Three new picks for the Dream Garage

On By ChristofferIn News, The Dream GarageLeave a comment

Two super cars and one super classic to the market this week! Do contact me in case of interest in any of the cars, all for which offers are more than welcome.

1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark III

This beautiful Aston has a FIVA identity card and is registered and currently located in Zurich. Its current 5th owner purchased the car from the Aston workshop in the UK in 2015 where the engine had been reviewed and the car stripped and repainted. The car has only added another 2500 km since. It is left hand drive and was imported to Europe from the US in 1989. The requested price is CHF 390.000

2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Coupe

This car is the first of the 900 produced! Outside Giallo Tenerife combined with Nero Cosmos interior and various other options. A European car, the requested price of which is EUR 550.000

2007 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren

My personal pick if… would be this 2007 SLR with only 15.000 km on the clock. This European car is in mint condition with a requested price of EUR 600.000

F1‘s new star is here!

On By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

Charles Leclerc, the 21-year old Monegasque who moved this season from Sauber to Ferrari, is no doubt the new star of F1. Having secured pole position in yesterday’s qualifying, the second youngest driver ever to do so (Seb Vettel being the youngest), he missed the start but only needed a few laps to overtake Vettel and actually making him look quite old. He then drove a perfect race until ten laps from the end when a partial engine breakdown made him lose speed and ending third, much thanks to the safety car in the last two laps. It really doesn’t matter though – Leclerc’s first win will come sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere we’re starting to see first signs of what could be an interesting season. Red Bull (Verstappen finishing 4th today and out of the podium for the first time in seven races) is the only team posing a challenge to Mercedes and Ferrari. Sauber successor Alfa Romeo Racing has good speed with Kimi Räikkönen finishing in the points this time as well. On the other hand Racing Point, ex-Force India, seem to have major issues, as does Renault, continuing the trend of engine failures from last year, this time hitting both cars in the same lap! it’s not fully clear what was behind Ricciardo’s move to Renault, but it doesn’t look like a very lucky one, at least not yet.

How near the brink is Tesla?

On By ChristofferIn News, Opinion1 Comment

Elon Musk was full of praise for Tesla at the launch event of the Model Y last week, starting off with a (not very new) perspective of where Tesla and electric cars stood 10-11 years ago when Tesla built their first car, as compared to today. At the time the world was obviously in the midst of the financial crisis, when some rather large car makers in the US went bankrupt and had to be rescued. Given Tesla’s Q4 -18 and 2018 full year numbers are known, I believe it’s justified to have a closer look at to what extent Tesla in 2019 is comparable to some of those companies in 2008. Unfortunately, this is not that far-fetched if you listen less to Elon and look more at hard numbers.

The Model Y, completing the slightly imperfect S-3(E)-X-Y range

Tesla had current assets of USD 8.3bn at the end of 2018, of which USD 3.8bn in cash. With liabilities at 10bn, the working capital ratio is a negative -1.7bn. The current ratio, i.e. assets over liabilities, comes out at 0.84, and the so called quick ratio, i.e. cash over liabilities, at 0.46. However in Q1 -19, Tesla made a 0.9bn bond payment, thereby bringing the two above ratios to 0.74 and 0.39 respectively. This is where it gets interesting to look at a company like General Motors during the financial crisis, when at the time of bankruptcy the two ratios stood at 0.6 and 0.3. As a further comparison, today the average for the car industry is at 1.36 and 1.2. An established company such as BMW comes in at 1.18 and 0.96, a “new” car brand such as Chinese Geely, at 1.09 and 0.94. There are thus many billions between the car industry at large and Tesla’s current numbers.

It’s also important to remember that a part of Tesla’s cash position is for cars not yet delivered (down payments etc.), and thus not cash in the proper sense. Finally, car sales are still the only meaningful income for the company, with energy sales making up only around 0.3bn per quarter.

SEC darling Elon Musk

Tesla is currently cutting costs by closing its re-sellers and moving to online sales, but savings achieved there will mainly go to reduce prices in the US, where state subsidies to electric cars are about to end. So when Elon announces the launch of the Model Y (and if you want to move directly to the actual showing of the model Y, you can skip a lot of bla-bla to around 27.30 minutes in to the video), completing the slightly imperfect S-E(3)-X-Y range, one can’t help but wonder where the development money will come from. Or will Tesla’s model range effectively end with the slightly less subtle S-E(3)-X?

