PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 1, 2012) - Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) announced today that Model S, the world's first premium electric sedan, was chosen as winner of AUTOMOBILE Magazine's most prestigious award, "Automobile of the Year." Model S impressed a highly discriminating team of editors and writers to best some of the world's most critically acclaimed and historically dominant brands. In their words, Model S "blew them all away."

"Winning AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 'Automobile of the Year' award is an important milestone for Tesla because it underscores our goal to build a great car, not just a great electric car," said Elon Musk, Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO. "Winning this award is great recognition of what we've accomplished as a company, and we're thrilled to receive this endorsement from one of the industry's most respected authorities."

Competition for "Automobile of the Year" has always included nameplates of the highest caliber. This year it required beating an incredibly impressive field of competitors, including the Porsche 911, Subaru BRZ, Cadillac ATS, and BMW M5. Four days of track testing, road testing and close examination proved that Model S excels on all fronts -- design, performance, technology and range.

All finalists for the 2013 "Automobile of the Year" award were established by senior editorial staff members and contributing writers of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. While the editors and writers consider what each finalist signifies for their respective manufacturer and for the automotive industry at large, pure desirability, practicality, affordability, packaging and fuel economy are also significant factors in determining the winner.

About Model S
Model S is the world's first premium sedan built from the ground up as an electric vehicle and has been engineered to elevate the public's expectations of what a premium sedan can be. At the heart of Model S is the proven Tesla powertrain, delivering both unprecedented range and a thrilling drive experience. With a rigid body structure, nearly 50/50 weight distribution and a remarkably low center of gravity, Model S offers the responsiveness and agility expected from the world's best sports cars while providing the ride quality of a luxury performance sedan.

Setting the bar for electric driving range, Model S offers 40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85 kWh battery options. All deliver unprecedented range, with the 85 kWh variant achieving an EPA-certified range of 265 miles. All three batteries use automotive-grade lithium-ion cells arranged for optimum energy density, thermal management, and safety.

Without an internal combustion engine or transmission tunnel, the interior of Model S has more cargo space than any other sedan in its class and includes a second trunk under the hood. The interior features a 17" in-dash touchscreen with Internet capabilities, allowing for streaming radio, web browsing and navigation.

About Tesla
Tesla's goal is to accelerate the world's transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs, as well as EV powertrain components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler. Tesla has delivered more than 2,400 Roadsters to customers worldwide. Model S, the first premium sedan to be engineered from the ground up as an electric vehicle, began deliveries to U.S. customers in June of this year. Tesla has already received more than 13,000 reservations worldwide for Model S.

About AUTOMOBILE Magazine
AUTOMOBILE Magazine, a publication of Source Interlink Media, LLC, is America's leading automotive lifestyle publication and reaches 4.6 million readers monthly; through its print, online and digital components, the brand counts an audience of over 6 million. Automobile Magazine, which presents annual All-Star and Automobile of the Year awards, is written for the sophisticated enthusiast and profiles high-end vehicles with compelling editorial and photographic content. For more than 25 years, AUTOMOBILE Magazine has set the standard for automotive journalism, maintaining its devotion to auto adventure and an editorial approach that emphasizes "No boring cars!"