Tesla Suing Top Gear

[QuiteSufficient]

Clarkson regularly gets things wrong, or at least gets them wrong for the sake of entertaining his viewers.

Before the C6, he regularly mentioned how the Corvette was junk because of its solid axle (Corvettes have had IRS since the early 60s).

I thought the America bashing got so bad I stopped watching a few seasons ago, now they seem to have let off more.

Does Tesla have a true business presence/incorporated British arm? Having been involved in a law suit in another state and knowing the costs, I can't imagine what it would cost to sue someone in another country.

 

[matteos]

Tesla is failing to see the test. They tested it on a track; which is balls to the wall driving at 100% throttle as much as possible. Of course it only ran 55 miles. They also did a test having an M3 keep up with a Prius that was at full throttle and the M3 was better on mileage. It was a test on a track and not real world use. I'm betting most Top Gear viewers know the difference, and it's too bad Tesla doesn't.

The result of this will be: Plenty of good comical mentions of Tesla in the upcoming season. I look forward to it.

Agree with everything you said except the bolded section

 

[DarkStar_WNY]

Tesla just needs more press since their sales are down. This stunt is quite transparent and sad.

Yeah, I think your completely right. What's a company to do when media coverage of them dries up? Sue somebody, of course, it's so simple.

 

[ckryan]

Every Ford reviewed on the show makes out well. Every Focus variant, the Cosworth Fords, even the Fiesta does well. GM and Chrysler make out well too. They actually liked the Crossfire.

 

[ckryan]

Also, BBC America has started showing episodes in their uncut format. Older shows and repeats get hacked down to ~43 minutes, so a lot gets left out.

 

[XacTactX]

More technical details:

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/30/tesla-vs-top-gear/


Over the last several months, we have written to the BBC, asking them to stop repeating the serious and damaging lies on the show. Specifically:

The Roadster’s true range is only 55 miles per charge. Clarkson says: “Although Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles.”
Fact: The Roadster has been certified under UN ECE R101, the EU regulation for measuring electric vehicle range, at 211 miles. All ECE R101 tests are witnessed and certified by a neutral third party approved by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, in Tesla’s case, the Department of Road Transport – Netherlands. Of course, a car driven aggressively will get reduced mileage, regardless of whether its fueled by petrol or electricity, as Top Gear found. At the other end of the spectrum, through mindful driving, a Tesla owner achieved an astounding 313 miles on a single charge. To let either of these extremes represent real-world range is an incomplete analysis.

One of the Roadsters ran out of charge and had to be pushed into the Top Gear hangar by four men.
Fact: Neither Roadster ran out of charge during Top Gear’s tests, or even came close. We know because the Roadster records basic operating information. The show fails to mention that neither Roadster ever went below twenty-five percent charge. Why stage the stunt of pushing it into the hangar?

The Roadster’s brakes broke, rendering the car not drivable.
Fact: During Top Gear’s drive on the test track, the fuse for the braking system’s electric vacuum pump failed. But the brakes were operational and safe. The result was like driving a car without the convenient power brakes to which we’ve grown accustomed. Tesla’s brakes, both with and without the fuse, must pass all UN ECE safety tests, and they do.

Neither Roadster provided to Top Gear was available for test driving due to these problems.
Fact: At all times, there was at least one Roadster at the ready.

If the factual corrections by Tesla are indeed true, BBC and Top Gear are guilty of making libelous claims. I don't see any other interpretation of this situation if those facts are true.

 

[Mephisto_kur]

Why would Top Gear stage these things? I don't get it.

Actually, Top Gear stages much of their negative reviews. A good example is the review of the Ford F150, where they showed still pictures of "poor quality control" and you can see pry marks where they pulled panels apart and one picture of a gap is actually of a door to a compartment that was purposefully left open.

They often attack companies and even entire countries that they just don't like.

But Top Gear is an entertainment show. The saddest part is that the Brits actually think they can rely on those three assholes to provide truth over personal bias.

