Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain - Jalopnik Comments

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

UDMan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:28:40 EDT

@lascauxcaveman: Yea, I know you can't hang around with the rest of the riff raff any longer.

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

lascauxcaveman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:20:46 EDT

@Turboner: Excuses? If half the stories you've told me about Mrs. Turboner are true, then you don't need no steeking excuses to explain some hot tranny action.

Ambiguously Gendered Mystery Guest Threeway! Don't forget the video cam.

@UDMan: I got pinned sometime today. Graverobber and Beercheck too, so we're all gonna have to start being catty to one another. Obvs we can't hang out with you anymore.

But the beauty of this is, I can now go over to Jezebel and give everyone advice on makeovers, tell the Valleywag regulars a baldfaced lie or two about Steve Jobs' poolhouse, and (perhaps sweetest of all) give really bad sex advice on Fleshbot. (ie: Hey Girls! And gay dudes! What your lover isn't telling you about oral sex is USE THE TEETH! Lots more teeth. Secretly, they all want to gouged up a bit down there, they are just a little too embarrased to admit it ... so bite away!)

lascauxcaveman

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Hello_Newman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:17:16 EDT

I hope they make it, they finally made electric cars sexy enough to get attention from someone other than Ed Begley Jr. and that's quite a feat. What surprises me is that the big automakers who have hybrids and sporty cars haven't made a crossover with both that and the styling. It can't cost that much to put a sporty chassis on an electric drivetrain.

Hello_Newman

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

akirachan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:53:13 EDT

Go Tesla. Please don't quit. Transmission is a very unlikely bottleneck for a upstart electric-supercar company. You overcame all the other major obstacles...just hang in there!

And kill Fisker while you're at it...Biter!

akirachan

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

akier — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:11:24 EDT

@kaneshadow: i just looked over, heard a slight "whoosh", and then i was around a bend. but it was damn quiet. i don't think he was flooring it though. it was quieter than an internal combustion car though, that's for sure.

akier

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

stopcrazypp — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:59:23 EDT

@Travis Hudson: It's actually $5.6 million, and it probably won't kill Tesla, considering Tesla got funding of around $150million so far. That's only about 3.7% of their funding.

@ranwhenparked:
The situation here is different because it's just the development costs; Magna never actually made any production versions. If it was a dispute where production AND development was included, then maybe it will be enough to bankrupt the company because not only would the disputed money be a lot more, but also the production of the car would depend on the supply, but luckily that's not the case here.

Of course, Tesla didn't even post a legal response yet, so it will take a while before we know who's right or wrong (namely if there are details in the contract that will turn the case to either side).

stopcrazypp

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

kaneshadow — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:56:00 EDT

@akier: I very badly need to know if you're telling the truth, because my hunch is that at 10,000 RPM this thing will sound like you're driving a ride-on Makita drill. If it's really silent I'll actually start rooting for them to succeed.

kaneshadow

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

kaneshadow — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:51:25 EDT

@Turboner: you mean like "I was so drunk I didn't see the adam's apple"?

kaneshadow

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Turboner — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:30:18 EDT

@lascauxcaveman: Tranny excuses are always entertaining.

Turboner

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Shapeshifter — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:29:54 EDT

Hopefully this will be pretty open-and-shut. Tesla should be able to demonstrate they were in the right, and if not they're probably toast.

(I am not a lawyer, mind...)

Shapeshifter

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

UDMan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:16:28 EDT

@lascauxcaveman: Oh and since when did you receive the Star Commenter treatment?

UDMan

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

WillTheThrill3 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:46:14 EDT

I hope they're able to recover from this. I'd wait for a great performing non-gasburning car. I'm not a tree hugger, but 150-200 miles without one drop of gas sounds great to me. I'd wait longer for this than a Camaro. The only draw back is that electric use is going to soar.

I'm thinking Tesla didn't give them a chance to improve the transmission, but if I sign into a contract with you and you fail at delivering a serviceable product I'd probably bail too. All this time and you couldn't perfect a friggin 2 gear tranny? Especially around vehicle release time?

WillTheThrill3

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

SmaartAasSaabr — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:25:52 EDT

@Bad Juju:
Well no, none of them really "exist" per se.

SmaartAasSaabr

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

boognish — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:58:59 EDT

WHOS KILLING THE ELECTRIC CAR NOW???

boognish

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Bad Juju — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:55:56 EDT

@lascauxcaveman: @DiscoQuinn: Where other numbers have said $100k and 130mph. Depends on which press release you read, I suppose.

Have there been any independent performance tests of...anything related to this car yet? Not "I drove one around the block", but actual C&D style. Who puts any credence in factory performance numbers? Why start now? Seriously curious..if its a real car thats on the street, these numbers should be available.

Bad Juju

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

lascauxcaveman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:44:41 EDT

@UDMan: Oh piffle, UDdy. Tesla may yet die a death of a thousand cuts, but if it does, this will just have been one of many.

lascauxcaveman

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

lascauxcaveman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:26:33 EDT

@DiscoQuinn: Neighborhood of $90 and 150mph, IIRC.

lascauxcaveman

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

UDMan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:23:48 EDT

I'm sorry to say this, but it looks like the long goodbye for Tesla. Goodbye Tesla, goodbye.