Preview of the 2019 F1 season

On By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

The 2019 F1 season starts this Sunday, as usual down under in Melbourne. The saddest piece of news is clearly that it will do so without one of the leading names in the F1 circus over the last decades, F1 race director Charlie Whiting, who passed away yesterday at the age of 66. RIP!

The very popular Charlie had been part of the F1 circus since the 70’s

Looking at teams, during my visit to the auto salon in Geneva earlier this month, I had the opportunity to chat to the technical team of the Mercedes AMG F1 team, who agreed on the top teams Mercedes-Ferrari-Red Bull probably dominating this season as well, but also saying that it’s very difficult to make out trends among the mid-sized teams. As per one of the technical heads, it is usually pretty easy to get some quite reliable indicators in pre-season testing, but this has not been the case this year, leaving even the top teams relatively clueless as to the capabilities of the mid-sized teams, hopefully setting the stage for an interesting season.

Alfa Romeo has retained Marcus Ericsson as third/reserve driver

In the team line-up, Force India has changed its name to Racing Point, thereby cutting ties with the team’s previous Indian owner Vijay Mallya. Sauber has officially been rebranded Alfa Romeo Racing, putting an end to the name Sauber that has been part of F1 since 1993.

Among the drivers, the following transfers and changes are the most noteworthy:

  • Charles Leclerc has joined Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari. the Monegasque youngster (21 years) drove for Sauber last year and is seen as perhaps the most promising young talent in the field. Kimi Räikkönen has thereby in fact switched seats with Leclerc, joining Alfa Romeo Racing alongside the Italian rookie Antonio Giovanazzi. This is obviously a (quite expected) move in the wrong direction for Kimi, who struggled to keep up with Vettel during most of last season.
  • Daniel Ricciardo has left Red Bull Racing and joined Nico Hulkenberg at Renault. It was no secret that Red Bull increasingly looked to Max Verstappen as the team’s first driver, but Ricciardo certainly had higher hopes than to join the struggling Renault team. Frenchman Pierre Gasly will join Verstappen at Red Bull, leaving no doubt as to who is the team’s first driver.
  • The Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll has taken his money from Williams to Racing Point, thereby ensuring a seat for his son Lance (and making Williams’ life even more difficult). The may be a bit harsh since Lance did actually achieve some interesting results last year, but he can’t get away from being the most obvious pay driver in the field.
  • Having first fought for his life, then to keep his right hand, and then to race again, Robert Kubica puts an end to a 7-year struggle by making a remarkable return to the scene this season, driving for Williams. At 34 years Kubica is a veteran who will no doubt struggle, together with the 19-year old English rookie George Russell, to get Williams into the points, as the team on paper is among the weakest in this year’s line-up
Few would have thought Kubica would ever return!

Finally there is a new Netflix documentary on the F1 circus based on the 2018 season that I recommend. It’s called Drive to Survive and you can check it out here. Tune in for a hopefully exciting race on Sunday morning!

A very special Bentley Continental for the dream garage!

On By ChristofferIn News, The Dream GarageLeave a comment

We’re happy to offer a very special Bentley Continental R Le Mans Coupé from 2001 for this latest dream garage post.

This version was only manufactured in a series of 50 cars and this is the last one delivered to Europe. It has 148.000 kms on the clock since new, with two previous owners and a full Bentley service history. It has lived in Switzerland and the Netherlands and is currently on Swiss papers.

Asking price for the car is EUR 110.000 but as always, offers are welcome. For those interested in more history on the R Le Mans Coupé, please see further below and contact me in case of interest.

Bentley returned to Le Mans in 2001 after having been absent from the
famous race since the 30s. To celebrate the new campaign, the classic
brand introduced limited edition ‘Le Mans’ versions of the existing
Continental R and T models.

