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Tesla spies something that begins with the letter D

Lest there be any doubt to the contrary, Tesla is a company on the move. Following the sensational Tesla Roadster, the Model S is now humming down roads across the country and around the world. And there's more to come: the entry-level Model 3, the upcoming Model X crossover... and something else. Two somethings, to be precise, going by this latest, cryptic tweet from Tesla chief Elon Musk.
The image enclosed appears to show the front of a Model S peering out from under a partially open garage door emblazoned with the letter D. Just what that letter stands for, we don't know. Usually we'd guess it stood for "diesel," but given that Teslas are powered purely by electricity, that'd probably be viewed as a backwards step. Drive? Possibly, if Tesla has an all-wheel-drive sedan in the works (which is does).
Whatever it is, we'll have to wait until October 9 before Tesla reveals the full thing. At that point it will also reveal "something else," though it's given even less indication as to what that might be. The Model 3? Production-ready Model X? A new Roadster? We'll find out in a week's time.

Tesla news roundup: Supportive bill proposed in NJ; NHTSA ends investigation

The ongoing dealer fight against Tesla Motors in a number of states continues to evolve, with two bits of news out of Ohio and New Jersey this week. There is good news and, well, good news. And then there's lots more news. In Ohio, the automaker won a compromise bill that won't exactly let Tesla to do whatever it wants, but it will let the company's two existing stores stay open and a third to come online. Tesla sent AutoblogGreen a statement from Diarmuid O'Connell, VP of corporate and business development, on the situation there: We're pleased with the compromise reached in the Senate Committee to amend SB 260 to allow Ohio residents to continue to purchase electric vehicles directly from Tesla at our two existing stores and one additional location in Ohio. Tesla stores are essential to educating customers about electric vehicle technology and building a mass market for EVs. We look forward to continuing to provide our Ohio customers with the full Tesla experience and to further investing in the state by employing Ohioans both directly at our stores and service centers, and through our Ohio-based suppliers of parts and components. Meanwhile, over in New Jersey, Assemblyman Tim Eustace introduced legislation that would reverse the ban on Tesla stores in that state. On Facebook, the EV-driving Assemblyman wrote, "We need to attract companies that will create jobs and promote economic growth. If the governor is unwilling, then the Legislature will get it done." You can read the proposed bill here. Also, coinciding with the announcement of the new titanium underbody shields for the Model S, the NHTSA said it has closed its investigation into three Model S fires and said that, "A defect trend has not been identified." With the political landscape constantly changing, lots of editorial voices are joining the discussion. As The New York Times editorial board says, "the fight with Tesla is not really about this niche company" and basically comes to the same conclusion we did the other day: "Instead of fighting Tesla, dealers should be improving customer service." Possible 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) also jumped into the fray, saying on CNBC that he has no problem with Tesla's business model. You can see a clip of that below as well as a short video of a Model S delivery staging area in Europe. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party.

Audi tops Consumer Reports' brand rankings while Tesla leads domestics at eighth

Tesla supplanted General Motors' Buick division as the top-ranked US automaker in Consumer Reports annual brand rankings, though the electric-vehicle maker finished eighth among global automakers. Buick had finished atop CR's domestic car-brand list for three years before Tesla leapfrogged it. Scores were calculated from a combination of performance, owner satisfaction, and reliability. CR noted that Buick scored big on reliability but not so high on performance, while Tesla appeared to present the opposite case. Volkswagen's Audi division repeated as the best overall brand for the second straight year, beating out VW's Porsche unit, BMW, Toyota's Lexus division, and Subaru. Kia and Mazda followed those brands, while Honda finished ninth, between Tesla and Buick. Consumer Reports took results from 31 brands. Reliability issues related to the Toyota Tacoma helped drop that Japanese automaker out of the top 10. Take a look at CR's results for its Annual Brand Report Card here. That Tesla, Audi, and Porsche placed so high is topical, given some of the issues plaguing those automakers. Audi, Porsche, and their parent VW have been coping with the effects of the diesel-emissions scandal that broke back in 2015. The scandal has cost Europe's largest automaker billions of dollars, and forced VW to put a stop-sale on diesel-powered cars in the US in late 2015. And while the Tesla Model S improved from the "worse-than-average" label CR gave it in its 2015 Annual Auto Reliability Survey, the problematic falcon-wing doors on the Tesla Model X SUV pulled that model's reliability scores lower last year. Additionally, the Model X's climate-control system and door locks have also caused issues. Toyota and Lexus finished atop CR's reliability rankings last year. Related Video: