The Sunday Times Magazine - UK (2022-01-23)

The Sunday Times Magazine • 47

Tesla’s website doesn’t mince its

words in declaring that the new

Roadster will be the quickest

production car in the world. The

Porsche-slayer will reach 62mph

from standstill in a scorching 2.1

seconds. If that’s not enough, Elon

Musk is adding the option of cold

compressed air system on

the “SpaceX” version operates

at 10,000psi — three times

that of a scuba tank. Recalling

how the shark met its fate in

Jaws, let’s hope the Roadster

is thoroughly crash-tested.

Expected: TBC

thrusters — air jets borrowed from

his SpaceX rockets — to further

reduce the 0-62mph time by a full

second. Unveiling the prototype,

Musk said the convertible would

make a petrol-powered car “feel

like a steam engine with a side

of quiche”. One thought: the

Tesla

Roadster

About £200,000

Volkswagen’s classic microbus

was once beloved of the flower-

power generation. Now it’s likely

to become the darling of battery-

power devotees, especially those

whose beach motto is take

nothing but photos, leave nothing

but footprints. The latest

microbus is emissions-free, so

your conscience will stay as clean

as a sea breeze. Called the ID.Buzz

for reasons VW can’t explain, it’ll

first be available as a cargo van

— great for lugging surfboards,

kayaks, SUPs and all the gear for

weekend trips. A fully kitted out

electric camper will follow,

though not immediately. The Buzz

will supposedly have a 300-mile

range and be able to recharge to

80 per cent in just 15 minutes. It

sounds like a California dream, but

surely the satisfaction in owning a

camper van lies in the knowledge

that you can, when the mood

takes you, jack in the nine-to-five

and head for Timbuktu — where,

as far as I know, they don’t have

rapid chargers.

Expected: summer

VW ID.Buzz

About £50,000