high end german cars (like the really high end stuff, the AMGs, Ms, RSs, turbo S's of the world) are all nicer than model S's. tesla just attracts the attention of non-car people who don't have much experience with six figure cars.
I'm not challenging that, in general, Tesla attracts "non-car people" but the suggestion that people that buy AMGs, RSs and 911s are "car people" is nonsense. I'll give you M though.
Regardless of who buys what, because who cares.. let's compare the acceleration performance of a few (0-60 and 1/4 mi):
Tesla Model S P90D - 2.8s / 10.9s Audi RS - 3.3s / 11.5s 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S - 3.1 / 11.2 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo S - 2.8 / 11.1
These cars aren't even in the same retail category and Tesla is outperforming those that cost a lot more.
Very few 4-door cars offer what the Tesla Model S offers. It's a new brand and seen as anti-establishment, there's not many of them yet, they sell direct and they seem to communicate very well with their customers. Their software and in-car technology is great. People are reacting to many things that Tesla is doing right.
It will be interesting to see how they do as they move downward. It hasn't seemed to hurt Mercedes.
the more things change, the more things stay the same.
One aspect that is interesting to me is how Tesla will change the performance category.
The Model S is a nice looking car but it's a rather pedestrian looking car if you compare it to other cars that cost the same or more.
Yet it can beat way more expensive cars and absolutely destroy all the much less expensive tuner cars that fanboys love.
So when soccer moms and boomers everywhere can (and do) smoke these other performance cars, it becomes a rather sad reality for them. Until Tesla makes one they can afford. :)