<-- loves the show anyway.

 

[Untitledone]

Top Gear always has some comedy making fun of a car. I can see though why Tesla would be mad. I have not seen this episode, but it sounds like they were excessively degrading the image of the Roadster.

 

[ekuest]

i love top gear. their america bashing makes me feel better about making fun of british food, speech, and teeth.

 

[Elsie]

Top gear is fictional entertainment these days. Tesla should have done their homework.
I didn't realise anyone took top gear seriously anymore.

 

[DarkStar_WNY]

i love top gear. their america bashing makes me feel better about making fun of ..........teeth.

All four of them!

 

[Bedlam]

I dont really think there is much of a point to this case either..top gear is always hating on anything electric or hybrid..its what they do. They also say a lot of pretty favorable stuff about the car in the beginning of the show..its not like it was all hate and lies. Stupid ass lawsuit imo..

 

[tissimo]

Hmm... Waiting for the Bentley law suit now.

 

[commodore]

Well welll ... this has just become the top read story on BBC World

BBC denies rigging Top Gear Tesla Roadster car race

 

[Deleted member 108676]

Fuck top gear. I hope Tesla makes them hurt for lible. Top Gear trashes every single American made car unless it has jointly made with Eurotrash. They love making anything made in the USA look half assed all to kiss the ass of European viewers AND their sponcers. Fuck Top Gear and the BBC

Truth hurts buddy.

What good cars does America have? Honestly?

Z06(in my opinion, some will say it's garbage, but I like it), CTS-V, and now the Boss Mustang.

Camero, garbage
Firebird, garbage
Charger, garbage

Just the way it is.

 

[QuiteSufficient]

Its pretty hard to take "car experts" seriously when they can not spell Camaro correctly

 

[Jeremy C]

They actually liked the Crossfire.

I don't know if comparing the shape of the Crossfire to a squatting dog would be considered "liked." It's been a while since I saw the original episode, but I am pretty sure they called the Crossfire one of the worst vehicles they tested.

 

[beowulf7]

I was a fan of Tesla, but not if they're going to throw a frivolous lawsuit at Top Gear.

Disclosure: I've been OD'ing on "TG" like crazy the past couple months and am now watching "Top Gear US" version.

 

[Outamyhead]

Well, Tesla is stating that they gave Top Gear 2 cars, and that one was always fully charged and ready to go, and that neither car went below a 25% state of charge, meaning the scene where they pushed the Tesla back into the garage was bogus. Not sure who to believe. I do know that my Chevy Volt wouldn't have had that problem, haha. Then again, my Volt isn't as fast as a Roadster.

You mean the part where the electric engine overheated, or drained the battery because it was being thrashed beyond what it was designed to do?

 

[Outamyhead]

It's also an opinion program, they drove the car like sportscars are driven at track days, not a 70-80 MPH road limit, and cruise.

Do you think Ferrari and Porsche were overjoyed at seeing an F40 break down at the start line, and the porsche 959 lose it's boost, when the Stig was going to drive the socks off them?

I noticed that Tesla didn't complain about how the car handled like a bag of shit through corners but great in a straight line against the Lotus Exige it's based off.

 

[MavericK]

I was a fan of Tesla, but not if they're going to throw a frivolous lawsuit at Top Gear.

Not sure how "frivolous" this really is. There seems to be a fair amount of evidence that supports Tesla on this one. Certainly there have been much more frivolous lawsuits between companies than this.

 

[griff30]

Except for the fact that Clarkson actually drives a Corvette. And in reviews comparing a 'Vette with other, how you say, "Eurotrash" cars, even though he said they are better cars, he prefers the 'vette.

Audi v. Corvette they chose the Corvette, their only reservation is that they're not as skilled as the Stig to drive the Corvette around the track at that time, but it's still "more exciting."

Richard is a Yank-fanboy. the Dodge Challenger he brought to the salt flats in Utah was his. His favorite cars are Pagani Zondas and muscle cars.

