VIDEO: Top Gear finally tests the Tesla Roadster

"Say goodbye to dial-up and say hello to broad band motoring!" That's the assessment of of Top Gear's chief wordsmith, Jeremy Clarkson, after testing the Tesla Roadster last night on Top Gear. Clarkson pitted the electric Roadster against the car which provided its chassis DNA on the TG test track and unsurprisingly came away with a startlingly different result from when he tested the G-Wiz. The extra torque of the version 1.5 drivetrain means it left the Lotus Elise in the dust, although the 1,000 lb battery pack in the middle took it's toll when going around corners. And then there is the issue of range. We all know about Tesla's claims of a 230+ mile range. That, of course, is based on the EPA driving cycle which comes nowhere near to taking advantage of the Roadster's full dynamic range. Our own estimate from our first drive last January is more like half the official number. Top Gear's range on the track? well let's just say it was considerably less than that. The TG crew actually had two examples on hand which proved helpful when Clarkson discovered the thermal limits of the Roadster's motor and brake issues with one car. When they finally handed the car over to the Stig he managed to match the lap time of the Porsche 911 GT3 under similarly damp track conditions. Wanna see it? Click and scroll down.

[Source: YouTube]

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