Altitude Dream Cars

Holy crap exotic car lovers, Tesla has opened a show room in Boulder Colorado. How cool is that? Well, according to recent articles in the Daily Camera and other publications, it’s pretty cool.

While the show room appears to be a temporary space until they can determine a more permanent location, currently, it’s chock full of Tesla’s to ogle, touch and beg the sales representative to test drive. I’m sure they’ll approve taking photos both in and out of the car, but test driving might actually be a little more difficult. I called the other day and was told that it was nearly impossible. I did explain to them that as a former owner of an exotic car company, that I as “Okay”. They didn’t seem to buy it.

I’m going to try and make a trip over sometime this next month, but I’m sure they still wont let me take one out for a drive. Instead, I’ll just relegate my visit to photo ops and asking lots of questions. Like how fast is it? How many kilowatts to the mile do you get? How long does it take to charge up? What’s the range on a “fill-up”?… all of those really important questions. I know, I know, I can go look all this up on their website or on any good respectable car web site, but I think it’ll be more fun to be standing there next to one asking the sales person.

What’s next for Tesla? Well, as I understand it, a four-door version is in the works and soon to be released. I’m hoping I can talk my financial advisor, AKA, my wife, into at least considering it as a next family car. I’m not sure it’s classified as a family car, but I figure anything that’ll seat three, which is all we need for our family, qualifies.

While I’m not a purist when it comes to the environment, I do my part. As a car lover, I have to think that when you can merge both worlds, environmental aware human AND car enthusiast, you have a winning combination. While most car enthusiasts are not usually considered environmentally friendly, the Tesla points us in that direction.

Now, where did I put that really long extension cord?

Cheers – Shane

2010 Evora

So, after seeing a Tesla in person and walking around the car, looking into the interior (Not much different than an Elise) it struck me that the over all look was kind of like the Evora. After reading everything I could about the Evora earlier in the year, I was convinced that it would be an awesome car when it’s relased for sale in 2010. I’ve been pouring over their site and studying the pictures, looking at the specs and while I really think it’s going to be a cool, slower version of the Elise, it just kept screaming, Tesla. I mean, the front end barely looked different. Not exactly the same, but so similar that that’s all I had in my head.

You be the judge. I just can’t keep thinking, Tesla, no matter how hard I try. As much as I love all things Lotus, I’m kind of having a hard time with the new Evora. The name was bad enough, now, the look is just too similar.

Unfortunately, it’s like that picture you have in your head of a particular person with a certain name, like Gretchen, or Gertrude. No matter what you do, every time you hear that name, it evokes something else. This is the same. Evora, Ebola, Tesla… I’m screwed on ever getting one now.

2005 Lotus Elise

I’ve been contacted on several occasions and am asked, what happened to the little red Lotus Elise I rented? It was so much fun and I have fond memories of the night I took my girlfriend to dinner down in Denver.

Well, I continued to own it, drove it around for my clients to take rides and just had plain fun with it myself. Now I’m selling it. I’ve had my fun and frankly, our teenager will soon be looking at college, so I figure, I’ll use the Lotus to pay for a portion of his college and once he’s out, making money and when he gets rich, he can buy me another one. Or, something like that.

Of course, I’ll probably go buy another one myself, or I’ll try my hand at another Porsche or something. I am getting older and a little more comfort is probably in order.

If interested, I do have it listed on Cars.Com and am a motivated seller.