Tesla Dealership Opens With Nothing To Sell

Silicon-Valley electric car company Tesla opened its first dealership last week at one of the busiest intersections in Los Angeles. It’s too bad none of that foot traffic will turn into sales, at least for a while. The first 600 Tesla Roadsters have already been sold, but only four have actually been produced. A transmission glitch which forced the company to completely change the type of transmission used has led to a delay which will keep the first 300 cars from production until at least December.

With another 400 folks on the waiting list for the $109,000, all-electric sports car, we’re not sure why the company would waste the rent check on a 10,000 square-foot store that cost $2 million to build.

There is an interesting aspect to the store though. It is a company store, not a true dealership, and salesmen are employees of Tesla and don’t work on commission. The company says it’s basing all of its dealerships on Apple’s successful stores.

Tesla opens first dealership in Los Angeles (AutoWeek)

Boutique Sports Cars Offer New Choices for High-End Car Buyers

Porsche and Ferrari are household names even if the cars they build don’t sit in many U.S. garages. The world of exclusive, high-end sports cars is poised to gain some less-familiar brand names, though, as Fisker, Yes! and Tesla plan new models for the U.S.

Because these cars are so unusual, they should appeal to a number of customers, but competition in the exotic sports car segment is already fierce and challengers face additional hurdles, like establishing a dealer network and building a brand reputation.

It's also far from a foregone conclusion that all three of these sports cars will make it to a road near you, as any number of factors could force their makers to abandon previously announced plans.