The Continental R was styled with assistance from Automotive Design, with computer aids and extensive wind tunnel testing to create its ultra streamlined shape. The result still looked every bit a Bentley, albeit one restated for the 90s. The gearbox was a new, 4-speed automatic with an overdrive function, but the main interest was of course in the engine and performance. For the exclusive ‘Le Mans’ variants, the 420bhp engine of the Continental T was adopted together with a plethora of special features. The latter included flared wheel arches; green badges to the radiator, wheels and boot; 18″ five-spoke alloy wheels; sports bumper package; four-pipe exhaust outlets; and ‘Le Mans’ wing badges.

Interior upgrades consisted of drilled control pedals; pushbutton starter; sports seats with ‘Bentley’ headrest logos; stacked central instrumentation cluster with chrome bezels and green dials; dark walnut veneer with embossed Bentley badges; ‘Le Mans Series’ logo to the centre console; and a racing-style gear knob finished in chrome and leather. 

Update on the infotainment confusion

On By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

You may have read my post early February on a certain confusion in the roll-out of new infotainment systems in Ingolstadt (Audi) and Stuttgart (MB) that you can otherwise find here.

Having recently spoken to Mercedes, they were able to shed at least a bit of light as to the roll-out of the Mercedes’ MBUX system;

  • The new A- and B-class, as well as the updated GLC and as previously mentioned the new GLE all have the new MBUX, enabling voice- and touch-control.
  • Neither the C- and E-class, nor the brand new G-class have it at this point (although the screens look the same).
  • For the E-class, the official timeline is that it will not get it until the spring of 2020 in connection with a first facelift.

Designer Freedom?

On By magnusnilssenIn NewsLeave a comment

As regulation continues to dictate how cars look mainly for “safety” reasons, this leaves less room for designers to design their dream car.  Also, as automotive designers move around, either within the holding companies or change firms, one can clearly see the design language represented in various cars, as they change company.  One such example is Marc Lichte, who currently heads up the design at Audi.  His long straight lines can clearly be seen in VW, where he was responsible for the exterior, into the current Audi line up.

Audi
Volkswagen

One can also see his mark in the new Audi A6, where his hard, long lines are evident making the car more masculine, longer and defined.  

Clearly one can see the inspiration of Audi motorsport, which the haunched wheel arches – a throwback to the Audi Ur Quattro, which dominated the rally scene in the 1980’s.

Audi A6
Audi A6

On the interior, his passion for Porsche can also be seen.  The double lines of the Porsches of old, can clearly be seen in the interior as well. Even the steering wheel is similar.

Audi A6 Interior
Porsche 993 Interior

But are cues from the past the way forward?  Should car companies follow history and previous design cues of the past, or like Jaguar, throw away history and focus on the future?

New XJ
Old XJ

What do you think?  Let me know in the comments below.

A Magnum double

On By ChristofferIn The Dream GarageLeave a comment

We’re starting off our new category The Dream Garage, featuring exclusive cars for sale through our network, with a Magnum double. If like me you grew up with the TV-series, and if like me you were uncertain whether the car he was driving was a 308 or a 328, here you go – one of each, albeit in different colors.

Starting from the beginning, the below yellow beauty, the 1981 308 GTS comes with only 62.000 km and a Ferrari certificate. It has a complete history and only one previous owner. It’s a garage-kept car with no accidents for which the owner is asking EUR 88.000, with offers welcome. The car is currently located in Italy.

Second in line is a beautiful 328 GTS from 1985. Also a one owner car with full history, this 328 has only 22.105 km on the clock and is in corresponding condition. It also has a Ferrari certificate and is located in Italy, garage-kept with no accidents, the owner is asking EUR 95.000 for the car, again with offers welcome. A very competitive price in view of the kms and the market!

For further information on any of these cars, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Introducing The Dream Garage

On By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

We are happy to introduce our new heading The Dream Garage, under which with the help of some specialists in our network, we will regularly be posting a selection of very special cars for sale. Very special in this sense means highly exclusive, highly sporty, highly interesting from their background, or in the best cases, a combination of these.

Cars typically have in common the owner’s wish for anonymity, and you will therefore usually not find them advertised anywhere else on the web. For the same reason, pictures will in some cases be general ones rather than of the specific car, if so wished by the owner. All cars posted under The Dream Garage heading are however for sale, with most of them based in the EU or Switzerland, and further information can be obtained by contacting me.

Whether you Dream Garage remains a dream or transforms into reality, we hope you enjoy the reading. Look out for the first cars that will be posted later this week!

