| Electric sportscar debut | 2008 Cannes Film Festival | 2009 Tesla Roadster |

Tesla's electrically powered Roadster is used to mixing with celebrities, so it was right at home at the Cannes Film Festival. In the USA, the lightweight two-seat sports car has already been bought by George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and several rap musicians.

Now a touch of the Tesla's Hollywood glamour is coming to Europe as a limited run of 250 Roadsters will be sold this side of the Atlantic from March 2009. The price of the Euro-spec Tesla will be 99,000 Euros (about £79,000).

Similar in size to a Lotus Elise, the Tesla uses an electric motor that produces the equivalent of 248bhp. That's sufficient to see it from 0-60mph in less than four seconds and onto 125mph.

Tesla says the high-tech lithium-ion batteries take 3.5 hours to fully charge, which gives the open-top a range of 220 miles. The battery has a working life of 100,000 miles.

All Euro-spec Tesla Roadsters will come with twin front airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and a PIN code for starting the car. There will also be a valet mode, where speed and acceleration can be restricted by the owner for other drivers.

Alisdair Suttie - 27 May 2008