Ford's are generally well-received by them (Ford is still an American car company...)

Quote "Over the years there have been a great many Corvettes, and none of them, if we’re honest, have been any good. Oh, there have been some fast ones and some with great charisma. Mostly, they have been pretty as well. But to drive? No. They were the automotive equivalent of Big Macs. Cheap, plastic and at the right time, and in the right place, sort of just what you want. But like I said. Just no."
Then he goes on to say that he likes the Corvette ZR1 and gives it 5 stars.. but he then opens his rancid mouth "It is an epic car and I’m only sad that unless the healthcare and pensions company that makes it can be turned around, it will be the last of the breed."

He truely enjoys mocking America and making snide remarks about anything we make, He especially hates how we were "late" to WW2. Yet with all his berating us and dissing how his country is sooo much older than ours. his show is broadcast in English and not German so he can kiss our ass.

 

[bbf]

More technical details:

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/30/tesla-vs-top-gear/

OK, I actually *READ* the PDF of the actual court filing on the teslamotors website and surprise, surprise, it's not as bad as CrunchGear's marketing fluff mouthpiece article that takes direct quotes from the Tesla Marketing Blog purports it is.

Yeah, right boyz and girlz, I actually read the actual complaint before posting, rather than just typing on my keyboard *ASSUMING* the pablum posted on Tesla's site and CrunchGear is 100% true.

Here's a blow by blow of the claims:

Misrepresentation 1: The Roadster ran out of charge and had to be pushed into the Top Gear hangar by 4 men.

Malicious Falsehoods
(1) The first Roadster shown (which was silver in colour) did not run out of charge.
(2) The first Roadster did not have to be pushed into the hanger as a result of running out of charge.

Clarkson: This car really was shaping up to be something wonderful but then... (artificial dying motor sounds and music slowing down and stopping) ... although Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles and if it does run out it's not a quick job to charge it up again.
(Footage of people pushing the Roadster into hanger follow by Jeremy Clarkson inserting the charger lead into the Roadster)

Let's see... I don't see any explicit mention about the the Tesla actually "run(ning) out of charge" at all by Topgear. In my non professional personal opinion, Claim 1 is marginal since it's only *implied" in the show. Also I don't see any explicit mention that the Tesla *HAD* to be pushed into the hanger. Claim 2 is also marginal since it's only "implied" in the show.

Misrepresentation 2: The Roadster’s true range is only 55 miles per charge (not 211).

Libel
(1) In their natural and ordinary meaning (including the entirety of the broadcast as context) the words (as interpreted by s.16 Defamation Act 1952) within the item:
"although Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles"
(1) were defamatory of each of the Claimants, and
(2) meant and were understood to mean that each of the Claimants had intentionally and/or recklessly, grossly misled potential purchasers of the Roadster by claiming that it had a range of about 200 miles when in fact its true range was in the order of 55 miles.

Although Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles.

Yep, sell a car marketed as a sports car, and piss on a TV show when they state the range when flogging the car on a track. Notice that Top Gear mentioned that it was "on our track".

Misrepresentation 3: One Roadster's motor overheated and was completely immobilized as a result.

Libel
(4) The second Roadster (which ws grey in colour) did not become immobile as a result of overheating.

Clarkson: And it doesn't appear that you get much in reliability either. Oh... I don't believe this... the motor has overheated and I have reduced power.
(Shot of Tesla sitting on the track)

Hmm, also no explicit mention in Top Gear of the car being immobile, and explicit mention that it does REDUCE POWER when the motor overheats, which is true. However, the shot does *imply* that the car stopped on the track.

Misrepresentation 4: The other Roadster’s brakes were broken, rendering the car undriveable.

Malicious Falsehoods:
(3) At no point were the brakes on the first Roadster broken.

