Rotorua Daily Post reporter Matthew Martin (left) gets a ride in the Tesla P90D Model S with owner Sean Dick.
Reporter Matthew Martin was one of those lucky enough to go for a ride. Here's what he thought:
What's not to like about a car that comes with "ludicrous" mode?
Yes, that's right, Sean Dick's top-of-the-line luxury Tesla P90D Model S fully electric car comes with "ludicrous" mode that results in you getting blasted back in your seat when he puts the pedal down.
Sean took me for a ride around Rotorua and, while never breaking the speed limit, showed me what his Tesla could do.
Although it did set him back $220,000, he said the price was comparable to a luxury Mercedes or BMW, and much more fun to drive.
He's done 14,000km in just four months.
Now, I have done laps around Taupo Motorsport Park in some pretty fast cars, but Sean's Tesla was something else.
The first thing you notice is there's no engine noise, not a peep, and when you get going all you hear is road noise.
The ride was incredibly comfortable with leather seats and all the bells and whistles you'd expect in a luxury car.
The car's software automatically updates and the battery recharges when you put on the brakes.
And there's only two gears - forward and reverse - it even drives itself, but you still have to keep a close eye on the road.
Did I mention it was fast?
"Zero to 100km/h in 2.8s" fast. And it can do about 400km on a full charge, which costs about $14, depending on your electricity provider.
A disregard for authority could be why those attending court are thumbing their noses.