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Tesla Model S wins Automobile car of the year [w/video]

Automobile Magazine recently spent the better part of three days getting to know 28 of the latest and greatest cars on the market to pick its Automobile of the Year, and today it announced that the 2012 Tesla Model S was given this coveted award. As much as the all-electric Model S means to the automotive world, we'd be surprised if it doesn't snag a lot more hardware in the next few months.
The Model S beat out cars like the 2013 Cadillac ATS, 2013 Ford Fusion, 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 2013 BMW M5 with its sleek design, luxurious and tech-filled interior and, of course, its unique electric powertrain that offers both an incredible all-electric range and equally eye-popping performance.
To narrow down the top candidates for the award, Automobile took all the cars out for two days of road testing and then spent another day at Gingerman Raceway in Western Michigan, and the performance aspect of the Model S seemed to surprise and/or impress a lot of the magazine's staff more than anything else. To prove how fast the car is, they did a drag race to 100 miles per hour with the Tesla and the new M5, and the Model S won. The 265-mile driving range and 17-inch touch-screen display won points for the car, too.

New Jersey votes against Tesla, stores may close April 1

Doesn't New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have enough people mad at him already? Apparently not, since more than a few folks who like Tesla Motors are ready to get riled up. The governor is already embattled via his office's alleged role in a scandal involving politically-motivated lane shut-downs to the George Washington Bridge. And with him now deciding to let the state's motor-vehicle commission rule on allowing for Tesla to own its dealers, Tesla has likely lost that battle and may have to shutter its two New Jersey factory-owned stores by April 1, Automotive News says. Earlier this week, Tesla accused the governor on going back on his word after the company said it believed that the ruling would go before state legislature. Of course, the governor's office disagreed with that characterization. Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Gov. Christie, sent a statement to AutoblogGreen that said: Since Tesla first began operating in New Jersey one year ago, it was made clear that the company would need to engage the Legislature on a bill to establish their new direct-sales operations under New Jersey law. This administration does not find it appropriate to unilaterally change the way cars are sold in New Jersey without legislation and Tesla has been aware of this position since the beginning. Tesla strenuously disagrees with that characterization, and Diarmuid O'Connell, Tesla's vice president of business development, told Bloomberg that, "any suggestion that Tesla was told 'since the beginning' about any problem with its ability to be licensed there is false." Representatives for New Jersey auto dealers say the ruling merely upholds current regulations and forces everyone to operate under the same mandate. Tesla first received approval to operate in New Jersey in the fall of 2012. Tesla has won court decisions regarding dealer allowances in Massachusetts and New York, though most notably lost one in Texas (the company also can't sell cars direct to customers in Arizona). In the past, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he'd take the matter to the federal government, and we wouldn't be surprised to hear that sort of rallying cry come up again soon.

Tesla Investigating Fiery Model S Crash In Los Angeles

Automobiles can be dangerous objects, especially when moving at highway speeds. The July 4th holiday in the US, which took place this past weekend, is often an extra-dangerous time on America's roads, with an average of 127 deaths from car crashes in recent years. This year, there were at least two Tesla Model S crashes over the holiday, and despite a spectacular fire in one of the incidents, both of the drivers survived the incidents. "We absolutely want to have a look to understand what happened." – Tesla spokesman Simon Sproule The most dramatic crash happened when a Model S was apparently stolen and taken for a joy ride. Tesla told Bloomberg that the company is eager to take a closer look at what's left of the crashed vehicle, which snapped in half. "There aren't so many S's involved in major crashes, and certainly not quite like this one, so we absolutely want to have a look to understand what happened," said Tesla spokesman Simon Sproule. Tesla spokesperson Liz Jarvis-Shean told AutoblogGreen that, "We're working with relevant authorities and will be examining the car as we would with any accident." What isn't yet clear is how the reported thief was able to drive the stolen Model S (Tesla has not yet responded to our questions on this front). Media reports say it was someone at the Tesla store who reported the theft to police as it was happening, so it would seem that Tesla knew about the incident well before the crash. Whether there enough time to tell the police where the car was going or to deactivate the car is unknown. In another tragic crash that happened this weekend, a Model S rear ended a Toyota Corolla. Three of the occupants of the Toyota were killed but the Tesla driver only suffered "minor injuries," according to the Los Angeles Times. The Model S received five stars in the NHTSA's crash tests and has had safety improvements since those tests were conducted. Previous Tesla's have caught fire but no serious injuries have been reported.