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'Top Gear is phoney', says US car maker
Stephen Ottley
April 8, 2011 - 11:30AM

Tesla accuses Jeremy Clarkson's motoring show of being "********* up", as it engages in a public argument with the show ahead of a legal showdown in court.

US car manufacturer Tesla has accused BBC's Top Gear program of being fake, comparing the show with disgraced musicians Milli Vanilli.

Tesla is suing the popular motoring show for its unflattering review of its Roadster in a 2008 episode. Legal battles are usually played out in the courts with neither side giving much away to the media, but the car maker and program have engaged in a public argument.

The CEO of the electric sports car maker, Elon Musk, said the show's review implied the electric sports car had broken down and run out of charge, claims he denied.
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"The fundamental thing with Top Gear is that the show was about as authentic as a Milli Vanilli concert, but the problem is most viewers don't know that," Musk told The Detroit News.

Musk also explained the reason the company had decided to take legal action two years after the show was first broadcast, saying it hurt its bid for European investors.

"For European investors, every single one, except one, specifically asked us why our car broke down on Top Gear," Musk said. "It was ********* up."

He claimed the show had deliberately painted the car in a negative light by pre-preparing the script before filming.

"The script shows our car breaking down, but we only just gave you the car? It was just completely phoney," he said.

But Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman has launched a public rebuttal via the show's website. He claims the show gave a fair and balanced review.

He argues that the suggestion the car would run out of charge after just 55 miles (88km) on the test track came from Tesla's own engineers.

"Our primary reasoning behind the verdict had nothing to do with how the Tesla performed; our conclusion was based mainly on the fact that it costs three times more than the petrol sports car upon which it's based," Wilman wrote. "It takes a long time to recharge, so you can't use it as easily for the carefree motoring journeys that are a prerequisite of sports car driving."

Wilman also defended Musk's claims that a Tesla employee had seen a script of the review before the piece was filmed.

"The truth is, Top Gear had already driven the car prior to filming, to enable us to form a view on it in advance," he said.

Wilman concedes the public statements makes the case is still headed to court where "brainy people wearing wigs" will decide the winner.

The BBC, which makes Top Gear, said it will defend the show "vigorously" in court.