While it cooled down we went to get the silver car out again...
(Shot of back of silver Roadster in the hanger with its bonnet up)
... only to find that while it was being charged its brakes had broken.
(Shot of empty track)

Umm, no evidence presented of why the brakes weren't broken. But given the explanations from other sources, "blown power brake assist fuse" was the issue. I don't know about you, but I consider my brakes "broken" when the power assist goes out and certainly I'm not going to drive a car around a track with no power brakes if it should have power brakes. No where does Top Gear explicitly say that the car was "undriveable" or "unsafe" like some other Tesla marketing fluff pieces have tried to insinuate. It all depends on the definition of "broken brakes".

Misrepresentation 5: That neither of the two Roadsters provided to Top Gear was available for test driving due to these problems.

Malicious Falsehoods:
(5) There was no time at which neither Roadster was available for driving.

(Shot of empty track)
Clarkson: So then with the light fading we had no cars at all.
(Shot of the darkening sky over empty track followed by piece to camera whilst walking along a dark and empty track)

Also depends on what "available for driving" means. Would Telsa liked it if Clarkson drove a power limited, in "overheat protection" mode Tesla around the track, or one without power assist on the brakes? I bet not.

All in all, in my personal opinion, the lawsuit is unfounded and actually LOWERS my impression of Tesla as a company A LOT. It's not like any of the millionaires that shelled out over $100K US per car would ever *care* about what Top Gear said about the car and backed out of purchasing one. All the people that bought it just wanted it for "green e-penis" purposes... rich versions of Prius owners. Like any of them can justify buying a roadster that does 0-60 in 3.9 secs for over $100K as being green especially since it's probably the 100th car in their collection.

IMHO, Tesla has now infuriated the auto-enthusiasts with their petty squabbling. And given the choice between Topgear's fanciful over-the-top "reviews" and a company that builds expensive and impractical electric only "sports cars", I think most people will choose Top Gear.

 

[griff30]

I think most people will choose Top Gear.

Only if you like watching Cockney accented, pompous carfags reviewing cars that few people can afford.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

I'm not a greenie by any means and I don't think electric cars are the answer to anything.

BUT put yourself in Tesla's shoes. You have invested millions in manufacturing a product; and the public is skeptical at best about that kind of product. (electric cars)
You get a phone call from the producers of a popular TV show that say "HEY, went to feature you product on our show"
You gladly provide them 2 fine examples for them to test.
They summarily sabotage the cars and purposely make them out to be junk.
This kind of thing can put a company out of business. There were possibly thousands of people that might have considered buying that product; but believing what they just saw on TV to be true; won't even consider it. Also the general consensus will be the product is junk.
You would do EXACTLY what Tesla did.
From my own observation Top Gear is very BIASED. And as a rule they hate American cars even if they out preform the European counterparts on the track. I would not put this charge of sabotage past them.

 

[bbf]

Only if you like watching Cockney accented, pompous carfags reviewing cars that few people can afford.

Do you own a Tesla? Hmm I wonder how many people can afford a Tesla... Oh yeah, I forgot, it's one of those unnaffordable cars that was reviewed by the pompous carfags at Top Gear.

I'm pretty safe in saying that more people regularly watch Top Gear than own Teslas.
Probably by a margin of over 10,000 to 1.

BTW I agree that J. Clarkson is a "pompous carfag" but that's a core part of the show... you obviously "don't get it". The same with Tesla Motors. That's why Top Gear is not what I consider an "auto review" show, more of a car based entertainment show made by and presented by a bunch of adolescents with lots of money to do outrageous things.

Oh you can hate Top Gear, but don't insult those that don't share your views.

 

[CharonPDX]

First,

Top Gear was pushing the car HARD the entire time. Not a normal usage model. I bet the Lotus Elise doesn't get its stated 29 MPG when driven as hard as they do, either.

Also, if you make a point of driving a gas car at redline constantly, it tends to break down faster than normal, too.

Driving "aggressively and fun" is *NOT* the same as "driving it flat-out nonstop". I can drive a Miata "aggressively and fun", and still get at least in the ballpark of its rated mileage. If I were to drive it on a track at full throttle, I'd likely get 1/3 to 1/2 the rated mileage...

