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Jay Leno burns rubber in Tesla Model S

Jay Leno has a pretty big soft spot for alternative-fuel vehicles. From his steam-powered relics to his beloved Chevrolet Volt, the comedian's automotive interests are nothing if not varied. In the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage, Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen stops by the Big Dog Garage to show off his company's new Model S. Jay gets a closer look at the five-door EV's interesting touchscreen controls, expansive moonroof and yes, even the third-row jump seats, before taking to the road. The clip explains why Tesla eschewed the chunky standardized EV charger for a more svelte unit and how the company managed to serve up impressive aerodynamics without sacrificing styling.
Leno takes the time to whir the Model S around the greater Los Angeles area before hopping on the freeway for a quick spin. This particular model features the largest battery pack available, which gives the Model S a total range of around 300 miles. Check out the clip below for a closer look.

Aftermarket carbon fiber rear spoiler for Tesla Model S is priced accordingly

Need a little something extra for your Tesla Model S? Robert Strohmeyer and EV Autosalon have you covered. The item is a thin rear spoiler, and it only costs $1,200. Strohmeyer sent AutoblogGreen an email about his new aftermarket parts company focusing on full EVs and plug-in hybrids. "Naturally," he wrote, "I started with the Tesla Model S" and the spoiler is the first product he's offering. EV Autosalon claims the very first of its EVA fiberglass spoilers was shipped last week and that more will go out next week. A few things to note. The spoiler – available in both fiberglass and carbon fiber - comes unpainted "so that [it] can be painted and installed by your local body shop of choice to match your Model S perfectly." The spoiler is meant to be attached to your Model S with 3M industrial strength body molding tape and will come with templates so that you can line up the spoiler with the edges of the trunk - you don't want this one to get put on crooked. The $1,200 price tag is for the matte or glossy carbon fiber spoilers. The fiberglass version will set you back $600, well below the cost of the official carbon fiber rear spoiler for the Tesla Roadster ($1,700). If you want an official rear spoiler for the Model S, you need to order it when you order the car (there is currently no option to buy one in the accessories section of company website), and Tesla will only put it on the $85,900 85-kWh Performance model. Tesla says the official spoiler will, "improve high speed stability" and will "reduce lift at the car's rear by 77% at highway speeds, with minimal range impact." Strohmeyer isn't making any performance claims about his aftermarket spoiler, but some members of the Tesla Motors Club like the look of it. Do you?

Lexus says it's not worried about LS sales decline in face of S-Class, Model S

The Lexus LS is old. Sure, it received a refresh for model year 2013, but it hasn't had a clean-sheet redesign since George W. Bush was in office. It's the oldest vehicle in its segment, debuting in 2007, a full year before the current-gen BMW 7 Series, two years before the Hyundai Equus and Jaguar XJ and three years before the Audi A8.
This is particularly troubling as buyers flock to the heavily redesigned Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which debuted late last year, and the all-electric Tesla Model S. Despite this move, though, Lexus is (worryingly in our minds) not at all concerned.
"We don't feel it's a problem with the car," Brian Smith, VP of marketing for Lexus, told Wards Auto. "Many of the buyers in that segment want what's new and they're trying it."