Doesn't seem that different to me? R&T, 4/2010:
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Yet the times are remarkably close. After five runs in each car, and then another two in each (to minimize the learning curve effect of both the cars and course), the best time differed by just 0.26 sec. (Lotus, 30.54; Tesla, 30.80) with the average times for each car being 31.18 and 31.45 sec., respectively.
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While they acknowledge the tire difference, they don't seem to think it's insurmountable:
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Had the course been a little more open, the Tesla’s spectacular point-and-squirt acceleration likely would’ve given it the win. Yet this is far from an apples-to-apples comparison, as SCCA’s rules allow for an R-compound tire on the Elise SC, and the rule of thumb for these stickies over ultra-high-performance street tires is roughly a 1-sec. gain for every 30 sec. of autocross course. So with comparable tires, the Lotus’s advantage would’ve been greater. Still, we’re duly impressed with the Roadster Sport’s capabilities. Imagine the possibilities if future battery technology can cut the pack’s weight by half or two-thirds.
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