Tesla's Model S: You're Jealous

If you ever get to drive the Tesla Model S, try not to let it go to your head. Because Will Oremus of Slate sure couldn't. "It is extremely hard, as drivers in their BMWs and Lexuses crane for a glimpse of my ninja-quiet ride, to keep from thinking one thing: suckers," he writes. And "I don't even own the damn thing." Yet in just a 15-minute test drive, "I experienced a level of self-satisfaction that would make a Prius owner blush."

"Not since the Model T motored past rows of horse-drawn carriages has a new car offered its early adopters so many opportunities for smugness." It's lightning fast and handles beautifully. Its design is supremely streamlined, with a 17-inch touchscreen instead of dashboard controls, and door handles that just appear when you touch the spot they ought to be. "Oh, and did I mention you’re saving the rainforests or something?" Of course, the price tag is even more elite—the first 1,000 cars will start at $95,400. For some of its rich buyers, that's half the appeal. Click for more on the car. (More Tesla Model S stories.)