In short: Top Gear isn't "lying", but they're not representing the car under normal circumstances, either.

 

[GuyClinch]

Tesla is a pretty suspect company all around IMHO. Car and Driver slammed the crap out of the car - I am surprised they didn't sue them too. Electric cars don't work as well in practice as they do in theory. Range is a huge issue - because if you run out of juice you can't quickly recharge - throw in the fact that batteries store hardly any energy and you have an issue.

 

[bbf]

They summarily sabotage the cars and purposely make them out to be junk.

How did Top Gear sabotage the cars?
Did they sabotage them by driving a roadster on the track like a real sports car should be capable of?
Did they intentionally cause the power assist on brakes to fail?

Top Gear breaks cars on their track all the time. I don't see any of those manufacturers suing Top Gear when they broadcast it.

Definitely, Top Gear did go over the top with their shots showing the Tesla Roadsters being stopped on track and being pushed in to the garage. I would not call this "sabotage".

Honestly, if you read the transcript of the show, Clarkson was really impressed by the car, but still thought it was impractical since one gets better performance and a much lower price by just buying a Lotus Elise.

Anybody who takes the "reviews" on Top Gear seriously should call me up cause I have a bridge in New York that I can sell you at a really good price.

BTW Have you seen the Top Gear Prius vs. M3 fuel economy comparison? Last I heard Toyota hasn't sued Top Gear yet, and it hasn't hurt Prius sales at all. Plus if you're a regular viewer of the show, Clarkson has stated his "HATE" of Prius' OVER and OVER and OVER again every chance he gets. It seems to be the first question he asks of any movie star that goes on the interview segment of the show...

 

[Rossi~]

Lol ah Top Gear get sued every other episode for something, whether it be slating the mexicans or lorry drivers killing hookers and tesla think they have shit on them giving their car a bad/unfair review?

 

[cerwinvega]

He truely enjoys mocking America and making snide remarks about anything we make, He especially hates how we were "late" to WW2. Yet with all his berating us and dissing how his country is sooo much older than ours. his show is broadcast in English and not German so he can kiss our ass.

...and you can kiss mine.

As an American I am sooooo tired of my countrymen getting butthurt and indignant over anything and everything they can possibly get away with. It's a fucking TV Show. Get over it. No one is spared from criticism on that show, and even if that weren't the case, I am personally tired of whiny thin-skinned bitches like you constantly crying whenever someone says something negative about the US. I don't agree with everything he says about us, but I don't give a shit about him or his opinions. He's an entertainer.

Now, go change your pad and STFU.

When the fuck did we become the QQ society ?

 

[Dr. Righteous]

How did Top Gear sabotage the cars?
Did they sabotage them by driving a roadster on the track like a real sports car should be capable of?
Did they intentionally cause the power assist on brakes to fail?

Top Gear breaks cars on their track all the time. I don't see any of those manufacturers suing Top Gear when they broadcast it.

Definitely, Top Gear did go over the top with their shots showing the Tesla Roadsters being stopped on track and being pushed in to the garage. I would not call this "sabotage".
...

It was the misrepresentation or maybe poor representation of the car. Sloppy on the part of Top Gear. But showing the car having to be PUSHED? What does that say to you?
To say "it's actual range is 55 miles"; regardless of the context is a misrepresentation.
I'm not saying they threw a monkey wrench into the gear box; I'm saying a "fair showing" of the car was sabotaged. That kind of thing on TV can be death for a company like Tesla.
Again, if your product was misrepresented on a TV show (lied about) what action would you take?

 

[XacTactX]

Only if you like watching Cockney accented, pompous carfags reviewing cars that few people can afford.

You just don't like Top Gear because it portrays American cars as what the vast majority of them are: shit. And you don't know what a Cockney accent is if you think they speak with Cockney accents.

 

[Hulahoops]

LOL yeah, forgot to add his favorite car is actually the Ford GT, which he prefers over his Mercedes Benz.

