Introduction
When Elon Musk launched this big electric SUV it moved the automotive world. Big manufacturers were affected by the cars Tesla was starting to put out. One of their cars – the Model X, is an electric, full-size SUV that can put supercars to shame. We got the opportunity to take out the company’s most powerful Model X – the P100D. This variant makes 670hp and can do 100kph in just 3.1 seconds. The SUV also has an impressive top speed of 250kph.
On the outside
In terms of styling this SUV is unique. Instead of a butch SUV-like stance, it has the appearance of a large hatchback. The car also has a length that is more than 5 metres and a width that is more than the Audi Q7. Overall the lines are clean and the design flows well. The car also has large 22-inch multi-spoke wheels and frameless windows. A cool touch is how the rear doors open up like falcon wings. When you get close to the SUV, the doors open up on their own and shut when you get in and put your foot on the brake.
On the inside
Simple is a good word to describe the interior of the Tesla. The white colour seats look expensive and the quality is of a decent level. The car just has two physical buttons other than those it’s all controlled by a touchscreen. The gear lever is positioned on the stalks like a new Mercedes and all else is taken care of by the touchscreen. While it may seem like a bit much in the beginning, you do get used to it eventually. However, helping its case is the impressive touch sensitivity.
The car also has a nice greenhouse area, with the largest windscreen in a road-going car. However, that didn’t stop it from the cabin from cooling well even on a hot sunny day. While the seats in the car may look thin, they are comfortable and nicely cushioned. The car we drove was a six-seater, Tesla offers a five or seven option as well. The flat floor in the car also improves the legroom in the rear.
How does it drive?
While we didn’t have the chance to try out the Model X for the entire day, we had decent time with it. The SUV felt nothing like a regular car with a combustion motor. The first thing it was missing was the noise and because of this there is a considerable amount of road noise. The car also has instant throttle response and quick power delivery. The few sections of road where we got to try out the performance, the car delivered aggressively. To give you an idea, we found the Model X to offer the performance of the Audi R8 V10.
The car also has a light and precise steering which felt slightly large though. We were also driving it with regenerative braking on and this meant the car would drop speed as soon as we got off the accelerator. While the car did crash over larger bumps, it didn’t lose composure.
Should I buy one?
Tesla has said that could arrive in India and there has also been a privately imported one spotted here. But, for now, they aren’t available officially and that is sad.
Overall, the Model X is an amazing package and it looks good and has the power to overtake most supercars. It can do this while seating upto seven individuals. And yes, the car also offers the self-driving tech. With all things options selected, it will set you back by 1.14 crore.
