5 Cars That Make the Tesla Model X Look Like a Deal

The newest offering from Tesla Motors Inc. The Model X, clocks in at a cool $134,000 for the top-of-the-line “Signature” version, plus $10,000 if owners want to crank up the SUV’s performance with the “ludicrous” package. The first Model X will roll out Tesla’s Fremont, Calif. factory on Sept. 29, Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted Wednesday. Musk’s recent tweets also included something of a response to criticism that the Model X cost too much, even for Tesla’s standards. (A base version of the Tesla Model S sedan starts at $70,000, but more powerful versions quickly go past $100,000). “The Model X is ($5,000) more than an S due to greater size & body complexity,” Musk tweeted. Without further ado, let’s take a look at cars that leave the Model X in the dust — at least as far as price.

Porsche 918 Spyder with Weissach Package: MSRP $929,000For less than the price of a beach shack in San Francisco, you too can have a Porsche.Admittedly, this is not just any Porsche. We are talking about the 918 Spyder with Weissach Package, which Porsche calls “the supercar of the future” and one of the fastest cars around. The base price of $929,000 gets you a car that is obviously hyper-luxury throughout plus it goes from zero to 60 miles per hour ins 2.5 seconds (although its fully electric version accomplishes that in 5.7 seconds, which is slower than the Tesla Model X). The car’s special package is named after the town in Germany where Porsche has its main research and development facility. And why 918? Only 918 were produced. The last one rolled off Porsche’s assembly line in the German town of Stuttgart in June. The basic version of a 918 Spyder starts at $845,000. Not that anyone would use the word “basic” to describe the car.
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta: MSRP $320,000For about a third of the price of a Porsche 918 Spyder, one could get the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, or the F12 for short. The car made its debut in 2012, and quickly gathered accolades, including a Compasso d’Oro industrial design award in 2014. The F12 can get from zero to 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour in 8.5 seconds, which would be a step down acceleration-wise from the Porsche. That would be easier to swallow, though, considering that the F12 starts at $320,000. Another advantage? Car and Driver magazine called it “surprisingly manageable on a day-to-day basis.” Go ahead, take one out for a milk run.
McLaren 650S Spider: MSRP $268,000Want Formula One cachet? Then the McLaren 650S Spider is for you. The car maker, McLaren Automotive, is now a new company, but it was part of a conglomerate that also includes the racing team (and no, that conglomerate does not make the MacLaren strollers). The car, which starts at $268,000, features a seven-speed gearbox, and drivers shift using a Formula One-inspired paddle on the steering wheel. “That means gearshifts are always at your fingertips, whether you’re flat-out through Eau Rouge or trickling through Monaco’s Grand Hotel Hairpin,” the company says. Indeed.
Bentley Mulsanne: MSRP $305,000How about something a bit more restrained? Then look no further than the Bentley Mulsanne — if you also want to spend nearly $305,000 on a car that looks like it should come with a chauffeur named Jeeves. Bentley says that the car is handmade, with no robots or shortcuts like molded plastic. The car screams regal (ever wondered why the U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth doesn’t stoop when exiting her bespoke Bentley? That car’s rear doors are hinged at the back designed to allow the queen to stand up straight before stepping down to the ground.) Last year, Bentley unveiled a special-edition Mulsanne to celebrate the company’s 95th anniversary and a limited-edition Birkin (of handbag fame) Mulsanne. Options for the Mulsanne include seat ventilation and massage modes to front and rear seats, iPad picnic tables, and black curtains to rear cabin.
Audi R8 V10: MSRP upward of $130,000 depending on configurationsLeaving the rarefied world of hyper-luxury cars to the… realm of still pretty luxurious and expensive rides? Well, at least it’s a brand that doesn’t scream Your Majesty. We are talking about the Audi R8, which starts at $129,400 and quickly zooms past $170,000 once a more powerful V10 engine are thrown in. The car is based on a Lamborghini platform, but British Car magazine called it a “bona fide supercar” in its own right. And those gearshift paddles are back in some versions, in case you’d miss that Formula One feel. Who buys supercars? The answer is not very surprising. According to Edmunds.com, those buying cars that are $80,000 or higher are overwhelmingly male and, of course, well heeled. But Tesla may have a shot at branching out a bit more with the Model X. “Ultraluxury SUVs are very uncommon and the Model X will appeal to a wealthy but different target audience which includes women. Women make up a large proportion of luxury SUV sales and the Model X can help Tesla make inroads in that market,” said Jeremy Acevedo, an analyst with Edmunds.com.