The German Autobahn – mythical, or a myth?

On By ChristofferIn Fun stuff, NewsLeave a comment
A driver’s dream – but an increasingly rare sight.

You thought the Nazis came up with the idea for the German Autobahn system, and that it’s still today a paradise of free speed? Sorry, but the first of those claims is a myth, and the second is partly true at best.

Construction of the first German motorways was actually initiated in the 20’s under the Weimar Republic, but it progressed slowly, meaning that the first stretch between Cologne and Bonn was not inaugurated until 1932. When the Nazis came to power the year after, they swiftly re-classified this first stretch to a Landstrasse (country road), such as to be able to argue that they built the first Autobahn.

As for the free speed, this is little news to those who regularly travel to Europe, but I recently found some interesting official stats. According to these around 30% of German motorways have a permanent speed limit, especially around large cities and in the Ruhr area. Adding temporary limits and above all roadworks, of which there are a lot at any time of year, this number rises to around 50%. If you then add all the regular congestion, traffic jams and sheer number of cars in this heavily motorized country of 80 million, you find yourself at a much higher percentage.

No free speed today…

The unlimited German Autobahns are thus not a myth, but if you really want to enjoy them, you’d better do so late at night or early in the morning on an empty stretch somewhere deep in Bavaria. And preferably do so in the coming two years, since it has been decided to introduce a German motorway fee for foreign cars from 2021!

Petrol- or Mobility- Head

On By magnusnilssenIn News, Opinion1 Comment

The other day I saw the new BMW 850M on the street, which I thought was interesting at best. The lines, creases and folds make it a good looking and aggressive car but, sadly, I must admit it did not get me that excited. Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design at BWM said “The 8 opens a new chapter in BMW’s design language.” But what about the heritage? I remember back when the (old) 8 series came out in the early 1990s…. From a design point of view, it was an evolution of the 635CSI and the pillar-less windows still make it extremely cool looking, even by today’s standards. It seems the new car is just an aggressive wrapping of metal around current (and future) legislation? Change the badge and it can be anything…. Kia? Toyota? Cherry Automotive?

BMW 850M

Enough about design, what about the engineering aspect?  Ah yes, a hand-me-down 4.4L twin turbo V8 that is used in most of the sporty BMW models…. The original 850 had a naturally aspirated V12 …. Did you read that correctly?  A VEE TWELVE!  An engine bespoke to the flagship model.  The 4.4L TT V8 is powerful and I am sure the new BMW will be quick.  And I am also sure that it will be filled with tech such as autonomous driving aids, connectivity, and interior lighting that can reflect your current mood.…. But I do not care about that.  That sounds more like an IT geek’s wet dream than that of a petrol head. 

BMW 850 CSI

I am not having a go specifically at BMW, as most major car makers today think efficiency, economies of scale and profits, but it struck me for the first time: is a modern petrol head a mobility head? Do they care more about the mobility and tech than the engineering?  Is it only horsepower and 0-100 times and aggressive lines that make a car cool?  As amazing as the new BMW 8 series is, I cannot help feeling that this will be the dream of the IT department rather than someone who is really into cars, engineering and driving.  Am I wrong? Old? Outdated?

I would much rather have an 850 CSI with a V12 up front, manual transmission and rear wheel drive!

Introducing our new contributing writer Magnus!

On By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

Please meet Magnus Nilssen, our new contributing writer, a real petrol head and a fellow Zurich resident. Going forward, Magnus will be contributing articles on various driving-related topics. Knowing he had until recently owned a 911 (996) 4S that he chose to sell for family reasons was a serious initial reason for suspicion, but when he sent me the below pic I concluded there’s still hope. Sven and I warmly welcome him on the blog! In his own words:

I spent my youth following my father around Europe living in Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Norway, the Soviet Union, Germany and the UK before settling in Switzerland in 2012. 

My father was passionate about racing.  Holidays (and birthdays) were spent watching races, visiting racing teams or looking at race tracks.  He even built his own race car with some friends in the 1990s.  This had not gone unaffected on a young boy and I carry on his interest!

Infotainment confusion

On By ChristofferIn OpinionLeave a comment

There was a time when an infotainment system was something you ticked in the options list when ordering your car without thinking much about it. Whether it was called iDrive (BMW), Comand (MB) or something else, systems were rather similar – and rather limited in their capabilities.

