From the June 2016 issue

We half expect Doc, Marty, and Elon to step out as the Falcon Wing doors of the Tesla Model X begin to swing open, activated as they are with two successive pushes on the side of the key fob. The rear doors release with an audible click, and then the electric motors whir as the doors begin their slow skyward ascent. It’s the Model X’s big trick, and a dubious tie to the hubris of DeLorean, Bricklin, and Icarus.

These aren’t mere gullwing doors, though; they’re far more complex. Power actuated and lined with capacitive, inductive, and sonar sensors behind the aluminum skin to keep them from delivering an uppercut to your head or garage ceiling, the doors are hinged above the glass to automatically fold away from parked cars and obstacles. They’re probably the smartest doors ever fitted to a car. But do you want complicated doors? Mostly you just want doors to open easily, quickly, and provide a large-enough portal to let you into the cabin. Fully open, the Falcon Wing door provides a large entry, but it’s still easy to smack your head on the tip of the wing.

There’s a wait, too. The Falcon Wing doors take five and a half seconds to open—six to close—and occasionally the sensors halt their progress, even when there’s nothing in the way. For as smart as these doors are, it turns out that even semisentient doors with echolocation are pretty dumb. And yet, the dumbest part of the Model X is the first thing you will show off.

The rest of the Model X isn’t dumb—far from it. Tesla’s third act, after the Roadster and the Model S, the Model X is a fully ­electric three-row SUV. Built alongside the Model S in Fremont, California, the X shares much with that hatchback, including significant parts of the chassis and the aluminum structure, plus the electric motors and the battery pack. Tesla’s SUV might look like the unwanted offspring of a Model S and a BMW 5-series GT, but at least the shape doesn’t offend the wind. The claimed drag coefficient is a very low 0.24.

View Photos Bottom right: This man has always dreamed of driving a soap bubble. The Model X’s enormous windshield is as close as he’s going to get. CHARLIE MAGEE

We tested an X P90D, which means it gets Tesla’s largest battery, a 90-kWh lithium-ion pack that provides a claimed range of 250 miles. In our short time with the Model X, its onboard computer reported that we used 107 kWh over 246 miles; that’s the energy equivalent of 77 MPGe.

Like the Model S, the X won’t embarrass itself if it lines up next to a supercar on a drag strip. An electric motor at each axle provides four-wheel drive. Add up the motors’ maximum potential and you get a theoretical 762 horsepower, but the arithmetic isn’t that simple. Power sent to the wheels is limited by the battery’s ability to transmit current, so the real combined output is 463 horsepower for the P90D.

Spending $10,000 for the Ludicrous Speed option adds software changes and what Tesla calls a “smart” fuse. That special fuse increases the battery’s output to 1500 amps (up from 1300), and the available output rises to 532 horsepower. With or without Ludicrous Speed, the full 713 pound-feet of torque is available with every punch of the accelerator below 50 mph. That neck-straining torque certainly gives the sensation of 700 horsepower. Or of falling off a tall building.

All Tesla Performance models—denoted by the P in front of the 90—have launch control that will impress anyone this side of Colonel Stapp. To activate, select Ludicrous Speed mode, hold the brake pedal to the floor, then quickly flatten the accelerator and release. Do it right and “Launch Control Enabled” comes up on the screen. While maintaining your left foot on the brake, go back to the accelerator with the right and hold it. When you feel the X’s motors straining against the brakes, release the brake pedal. The acceleration hits so hard that it causes an involuntary and embarrassing “uhhn,” a sound usually reserved for prostate exams.

View Photos There’s easy access to the second and third rows of seats, once the Falcon Wing doors finally open. Watch your head, though. CHARLIE MAGEE

The 60-mph mark arrives in 3.3 seconds, and the quarter-mile flashes by in 11.8 seconds at 116 mph. Stabbing the right pedal from a roll at 30 mph results in 50 mph in 1.3 seconds. It’s nearly instantaneous. The 50-to-70 run takes just 2.1 seconds. Even without launch control, the Model X rips through the 5-to-60 test in 3.5 seconds. Quick by any meas­ure, but let’s pause to consider that the 5594-pound Model X is within 76 pounds of a Chevrolet Tahoe. We tested the Tesla on the same day that we ran the McLaren 570S and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS at the track. Only the Model X’s acceleration caused an unintentional moan.

After back-to-back zero-to-120-mph runs, the Tesla’s battery heats up and gets stingy with the electrons. Loud cooling fans kick on, and the acceleration tapers off. To extract the best times, we waited through a lengthy cool-down period. Most owners will never run repeatedly to 60 mph or more, so they can fully expect a 3.3-second rocket ride when they take their unsuspecting neighbors out for a cruise.

