2020 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4dr Sedan on 2040-cars

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Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK revival | Autoblog Podcast #543

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We talk the possible rebirth of the Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK, as well as the recent goings-on at Tesla. Then we share some of our experiences driving in Europe. We also discuss the cars we've been driving, and help spend another listener's hard-earned dough in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #543 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK to make a return? Tesla Model 3 braking issues and Elon Musk vs. media Driving in Europe Cars we've been driving: Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, Infiniti QX50, Range Rover Velar Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Auto News Green Podcasts Dodge Infiniti Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Tesla Car Buying Used Car Buying Driving Safety Performance jaguar xk infiniti qx50

Tesla will fix 1,100 Model S motors in Norway

As far as we know, Tesla didn't build all of the Model S sedans it has sold in Norway at once, but it is just those vehicles that have been found defective and will soon be fixed. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that the company will replace defective Model S drive units sold in the Northern European country. Not a great way to start the holiday season. The issue involves a part that connects the Model S' drive motor to the gearbox, according to Dow Jones Business News. The part could break down because the company didn't apply enough grease to the part when the cars were produced. The issue may impact about 1,100 vehicles that had been shipped to Norway, though about one percent of those have already experienced "premature" wear and tear. The repairs for the couplings will take about a month. We suspect the news won't put much of a damper on Model S demand in a country that's been on the leading edge of electric-vehicle adoption with its high subsidies and cheap electricity. In March, Tesla set an all-time monthly sales record for any type of vehicle in Norway, moving almost 1,500 units that month. In fact, on a per-capita basis, the Model S sold more than the best-selling Ford F-150 here in the states that month.

Tesla to introduce all-wheel-drive Model S in 2014?

The Model X sport utility vehicle may not be the first all-wheel-drive Tesla to hit the market. According to The Verge, Tesla is working on an AWD version of its Model S sedan. Currently, the Model S is only available with rear-wheel drive, but sources in the know at Tesla reportedly have said that an AWD version could be released as early as 2014, which is the same year the SUV is expected to be launch.
There was no hint in yesterday's conference call or shareholder letter that an AWD Model S is in the mix. Furthermore, the company's attention currently is focused in other places, such as Europe, Japan and China. But, as The Verge points out, CEO Elon Musk made comments in the 2013 annual shareholder meeting on June 4 about an AWD chassis that would be released in 2014 or 2015 - without the context of the Model X. We have to wonder: were the SUV's drivetrain and chassis also developed with other vehicles in mind?
Our own Domenick Yoney from AutoblogGreen adds another peculiar twist to the Tesla story: "When I spoke to Dorian West, Director of Powertrain Hardware Engineering, at Refuel, I was given the strong impression that I shouldn't expect anything [on the AWD front from Tesla] until after the Model X comes out."