This all changed with Tesla’s giant screen and new standard for in-car entertainment, and it has kept (and will keep) changing ever since. At the same time, manufacturers’ understandable wish to bring the latest to market has also created different standards between brands, but actually also between similar models of the same manufacturer, that you’d better be aware of;

  • Buy a new Audi Q8 (left) and you’ll get two very fancy touch screens on the center console, handling almost all in-car functions at the price of a lot of fatty fingerprints. Buy a new Q7 (right) and you will still get the old-looking navigation screen on the dashboard, and traditional controls for seat heating and ventilation. It’s not a wild guess that the A7 will get the dual screens in the next facelift, but it’s not yet the case.

  • In Stuttgart it’s even more confusing: buy the brand new Mercedes GLE (left) and you will get the new, double 12-inch screens with touchscreen functionality through the MBUX software. Buy the new E-class (right) and the screens will look exactly the same but will not yet have MBUX and thus no touch functionality.

Speaking of MBUX (and the latest BMW iDrive), this latest update also gives you the option to talk to your car, starting with the catchy phrase “Hey Mercedes/BMW”. I’ll let you judge for yourself if that’s a drawback or not…

So in other words, if you’re in the market for a new or recent pre-owned car, this has implications. As a seller in 3-4 years of your 2018 Q7, you’ll most probably be punished financially for having a car with that old-looking, single screen. But as a buyer, you will have a great negotiating position already today if you prefer physical, non-fatty buttons that you can locate with your fingers without looking away from the road, and you buy a car for driving rather than talking to it.

When your regular SUV isn’t enough

On By ChristofferIn Fun stuff, News1 Comment

The production of the Land Rover Defender ceased in 2016 after more than 2 million units produced since 1948. Late last year, the Mercedes G-Wagon was replaced by a completely new car, that however to 98% looks exactly like its predecessor. What these two cars have in common, next to not being produced anymore, is that in spite of their looks and capabilities, 9 out of 10 of them never saw a tougher terrain than the shopping mile in cities like Zurich, Milan or Munich.

There are however those who made heavier use of their G-Wagon, or simply felt a need to float even higher above the common mortals. It was for those that Mercedes developed the G500 4×4, that became the crowning of the G-Wagon career. Powered by the same AMG V8 biturbo as the G63, it was arguably more stable at high speed than the original G, the road behaviour of which was somewhat similar to a cruise ship, with a comparable turning circle. The credibility of the 4×4 is however somewhat compromised by the many carbon parts, basically all the black parts in the pictures, that no sensible person would like to damage or even scratch. So perhaps the best place for the 4×4 is the same as for the regular G or the Defender: on a shopping mile in a European city.

We didn’t post this under The Thrill of Owning heading, but this is a car that could be yours for around EUR 200.000, and that should arguably hold its value quite well, as all G-Wagons do, especially with the new model now out…

Mercedes_g-klasse_hoch2_4.jpg

May Santa bring you a McLaren!

On By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

Arguably as a petrol head you’re quite spoiled living in Switzerland, whether in Zurich or Geneva. But even here you don’t see a McLaren everyday, and you certainly do not see two 720’s, in the same colour, parked next to each other in a street in Geneva, all that often!

Merry Xmas to all our readers, may 2019 be your best driving year ever!

McLaren

Tesla Model 3 – yes, it does exist!

On By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

Having spent the last weeks in the US, I’ve seen quite a few of the long-awaited, long-delayed Tesla Model 3, that is now finally being produced and delivered (with delivery times in the US as low as 4 weeks), but still has to make it to Europe. If you haven’t seen it, it’s quite a good-looking car, probably the best looking in the Tesla line-up. The side and rear are similar to a (smaller) Model S, the front has a bit of Panamera over it.

Model 3 front
Same two luggage spaces as on the Model S, both a bit smaller in size. 

The interior however if very different, I guess you could say more futuristic, but as in the S and X characterized by the giant screen that in the Model 3 is however not integrated to the dashboard but rather stands out of it like a big laptop screen. Feels a bit cheap and the interior is in general a bit simpler than in the S and X.

Model 3 screen
This is the only screen in the dashboard, which is basically free of buttons and switches as well. 

