| Exotic car; Built in |
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| Good condition price range: $NA – $NA* |

2010 Tesla Roadster Front

2010 Tesla Roadster Rear

2010 Tesla Roadster Profile

2010 Tesla Roadster Front-2

2010 Tesla Roadster Front-3

2010 Tesla Roadster Interior

2010 Tesla Roadster Front-4

2010 Tesla Roadster Rear-2

2011 Tesla Roadster Front-4

2011 Tesla Roadster Rear

2011 Tesla Roadster Interior

2011 Tesla Roadster Profile

2011 Tesla Roadster Front-5
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| Cons: |
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A new auto company, taking its name from the famed Italian inventor who helped pioneer the distribution of electricity, reached the market in 2008. The first product was the Tesla Roadster, a fully electric convertible that promised a sporty experience on strictly battery power.
The Tesla came only with a single-speed transmission that functioned like an automatic. Safety features included antilock braking and a traction-control system; front side airbags, curtain side airbags, and an antiskid system were not available. Standard were heated seats with inflatable lumbar support, electric air conditioning and heat, power windows and door locks, and a fabric top to cover the open passenger compartment. An inflation kit substituted for a spare tire. Options included a navigation system, leather upholstery, and a removable hardtop.
[/vc_column_text][mk_table title=”Yearly Updates” style=”style2″ el_class=”used-yearly-updates”]| 2009 Roadster There was no 2009 Tesla Roadster, as the company skipped that model year. |
| 2010 Roadster After skipping the 2009 model year, the 2010 Tesla Roadster appeared with a revised interior and a more powerful motor to become the “Roadster 2.” The electric-powered, rear-wheel-drive, targa-top convertible also added a Sport model that included a higher-torque motor, lighter-weight wheels, and a manually adjustable suspension. The Roadster 2 packed 288 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque; but on the Sport model, torque rose to 295 pound-feet. |
| 2011 Roadster New front and rear fascias and revised seats transformed the 2011 Tesla Roadster 2 model into the “Roadster 2.5.” Complete battery recharging took from 6 to 48 hours, depending the type of wall outlet used, but Tesla said an optional charger requiring professional installation could fully recharge the battery in 3.5 hours. Newly available was a rearview camera. Tesla dropped the Roadster after the 2011 model year in order to concentrate on a completely new all-electric model: the Tesla Model S sedan. |
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”24″ el_class=”used-powertrain-text”]The electric motor in Tesla’s regular Roadster packed 288 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. With the Sport model, torque output rose to 295 pound-feet. Tesla’s single-speed transmission functioned like an automatic.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][mk_table style=”style2″ el_class=”used-engine-specs”]
| electric electric | ||
| Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) | – | |
| Engine HP | 288 | |
| Engine Torque (lb-ft) | 273-295 | |
| Avail. Trans. | EPA MPG (city/hwy) | MPG avg. as tested |
| CVT automatic | NA | |
Acceleration is strong and instantaneous at any speed. The transmission doesn’t have to downshift, so there’s never a delay in passing response. Tesla quoted 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.9 seconds for the Roadster 2, and 3.7 for the Roadster Sport. Those figures seem believable based on our test drives.
Since the Tesla doesn’t use any gas, its “economy” is assessed on a cost-per-mile basis compared to that of a conventional car. Our 176-mile test, consisting of mostly highway driving, used about $5.50 worth of electricity. With gasoline at $3/per gallon, that equates to a cost equivalent of 96 mpg. Tesla advertised the range as being 244 miles, but our test indicated it would be closer to 200 miles under normal driving conditions, and use of the electric heat or air conditioning would cut that somewhat. Recharging took roughly 8.5 hours off a 220-volt line, but Tesla said an optional charger could replenish the battery in 3.5 hours.
Ride comfort varies significantly. Tesla’s stiff, handling-oriented suspension pounds over potholes but copes reasonably well with smaller road imperfections.
At nearly 2700 pounds, the Tesla isn’t as svelte as other sports cars of this size, but is still nimble and corners with little body lean and impressive control. Steering is very quick and precise; but lacking power assist, it feels heavy when parking and even at around-town speeds.
