The Bite Magazine - issue 16

rear-facing jump seats. You won’t miss a moment with the 17” capacitive touch- screen with digital instrument cluster which controls the majority of the car’s functions and is angled toward the driver. The touchscreen includes both day and night modes for better visibility without distraction and seamlessly integrates media, navigation communications, and cabin control, and vehicle data into one intuitive interface.You will also find many of the functions mirrored on the instru- ment panel which are voice-activated so that the driver’s attention is not taken off the road. With Over-The-Air software updates, you can rest in the knowledge that this feature will add functionality, enhance performance, and improve the driving experience of your Tesla. Drivers will receive updates to their car remotely without having to visit a service centre and the brilliant news is that receiving these updates are free for the life of the vehicle. Other goodies to expect include free long distance travel using Tesla’s Supercharger network;Wi-Fi and Internet connectivity; mobile app remote control; onboard maps and navigation with free updates for 7 years; auto- matic keyless entry; one touch power windows; high definition back-up camera; hands-free talking with Bluetooth; voice activated control; eight airbags for driver and passengers’ heads, knees, and pelvis plus two side curtain airbags; and rain sensing automatic windshield wipers. Exterior Now equipped with full LED adaptive headlamps, not only does this enhance the already great styling but it also boosts safety through the 14 three-po- sition LED dynamic turning lights that improves visibility at night, especially when it comes to winding roads. The Model S also features a Medical grade HEPA air filtration system that removes at least 99.97% of particulate exhaust pollution and effectively all allergens, bac- teria and other contaminants from cabin air. This enables the bioweapon defense mode to create positive pressure inside the cabin to protect the occupants. Exterior features include retracting and lighted door handles; automatic Xenon headlights and daytime running lights; electronic stability and traction control; four wheel antilock disc brakes with elec- tronic parking brake; power lift-gate; fog and cornering lights; and Model S photos. Verdict With safety the most important element in the Tesla Model S, brainchild of PayPal creator Elon Musk, the American auto- motive and energy storage company has certainly surprised quite a few car experts. Perhaps if you had asked them ten years ago who they expected to be the first car company to introduce a viable, fast, practical and competitive- ly-priced all-electric luxury saloon, they probably would have looked to Germany, Japan or even South Korea. Having only started in the car business in 2003,Tesla has surpassed all expectations and pro- gressed into one of the fastest moving automotive businesses in a short space of time. The fact that Tesla sells zero-emission cars has scored major points as society progresses towards improving the envi- ronment and achieving low emission. When Elon Musk told his audience that Tesla would build ‘the best car in the world’ and was determined to ‘destroy the illusion that electric cars can’t be as good as petrol cars’, he certainly achieved this with the Model S. Although, it may not look like a typical electric car (and why should it?), the reason for this could be simply because as chief engineer Franz von Holzhausen explains,“We are design- ing a car and building a brand around a powertrain that’s hard for people to take on board.The car needed to look familiar and be easy to accept. In the future we can be more experimental.” Personally, I think Tesla has done a jolly good job with their first fully compatible all-electric car – it has certainly caught my attention and I have an extreme love for high calibre cars. However, we will look out for future innovations from this thriving automotive company. www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/models bite cars