A Red-Hot Tesla Burns Rubber on Consumer Reports
The Tesla Model S P85D sedan just broke the Consumer Reports rating system.
By definition, a car can’t exceed a score of 100 on the road test. But after the P85D racked up a score of 103, Consumer Reports was forced to create a new benchmark for the system and overhaul the ratings process according to a news release. The new system caused the car to slip to a score of 100.
A few characteristics of the car that allowed it to perform better in the test than any other car ever before include its rapid acceleration ability (0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds), its remarkable energy-efficiency (the car gets the equivalent of 87 miles per gallon) and its better breaking and handling system than the former top-scoring standard Model S. Two years ago, the base model version of the Model S received a 99 out of 100, which at the time was the highest rating ever for a vehicle.
Related: Why Americans Are Keeping Their Cars Longer Than Ever
The report is careful to note that even with a perfect score, the Tesla isn’t a perfect car. Besides a price tag of $127,820, beyond the means of the average person and the most expensive car Consumer Reports has ever reviewed, the car is louder than the base Model S and isn’t as plush as other luxury vehicles.
In addition, a long drive might be problematic if there aren’t any nearby charging stations along the route due to the vehicle’s 200-plus mile range. The rating also doesn’t account for the Tesla’s reliability, but the Model S comes with average reliability, according to owner-survey responses.
Imperfections aside, the car received an enviable final assessment. “It’s a remarkable car that paves a new, unorthodox course, and it’s a powerful statement of American startup ingenuity,” the report reads.
Budget ‘Chaos’ Threatens Army Reset: Retired General
One thing is standing in the way of a major ongoing effort to reset the U.S. Army, writes Carter Ham, a retired four-star general who’s now president and CEO of the Association of the U.S. Army, at Defense One. “The problem is the Washington, D.C., budget quagmire.”
The issue is more than just a matter of funding levels. “What hurts more is the erratic, unreliable and downright harmful federal budget process,” which has forced the Army to plan based on stopgap “continuing resolutions” instead of approved budgets for nine straight fiscal years. “A slowdown in combat-related training, production delays in new weapons, and a postponement of increases in Army troop levels are among the immediate impacts of operating under this ill-named continuing resolution. It’s not continuous and it certainly doesn’t display resolve.”
Pentagon Pushes for Faster F-35 Cost Cuts
The Pentagon has taken over cost-cutting efforts for the F-35 program, which has been plagued by years of cost overruns, production delays and technical problems. The Defense Department rejected a cost-saving plan proposed by contractors including principal manufacturer Lockheed Martin as being too slow to produce substantial savings. Instead, it gave Lockheed a $60 million contract “to pursue further efficiency measures, with more oversight of how the money was spent,” The Wall Street Journal’s Doug Cameron reports. F-35 program leaders “say they want more of the cost-saving effort directed at smaller suppliers that haven’t been pressured enough.” The Pentagon plans to cut the price of the F-35A model used by the Air Force from a recent $94.6 million each to around $80 million by 2020. Overall, the price of developing the F-35 has climbed above $400 billion, with the total program cost now projected at $1.53 trillion. (Wall Street Journal, CNBC)
Chart of the Day - October 6, 2017
Financial performance for insurers in the individual Obamacare markets is improving, driven by higher premiums and slower growth in claims. This suggests that the market is stabilizing. (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Quote of the Day - October 5, 2017
"The train's left the station, and if you're a budget hawk, you were left at the station." -- Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C.