So far only the top version has been introduced to the market and for some unclear reason, Tesla won’t divulge the KwH of the electric engine, only talking about the range of over 300 miles (460+ kms). That would mean that it’s the 90 or 100 KwH engine, and it’s difficult to see why that would be a secret, given it isn’t for the other models. Towards the end of the year, a cheaper version with a smaller engine and a range around 250 miles (400 kms) will be introduced at a cost in the US of around USD 35.000. The top version as shown in the pictures costs around USD 50.000 in the US and both versions should make it to Europe in 2019.

Model 3 rear

The price will probably decide on whether it becomes a success in Europe or not. As always it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint the competition – it’s difficult to imagine someone choosing between a Model 3 and a Prius. You do however get a lot of fun cars for around EUR 40-45.000, so Tesla would probably need to keep the price pretty much in line with the US. The recent introduction of the Jaguar I-Pace and the coming Audi E-tron and MB EQC also illustrate how the big guys are gearing up. Although not in direct competition to the Model 3, it will clearly be far less smooth sailing for Tesla going forward, whether as a private or a public company…

British Car Meeting 2018

On By ChristofferIn Classic cars, NewsLeave a comment

I had the pleasure of attending the British Car Meeting on the Swiss countryside today, an annual gathering where some 1300 British cars of all ages gather to admire each other and be admired by others. A few picks of some of today’s participants. Scroll over the pictures to see the caption.

IMG_7872
Against a very Swiss background, some 1300 British cars gather each year in Mollis, canton of Glarus

A large number of Defenders of all ages…
…but only one Aston Martin DB 2!

No big secret that old Morgans…
…are much prettier than the new one!

IMG_7881
This gentleman subsequently found his bagpipe and entertained the crowds…

The Esprit has become rare, but not as rare…
…as this “custom” race Lotus, multiple race winner!

The dream garage

On By ChristofferIn Fun stuff, NewsLeave a comment

Last Saturday was as so often great for some Zurich car spotting and the mental game “my dream garage”, as illustrated by the below pictures.

I find these two a close call given the Bentley offers the topless option and I’m still not fully convinced by the DB11’s looks. The Continental does have a timelessness to it and ages rather well!

Bentley II

Bentley I

The below, this time from Geneva last week, is a no-brainer, at least for a lover of classic cars like myself, especially in that lovely 70’s yellow!

Porsches

 

When battery power is not enough

On By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

The business press has given a lot of attention lately to Elon Musk’s plans for the future financing of Tesla, however without really looking at the one factor that is critical for the bottom line, as for any car company: the trend in cars sold. And if the Hong Kong market, which boasted the highest number of Tesla cars per capita in 2016 is anything to go by, the trend is not good.

Regular readers of this blog may remember my video post from a business trip in Hong Kong in March 2017, that you can otherwise view here. Little did I know at the time that a month after that video was made, things would take a dramatic turn for the worse in terms of Tesla sales.  In the record month of March 2017, almost 3000 Teslas were registered in Hong Kong, before the bottom went out of the market in April with only 32 (!) cars being registered in the territory for the remainder of 2017, and with numbers continuing to drop so far in 2018.

BF-AS184_TESLAH_16U_20170709185104What Hong Kong residents knew back in March of last year, and I didn’t, was that the HK government was about to abolish the heavy subsidy on Teslas to the benefit of more ordinary, electric cars. Hong Kong is not the first market where removal of subsidies has had a dramatic effect on Tesla sales, Denmark is another. To make things worse, Hong Kong residents conscious of the environment should probably be happy about the drop, as research from Bernstein from 2016 has shown that electricity generation in Hong Kong is so dirty that a Tesla will throughout its lifetime be responsible for 1/5 more CO2 emissions than an equivalent petrol car.

The removal of the tax subsidy made Teslas massively more expensive in the local market, but not more so than a BMW, MB or Audi, all of which continue to sell significantly more cars than Tesla. As everyone who has driven a Tesla knows, it’s a fascinating car, but if you remove the engine, it is no match for the traditional luxury brands. This is what the statistics from Hong Kong prove, and it thus seems clear that the most critical factor for Elon Musk’s financing plans and Tesla’s future is government subsidies – or in other words, politics.