While the motor is silent when stopped and only emits a soft whine under cruise or full throttle, wind noise with the standard soft top in place is noticeable even below 40 mph. It becomes significant by 60, drowning out any road noise.
Our early test Tesla was fitted with the optional navigation system, which was incorporated into the audio system, and the display suffered from tiny buttons. The navigation system was modified later, but we had no opportunity to test that version. Climate controls are found below the audio/navigation system and consist of easy-to-use rotary knobs. Below them is the touch screen used to display and adjust electrical parameters. All three units are mounted out of easy reach, and some controls are blocked by the steering wheel. The optional leather upholstery includes a stitched leather dash cover. Though there’s still plenty of hard plastic in sight, the overall look befits a high-end sports car.
Entry and exit over the tall, wide door sills are extremely awkward, aggravated by the low-set seats and low roofline. Six-footers should find barely enough headroom and legroom, and two adults will sit shoulder-to-shoulder in the tight cockpit. Footwells are narrow, particularly on the passenger’s side, where riders will sit with their legs canted slightly to the left. Visibility is fine to the front and sides, but there’s precious little view to the rear and virtually none over the shoulders. The available rearview camera (if installed) should help with parking. The Tesla Roadster has no rear seat.
Tesla’s reasonably sized trunk runs the full width of the car, and is tall and deep enough to easily swallow a golf bag. Interior storage consists mainly of a small glovebox.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][mk_content_box icon=”icon-road” heading=”Ratings” el_class=”ratings-box”][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”18″]Model Tested: 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”18″ el_class=”review-slideshow-caption”]Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”used-performance-ratings” title=”Performance”][mk_skill_meter title=”Acceleration – 10″ percent=”100″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Fuel Economy – 10″ percent=”100″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Ride Quality – 2″ percent=”20″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Steering/Handling – 8″ percent=”80″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Quietness – 2″ percent=”20″ color=”#0bb697″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ title=”Accommodations” el_class=”used-accomodations-ratings”][mk_skill_meter title=”Controls/Materials – 5″ percent=”50″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Room/Comfort Front – 2″ percent=”20″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Room/Comfort Rear – -” percent=”-0″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Cargo Room – 2″ percent=”20″ color=”#0bb697″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ title=”Other” el_class=”used-other-ratings”][mk_skill_meter title=”Value – 7″ percent=”70″ color=”#0bb697″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”used-ratings-total”]Total: 48
[/vc_column_text][/mk_content_box][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][mk_page_section attachment=”scroll” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”repeat” bg_stretch=”false” enable_3d=”false” speed_factor=”4″ bg_video=”no” video_mask=”false” video_opacity=”0.6″ top_shadow=”false” section_layout=”full” sidebar=”General” min_height=”100″ padding_top=”10″ padding_bottom=”10″ margin_bottom=”0″ first_page=”false” last_page=”true” section_id=”Specs”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text title=”Specifications” disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″][mk_table style=”style2″ el_class=”used-model-specs”]| 2-door convertible | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wheelbase (in.) | Length (in.) | Width (in.) | Height (in.) | Weight (lbs) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 92.6 | 155.1 | 72.9 | 44.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Front Impact Test
[mk_skill_meter title=”Driver Injury – N/A” percent=”N/A0″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Front Passenger Injury – N/A” percent=”N/A0″ color=”#0bb697″]Side Impact Test