Owners can also expect a firm, yet comfortable ride and supportive seats covered in soft leather. The button-free instrument panel is straight out of the Model S, down to the beautiful 17-inch touchscreen that controls nearly all vehicle functions, including the power doors. Because of the X’s virtually silent drivetrain, the rush of wind and the hum of the tires come through louder than in gas-powered cars, but at 70 mph we measured a low 65 decibels of noise. The aluminum structure is a fortress of solitude despite the massive openings necessitated by the rear doors. Only an unbuckled passenger’s-side seatbelt slapping against the hard seatback disturbs the silence.

View Photos CHARLIE MAGEE

The dazzling companion to the silly rear doors is the expansive windshield that stretches into the roof. A dark tint begins where the windshield normally ends and works to keep the cabin from heating up like a greenhouse. Sun visors flip out of the A-pillars and swing into position. We were skeptical of the windshield’s worth until we drove among the skyscrapers in downtown Los Angeles. Suddenly, the tops of buildings came into view. We were left dumbfounded, like slack-jawed tourists endlessly looking upward. Lose the Falcon Wing doors, Elon; the windshield is the Model X’s best gimmick.

Tesla has ditched the Model S’s power door handles that present and retract in the presence of the key. The Model X doesn’t really even have handles. Instead, a flush-mounted chrome spear pops open the doors with a push. Like the rear doors, the power front doors open slowly and cautiously to sniff out potential obstacles. Closing can be done with a push, but it’s much cooler to watch the doors close themselves when you hit the lock button on the key. We did notice that the front doors slam through the last few inches of travel. To see if the doors would close on an arm or hand, we positioned a plastic water bottle between the jamb and the door. The Model X showed no mercy and crushed it. We’d advise keeping clear of the closing doors.

Second-row seats have power fore-aft adjustments, but no recline. Unlike every other SUV, the Model X’s second row doesn’t fold, which means this isn’t a sidewalk-couch-devouring machine. But also unlike every other SUV, there’s a deep trunk up front. The second row does slide forward and tilts with the push of a button to allow access to the two-seat third row. Third-row riders get a good amount of space provided the second row stays forward.

View Photos The Model X’s exterior design, a mix of Model S detailing and BMW 5-series GT proportions, is best described as stumpy. CHARLIE MAGEE

Tesla’s Autopilot semi-autonomous drive mode will take control of the steering, brakes, and speed. It’s fun for a while to sit back and let the computer do the work, but it’s a lot more fun to drive the Model X. Whoever does Tesla’s chassis tuning is a genius. Like the Model S, the Model X fights below its weight. Its motions are nimble and secure. Body roll is kept to a minimum, and the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 tires developed specifically for the Model X hang on tightly up to 0.86 g. A thick-rimmed steering wheel—shared with the Model S—provides rich and consistent feedback that would make us break out the champagne if we found it in a modern BMW. Steering heft can be adjusted from light to heavy, but every setting speaks with the same clear voice.

Braking from 70 mph took 172 feet. In panic stops, the pulsating brake pedal ­travels nearly to the floor, but the brakes didn’t exhibit any fade in our testing. In normal driving, you slow by lifting off the accelerator, which activates the regenerative-braking system that can almost bring the Model X to a complete stop.

Tesla, the company, isn’t stopping. Following behind the Model X is the almost-affordable Model 3. But until the Model 3 arrives late next year, the company remains a ­boutique selling pricey EVs to rich buyers. The least expensive Model X starts at $81,200. Our top-spec P90D Ludicrous Speed test car came with a $133,700 price tag. And yet, the Model X really has no competition. There are no other electric SUVs at the moment. And even against fossil-fuel-fed SUVs, the Tesla’s effortless performance and efficiency can’t be matched. We should also note that there are no other SUVs with gullwing doors, but now we know there’s a good reason for that.

Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front- and rear-motor, 4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $133,700 (base price: $116,700)

MOTOR TYPE: 2 asynchronous AC

POWER:

F: 259 hp R: 503 hp

Combined: 532 hp

Torque: F: 244 lb-ft R: 469 lb-ft

Combined: 713 lb-ft

TRANSMISSION: 1-speed direct-drive

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 116.7 in

Length: 198.3 in

Width: 81.5 in Height: 66.3 in

SAE volume: F: 60 cu ft M: 52 cu ft R: 28 cu ft

Cargo volume (third row up/folded): 13/68 cu ft

Front trunk: 7 cu ft

Curb weight: 5594 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:

Zero to 60 mph: 3.3 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 8.3 sec

Zero to 120 mph: 13.0 sec

Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 3.5 sec

Top gear, 30-50 mph: 1.3 sec

Top gear, 50-70 mph: 2.1 sec

Standing ¼-mile: 11.8 sec @ 116 mph

Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph

Braking, 70-0 mph: 172 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g*

FUEL ECONOMY:

EPA city/highway driving: 89/90 MPGe

EPA range: 250 mi

C/D observed: 77 MPGe**

*Stability-control inhibited. **Based on vehicle's trip counter.

TEST NOTES: Launch control requires at least a 90-percent charge, the Max Battery Power setting, and Ludicrous Speed mode switched on. Hold brake with left foot, floor accelerator with right foot, and release. Floor the accelerator again, release the brake, and you're gone.

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