Obama Passes Up Tesla Motors - for Now

Tesla Motors had a brush with greatness on Thursday, but it apparently hasn't paid off just yet.

The electric-car startup sent Inside Line an image said to be of President Barack Obama's motorcade driving past the Tesla Motors dealership on Santa Monica Boulevard. The president was in town for an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — a history-making event, since it marked the first time an acting president appeared on a late-night talk show.

"Obama's motorcade passed by the Tesla showroom on West Santa Monica Boulevard near the 405 this morning!" wrote Tesla spokesperson Rachel Konrad in an e-mail message to Inside Line.

However, Washington insiders know that often there are two presidential motorcades, including one with the president's doppelganger, a double meant to fool would-be troublemakers. It's impossible to verify if this was the real deal, in other words. In any case, the motorcade did not stop, and no deposit was made on a Tesla Roadster or the upcoming Model S.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Secret Service proved to be a stumbling block to Tesla Motors with an ex-president. Bill Clinton expressed interest in test-driving the Tesla Roadster on a recent California visit, but he was whisked away by his security detail before he could slip behind the wheel.

In other Tesla news, the automaker said earlier this week that its upcoming Model S will have "an anticipated base price of $57,400."

"After a federal tax credit of $7,500, the effective price will be $49,900," said Tesla chairman, CEO and product architect Elon Musk in the company newsletter. "Because of tax incentives and relatively inexpensive maintenance and refueling, the lifetime ownership cost will be closer to cars with far lower sticker prices."

Tesla will unveil the Model S prototype sedan on March 26 at the Tesla design studio inside the SpaceX rocket factory in Hawthorne, California.
One way or another, Tesla always seems to be at the vortex of the action.