[mk_skill_meter title=”Driver Injury – N/A” percent=”N/A0″ color=”#0bb697″][mk_skill_meter title=”Rear Passenger Injury – N/A” percent=”N/A0″ color=”#0bb697″][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text title=”HLDI” disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″ el_class=”used-hldi-ratings-head”] [/vc_column_text][mk_table style=”style2″ el_class=”used-hldi-ratings”]| Collision | N/A |
| Injury | N/A |
| Theft | N/A |
| 2010 Tesla Roadster | Pricing Effective: 11/04/2009 | ||
| Model Pricing | Retail Price | Dealer Price | Destination |
| Base 2-door targa-top convertible | $ 109,000 | $ | $ 1,950 |
| Sport 2-door targa-top convertible | 128,500 | 1,950 | |
| Price Note: | |||
| Standard Equipment | |||
| Base : 288-horsepower electric motor, traction control, dual front airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, tire-pressure monitor, air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats w/lumbar adjustment, power windows, power door locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, iPod adapter, theft-deterrent system, 175/55R16 front and 225/45R17 rear tires | |||
| Sport adds: higher-torque electric motor, adjustable suspension, forged alloy wheels, performance tires | |||
| Optional Equipment | |||||
| Option Note: | |||||
| Major Packages | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Electronics Group | $3000 | $ | |||
| Navigation system, upgraded sound system, satellite radio, wireless cell phone link, universal garage door opener. | |||||
| Powertrain | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Battery replacement | 12000 | ||||
| High-power connector | 3000 | ||||
| MC 120 mobile connector | 600 | ||||
| MC 240 mobile connector | 1500 | ||||
| Comfort & Convenience Features | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Upgraded leather upholstery | 6000 | ||||
| Premium seats | 1800 | ||||
| Leather/carbon-fiber interior trim | 9000 | ||||
| Floormats | 150 | ||||
| Appearance and Miscellaneous | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| 3 years/36,000 miles extended warranty | 5000 | ||||
| Special paint | 1000 | ||||
| Premium paint | 2000 | ||||
| Paint protection | 1495 | ||||
| Color-keyed hard top | 3200 | ||||
| Carbon-fiber hardtop | 5000 | ||||
| Carbon-fiber exterior accents | 9000 | ||||
| Solar-guard windshield | 400 | ||||
| Adjustable suspension | Base | 4000 | |||
| Std. Sport. | |||||
| Performance tires | Base | 850 | |||
| Std. Sport. | |||||
| Forged alloy wheels | Base | 2300 | |||
| Std. Sport. | |||||
| 2011 Tesla Roadster | Pricing Effective: 02/13/2012 | ||
| Model Pricing | Retail Price | Dealer Price | Destination |
| 2.5 Base 2-door targa-top convertible | $ 109,000 | $ | $ 1,950 |
| 2.5 Sport 2-door targa-top convertible | 128,500 | 1,950 | |
| Price Note: | |||
| Standard Equipment | |||
| 2.5 Base : 288-horsepower electric motor, traction control, dual front airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, tire-pressure monitor, air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats w/lumbar adjustment, power windows, power door locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, automatic headlights, floormats, theft-deterrent system, 175/55R16 front and 225/45R17 rear tires, alloy wheels | |||
| 2.5 Sport adds: higher-torque electric motor, rear spoiler, adjustable suspension, forged alloy wheels, performance tires | |||
| Optional Equipment | |||||
| Option Note: | |||||
| Major Packages | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Infotainment Group | $4500 | $ | |||
| Navigation system, rearview camera, upgraded sound system, high-definition radio, satellite radio, wireless cell-phone link, universal garage door opener. | |||||
| Powertrain | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Battery replacement | 12000 | ||||
| High-power connector | 1950 | ||||
| MC 240 mobile connector | 1500 | ||||
| Comfort & Convenience Features | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| Upgraded leather upholstery | 7800 | ||||
| Premium seats | 1800 | ||||
| Leather/carbon-fiber interior trim | 11700 | ||||
| Appearance and Miscellaneous | |||||
| Option | Avail. | Retail | Dealer | ||
| 3 years/36,000 miles extended warranty | 5000 | ||||
| Special paint | 1000 | ||||
| Premium paint | 2000 | ||||
| Paint protection | 1495 | ||||
| Color-keyed hardtop | 3200 | ||||
| Carbon-fiber hardtop | 5000 | ||||
| Carbon-fiber exterior accents | 8000 | ||||
| Solar-guard windshield | 400 | ||||
| Adjustable suspension | Base | 4000 | |||
| Std. Sport. | |||||
| Performance tires | Base | 850 | |||
| Std. Sport. | |||||
| Winter tires and wheels | 2200 | ||||
| Forged alloy wheels | Sport | 4800 | |||