It was but then he had massive problems with it, he loved the idea of it but actually owning it was a nightmare for him as the alarm system kept the car from moving or working.

 

[Spare-Flair]

Well, Tesla is stating that they gave Top Gear 2 cars, and that one was always fully charged and ready to go, and that neither car went below a 25% state of charge, meaning the scene where they pushed the Tesla back into the garage was bogus. Not sure who to believe. I do know that my Chevy Volt wouldn't have had that problem, haha. Then again, my Volt isn't as fast as a Roadster.

Of course it was bogus. 80% of everything on Top Gear is staged for dramatic effect. It was an illustration of a situation that could happen because batteries need to be charged and you can't just refill them on the spot.

 

[Outamyhead]

Quote "Over the years there have been a great many Corvettes, and none of them, if we’re honest, have been any good. Oh, there have been some fast ones and some with great charisma. Mostly, they have been pretty as well. But to drive? No. They were the automotive equivalent of Big Macs. Cheap, plastic and at the right time, and in the right place, sort of just what you want. But like I said. Just no."
Then he goes on to say that he likes the Corvette ZR1 and gives it 5 stars.. but he then opens his rancid mouth "It is an epic car and I’m only sad that unless the healthcare and pensions company that makes it can be turned around, it will be the last of the breed."

He truely enjoys mocking America and making snide remarks about anything we make, He especially hates how we were "late" to WW2. Yet with all his berating us and dissing how his country is sooo much older than ours. his show is broadcast in English and not German so he can kiss our ass.

At the time Chevrolet were in a financial crisis, and have only just got back into profit, Ford did this two years ago without a bail out, or government supervision, so yeah things were grim for Chevy and the sports cars market.

Actually Germany gave up on England when we kicked their arse in the skies, some old wooden frame, canvas Hurricanes, and Spitfires that had the Merlin engine (later chucked into P-51 Mustangs) saw to it that the bombers and fighter escorts got whipped, also Hitler botched his bombing plan from airfields to towns, he was losing too many planes to continue blitzing England, and clear a path for operation Sea Lion, so he called it off and tried invading Russia instead. That was in '40, two years before American allied planes were based in England, you can thank us for the clear skies and empty ocean to bring your planes and land forces into England for D-day.

Top Gear USA is just as opinionated about European cars, Foust hates the Aston Martin, (although the US version is not funny at all).

 

[FLECOM]

Fuck top gear. I hope Tesla makes them hurt for lible. Top Gear trashes every single American made car unless it has jointly made with Eurotrash. They love making anything made in the USA look half assed all to kiss the ass of European viewers AND their sponcers. Fuck Top Gear and the BBC

thats funny because in the Tesla episode they were reading all the hate mail about them setting a Morris Marina on fire including "Top Gear can eat $hit and die!" lol

 

[Spare-Flair]

Fuck top gear. I hope Tesla makes them hurt for lible. Top Gear trashes every single American made car unless it has jointly made with Eurotrash. They love making anything made in the USA look half assed all to kiss the ass of European viewers AND their sponcers. Fuck Top Gear and the BBC

Total nonsense. Clarkson loves the Corvette and Hammond is the biggest American fanboy there is. He loves American muscle cars more than anything else and drives one on a daily basis.

Their anti-American humor is, just like what happened with a Tesla, staged because Top Gear is about comedy and not serious car journalism.

As I said before, almost everything on Top Gear is staged. Even the audience segments. People who have been on the show have reported that they refilm jokes and tell the audience to laugh again if a line didn't come out right.

 

[ekuest]

Only if you like watching Cockney accented, pompous carfags reviewing cars that few people can afford.

actually i do. the hosts are gorgeous and the cars are hilarious. or maybe i got that switched around.

 

[Fershlugg]

I've seen the episode.. the tesla died long before the company said it should. Then Top Gear brought the backup out. Guess what, it shit the bed too. tough tittie tesla, shoulda made a better car. Better luck next time.