UDMan

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

DiscoQuinn — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:04:09 EDT

So how much will a Tesla cost and how fast will it go?

DiscoQuinn

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

SuperCatBarf — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:57:00 EDT

In a few years Hollywood will roll out the long-awaited sequel to "Tucker: The Man and His Dream."

SuperCatBarf

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Parkington — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:12:07 EDT

One word. Karma.

Parkington

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Bad Juju — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:07:19 EDT

@MarkB: Oil companies, nothing, who do you think Magna's other customers are?

Bad Juju

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

petersterncan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:06:27 EDT

If the contract says something to the effect of "Design a transmission that works and will last 200,000+ KM", then Magna has no case.

The devil is in the details in the wording of the contract.

petersterncan

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

ranwhenparked — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:58:07 EDT

@diskreet:

Agreed. Just think how different things would be if we went with the "loser pays" system they have in the UK. How that little bit of English common law made it out of our legal code, I have no idea.

ranwhenparked

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

diskreet — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:16:40 EDT

So Tesla gets sued by the transmission manufacturer who made a transmission that was not to Tesla's spec? Lovely!
The US legal system really has become a giant failure, not so much for this, but if nothing else the RIAA.

diskreet

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Miscellanea, now on the main floor! — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:07:45 EDT

In the grand scheme of things, 6.5 million is not that large. One would hope that it is certainly not large enough to seriously hurt Tesla. As long as they don't develop more serious management and leadership problems then they still have a chance. I'm pulling for them, because I want a four door with neck-breaking acceleration!

Miscellanea, now on the main floor!

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

MarkB — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:05:33 EDT

Looks like another perfectly good electric car company about to fold. Yay for $4 a gallon!!!!!!!!!

Wonder what oil rep got Magna to start this lawsuit?

MarkB

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Mad_Science — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:56:34 EDT

Re: This lawsuit. Unfortunately it'll come down to specific contact language and how hard people are willing to fight.

If Tesla had an escape clause that let them nix the contract if Magna didn't deliver on time, they're probably free and clear...provided they can pay the legal bills to get there.

Mad_Science

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Mad_Science — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:54:36 EDT

@Buzz Killington and Ford Tempo Fanatic: There already is a Tesla Roadster.

They've delivered the first few units.

[www.teslamotors.com]

You're out 10 bucks...and you fail the reading comprehension section of the internet.

Mad_Science

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Buzz Killington — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:37:06 EDT

I have ten bucks that says not one full-production Tesla makes it to the street.

Buzz Killington

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

OldeEnglishD misses Polar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:30:32 EDT

@graverobber- Same great taste, new low price!: COTD

OldeEnglishD misses Polar

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

ranwhenparked — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:26:38 EDT

Many, many nascent sportscar-in-a-shed type operations have gone belly up purely through litigation- heck, even the offspring of a one-time giant MG Rover finally bit the dust over legal troubles with their bumper supplier.

I really would like to see Tesla make it, but the amount of challenges they're up against, even at this late a date in the Roadster launch cycle, still presents some very real dangers to the company.

ranwhenparked

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

akier — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:13:49 EDT

i was driving on the CA-35 just north of Alice's on Saturday. saw a purple Tesla go by heading south, and it was kind of sinister, not making a sound as it slid by. i almost didn't notice it ... kind of cool. glad i wasn't blind and trying to cross the road.

akier

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

smsolo1 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:12:32 EDT

i don't know if Tesla is shady or not. perhaps it would have been more prudent to do more r&d before garnering so much attention. now, all they have is negative attention. when is this car supposed to hit the streets? seems like they should be offering their 2nd model by now. nope.
it will be cool if the car makes it. is it becoming like a 914 that people lost interest in as it became dialed in too late in the game? except, this car is not production ready yet.

smsolo1

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

Ford Tempo Fanatic — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:12:11 EDT

I sense this whole Tesla project is going down. There is only so much legal and technical problems a small company just starting out can take. I bet there will never be a Tesla Roadster. And if there is, it will only be made for a year. Tops.

Ford Tempo Fanatic

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

graverobber- My Yugo Nova! — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:06:57 EDT

Well, if you have to go to court for getting into a deal with a bad tranny, this is the better experience in my opinion.

graverobber- My Yugo Nova!

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

JoSCh — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:05:09 EDT

So what you're saying is its time I started my litigation? I don't want them to run out of money before I gets paid.

JoSCh

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

lascauxcaveman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:59:00 EDT

I'm not sure if I makes me feel better that Tesla's tranny excuse wasn't just an excuse, but a legitimate excuse. Still pulling for ya Tesla. Prove those naysayers wrong, guys.

lascauxcaveman

Another Twist: Tesla Sued By Magna Powertrain

prndl — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:53:40 EDT

Is that the one that doesn't work and currently unavailable?

prndl