The Tesla Model S has been called the 2013 Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine.
Tesla Model S got the coveted titled after being selected from 11 finalists that included models such as the Ford Fusion, Porsche 911 and Hyundai Azera.
Eleven judges reviewed the contenders, including three guests, and for the first time in the award's history all 11 voted unanimously for the winner, according to the magazine. Each car was evaluated on advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, and safety and value. While 25 vehicles were eligible to win, judges narrowed down the field to the final few over two weeks of solid testing.
"At its core, the Tesla Model S is simply a damned good car you happen to plug in to refuel," editor-at-large Angus MacKenzie wrote in an article about the award.
Motor Trend calls the Model S "as smoothly effortless as a Rolls-Royce" to drive fast while having the cargo and passenger capacity of an SUV.
Tesla offers three lithium-ion battery packs for the Model S -- 40-kW-hr, 60-kW-hr, and 85-kW-hr -- that are claimed to provide ranges of 140, 200, and 265 miles, respectively. The base 85-kW-hr powertrain delivers a stout 362 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, while the performance version makes 416 hp and 443 lb-ft.
The battery packs are assembled at Tesla's plant in Fremont, California, using Panasonic cells with nickel-cobalt-aluminum cathodes. Situated under the floor, the battery pack is a stressed member that further improves torsional rigidity, and helps lower the car's center of gravity to just 17.5 inches, about the same as a Ford GT's.
