[車迷區] Tesla to kill the Roadster in 2011, new version coming in 2013?

geog1g1

You read that right. Tesla Motors will stop building the Roadster in 2011.

Wired's Autopia was digging through thepapers filed by Tesla to the Securities and Exchange Commission for its IPO and came across with this nugget:

    "We do not plan to sell our current generation Tesla Roadsterafter 2011 due to planned tooling changes at a supplier for the TeslaRoadster."

As everyone's aware, the current iteration of the Tesla Roadster is built in Hethel, England by Lotus using Elise/Exigeunderpinnings. Judging by the quote above, that means the Elise/Exigeis due to be replaced by a new model (good news for enthusiasts), butthat leaves Tesla up a creek without the proverbial paddle.

The other telling line is this:

    "As a result, we anticipate that we may generate limited, ifany, revenue from selling electric vehicles after 2011 until the launchof the planned model S..."

The Model Sis due to come out in 2012, which means Tesla might not have anyrevenue coming in until the all-electric sedan goes on sale. If there'sa snag with anything in the launch of the sedan – design, production,engineering, you name it – then Tesla's in serious trouble. That mightmake investors wary when the upstart automaker finally begins offeringshares.

So, bottom line: If you want the current Roadster, order now, or wait until the all-new Roadster goes on sale in 2013.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/29/wait-what-tesla-to-kill-the-roadster-in-2011/