The Tesla electro-roadster that goes from 0-60 in 4 seconds is due to hit the streets this fall, and there are 560 orders for the $98,000 electric sports car already pending. Hey, wait a minute. We thought all the Teslas were sold out. Not so, according to a Tesla Motors spokesman, who says the Lotus factory where the cars are built can crank out 800 of the 2008 models. When can we get one?
Not right away. It's not too late to plunk down a $50,000 deposit, which gives you the right to buy your shiny new Tesla by next July, or if you pay a $30,000 deposit, you'll be in line behind the $50,000 depositors. Oh yeah, you'll have to pay the balance on the final price of $102,900 plus any tax and delivery charges, and that breaks down to $98,000 for the car, and of course you'll want to add a $1200 navigation system, a carbon fiber hard top that matches the body color for $3200, and then there's that $500 mobile charging system. All of those options sound like necessities to us.
It does look like a great car, but we're reluctant to buy anything that's in a such a limited edition, and especially since it's version 1.0. We'd rather let others be the beta testers for this fire-breathing electro-rocket. [Mercury News]