartiality and honesty they state is the foundation of their organization.
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Novaload
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
I watched it and was left with the impression that they had run it down/out far sooner than advertised and that it took an astoundingly long time to re-charge.

If they didn't actually run it down in the stated number of hours, that is misleading. Yeah, it's TG etc etc but if it is fabricated just for sensationalism then BBC ought to address that.
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Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
Top Gear could have gotten better video by filming the car driving on the track until it really did run out of juice. As batteries drain, performance falls off precipitously. So they could have shown the car driving at a crawl while the accelerator was right to the floor. Maybe a little time lapse that shows the speed slowing to a creep.

But nice to know you can push the car when it's not in operation. Quite informative, that.
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layabout
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
So has anyone actually found this BBC press release,as so far this story has just been from The Register. Yet everyone seems happy to believe it & everyone seems happy to take a stab at Top Gear. How fickle.
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Danimal
12/22/08

@layabout save trees,eat_a_beaver: Based on your deep defense of Top Gear and you references of "seeing" Richard Hammond driving around your area (in other posts, I believe),

I've come to one conclusion...

You're busted Layabout... You ARE Richard Hammond!!! ;)
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layabout
12/22/08

@Fourstring85: Now that's cold,take that back!!!!!

I must admit on this story of Tesla v TG iy's hard to know what to believe. I like the Tesla & what it stands for,i also like TG & believe when it comes to motor journalism they appear to give honest reviews/opinions. Obviously in the challenges there's a bit of "added" action. In this case TG have no reason to be down on Tesla,infact Clarkson seemed really impressed with the car. I think Tesla screamed blue murder too soon,as nobody though less of them because of the TG review.

Now if you don't mind i'm off to walk Top Gear Dog ;)
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POLAЯ ON PЯOBATION
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
The Stig was quoted this morning saying,

" -.. --- -. .----. - / - . ... .-.. .- / -- . --..-- / -... .-. --- "!
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layabout
12/22/08

@POLAЯ_CLAUS_IS_PUTTING_JALOPNIK_ON_......:

-.-. --- -- -- . -. - / --- ..-. / - .... . / -.. .- -.-- / - --- / -.-- --- ..- / ... .. .-.
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POLAЯ ON PЯOBATION
12/22/08

@layabout save trees,eat_a_beaver:

-.-. .... . . .-. ... --..-- / - .... .- -. -.- ... / -... .-. --- - .... . .-. / .-.. .- -.-- .- -... --- ..- - !
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Rob Robertson
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
By playing to the negative stereotypes of electric cars, Top Gear has inadvertently played to the worst stereotypes of Britons; namely that they are disingenuous snobs, if not outright liars. I'm disappointed in the BBC. This was a dishonest thing.
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layabout
12/22/08

@Rob Robertson: Did you even watch the show? Nothing bad was said. Oh & apart from the article on The Register there is no sign of any statement to back this story up. It takes a real moron to make a poor attempt at making a stereotype that is completely wrong. Maybe get more facts before you make those kind of statements.
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Rob Robertson
12/22/08

@layabout save trees,eat_a_beaver: A fellow who calls himself layabout Steve is calling me names? Cute.

I did see the show, steve (or would you prefer Mr. Beaver). The image of the Top Gear crew pushing the car immediately followed an assertion that the car would only travel 55 miles on their test track (if driven at the absolute limit). They made it look like the car ran out of juice, just as has been noted in the article above. If I were Tesla, I'd be pissed, too. Not file-a-lawsuit pissed, but certainly write-an-angry-letter pissed.

Top Gear takes little shots at every car they test, sure. But this ventures beyond clever and into dishonesty.
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layabout
12/23/08

@Rob Robertson: You should learn to read,where does it say Steve in my avatar name,it says SAVE TREES,EAT A BEAVER,ffs.
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Abssy_East
12/22/08

In reply to Shocking Scandal! Top Gear Tesla Didn't Run Out Of Juice
Let's not forget that the roadster still managed to tie a Porsche (what was it? GT3?) on the test track. Perhaps the producers thought that would be redemption enough for the battery flub/LIE...

Still bollocks to TG for pulling a stunt like this.
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layabout
12/22/08

@Abssy_East: Yeah,it was a 996 GT3 in wet conditions. Still a good time.
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