> Hiding under the P85D's body are two electric motors, producing a combined 568 kW
At 100W per plain cyclist, those motors are equivalent to 5.680 cyclists. That's a lot of waste just to carry one person (on average). Besides, what's the point of having so much power just to drive from one red light to the other, or drive at 130km/h on the highway? Pretty much any car those days can do that in comfort and for much less money.
Besides, in the city, cars drive at an average speed of 20km/h, about as fast as the plain ol' bicycle.
> The 17-inch touchscreen in the center console is a masterpiece, replacing the traditional array of buttons and dials
However, a major difference, is that you can use a button/dial without taking your eyes from the road, which isn't true for digital solutions. Is this progress?

I for one would love to have a Tesla S and would trade either kidney for one. Elon Musk truly gets it, as he's the first out the gate to design an electric car that people *want*. Its expensive, but then again, typically most luxury items are. He'll use the more well heeled individuals to finance his project before bringing it to the masses. As an auto-enthusiast, I applaud Elon and this car. I'm not a Tesla apologist by any means, but I gota chance to drive one last summer and became smitten the power. The range is decent too, and for actual people with families and houses and not just city dwellers, it makes a compelling choice as it can actually go some distance and keep up with vehicles on the highway. My job requires me to drive sometimes 150 miles in a day, so a Tesla S and supercharger would certainly fit my needs. Can't wait for the model 3.

I have been a tireless booster of Tesla since Elon Musk started taking orders for the Tesla Roadster. My only real criticism of Musk's handling of the Tesla models is his nearsighted attitude of charging using a proprietary connector. Musk needs to seriously pursue WIRELESS charging for Tesla Motors to exist, much less prevail,10 to 15 years down the road.

After taking a test drive, no other car will ever fully satisfy me.
What a breathtaking vehicle. Mild and docile and efficient when needed and a tiger when mashing the go pedal.
Only the $7,800 in NYS sales tax prevented me from buying a Model S. I have no problem with a per mile driven tax to fund the roads I drive on but $7,800 so NYS can throw away my money is a deal breaker.

The extra power is there to handle a fully loaded 'Family Sedan' with 5 to 7 people.

Freyr- Your comparison to bicycles, while quite illuminating on the efficiency of a bike, is kind of apples to oranges. While many people have the ability to bike to work and local events/shops, many many people still need a car. On the plus side, the 5,680 cyclists to move one person isn't needed! Its available for some short fun, but most of the time, it only takes...20-100kw for 95% of driving. The 568kw motor only sips as much as needed.
You also hit upon a great issue of buttons/dials vs. touchscreen. I personally prefer physical dials, but the steering wheel actually contains most of the functions you need, and I'm sure the infotainment center is compatible with voice commands. Combined with other safety functions, if the system is used correctly, you should be able to adjust temp, volume, take a call, perhaps even get direction without taking your eyes off the road. Its all about implementation and proper use.

@Mike Nicewarner: great info thank you! Man, this car is impressive.

Would be interesting to know how many G's are produced in an Insane Mode acceleration.
In their next model with even higher accel, what will they call it? What is more than "insane"?