It's no surprise to see the wealthy driving statement cars. Moscow native Sergey Brin's wealth soared after he co-founded Google. Not only is he a brilliant computer scientist, but he also has excellent taste in cutting-edge cars. For some time, he drove a sleek Tesla Model S.
That car was the subject of a past joke. His fellow employees know how to have a good laugh: They pranked him on April Fool's Day and redesigned his car. The new car humorously transformed into a feminine batmobile.
Here's a look into the 2013 Tesla Model S and how the prank unfolded.
The Tesla Model S
In 2013, Brin drove a Tesla car. For 2013, the electric Model S was revolutionary. Tesla cars reinforced the company's commitment to sustainability. The 2013 model was a four-door car that held five passengers. Owners can also choose two extra seats for children. The Model S had a lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors. The standard electric motor had 362 horsepower at 6,000 rotations per minute and the stronger motor had 416 horsepower at 5,000 rotations per minute. Drivers could choose between two trims: The base and Model S Performance. To further customize this futuristic car, drivers could choose a panoramic moonroof and automatic keyless entry. The automatic keyless entry meant that owners could lock their Tesla S with a button.
The car was additionally all-wheel drive, a four-wheel-drive system that ensures a smooth ride when there's light snow or uneven pavement. Tesla Autopilot was present in the car: This was a collection of safety features that included lane centering and traffic-aware cruise control. Lane centering made sure that the car stayed in the lane and didn't go over the lane markings. Traffic-aware cruise control's objective was to maintain a noticeable distance between the Tesla and the car in front of the Tesla. (Controversy over this feature continues, as there was a lawsuit in New York earlier this year that explained how the feature failed and resulted in a Long Island Expressway crash). In an effort to combat exhaustion that results from driving for an extended period of time, this car can drive without holding the steering wheel. However, the car was not fully autonomous and drivers were still required to remain alert.
There was a back-up camera, and dual-zone automatic climate control promised that two contrasting portions of the car can have opposing temperatures. A driver can choose a hotter temperature, while the passenger can choose a cooler temperature. They can adjust these temperatures simultaneously, and this decision won't affect the other rider.
The car had three performance levels, charged quickly, and reached high speeds. When it came to the interior, there were no cupholders and the cabin room was limited. The Audi A7 had more room, and its luxurious design rivaled the Tesla Model S. The Model S's touch- screen was a whopping 17 inches. All the audio technology was amazing for drivers who wanted to stay connected while on the go: A seven-speaker stereo had Bluetooth, and the car was home to two USB ports.
The April Fool's Day Prank
The prank started online. According to PCMag.com, a TeslaMotorsClub.com forum member posted a photo of a pink Tesla, and the caption was "Rumor has it this is Sergey Brin's car, getting a touch-up for April Fools." Nathan Johns, a Google worker, had a Google+ photo that showed the same car. His caption was, "Huh. I don't remember Batman fins as an option when I configured my Tesla. Meanwhile, the prank was also revealed on another social media platform: An Instagram user with the handle @oompous posted a photo of the same car with the caption, "Google takes April Fools seriously."
Other Details and Moving Forward
This was, in fact, a confirmed April Fool's Day prank that Google employees orchestrated against Brin. But don't worry, it was all in good fun. Brin's Model Tesla S now had the classic Batman emblem on the car's front. There were eyelashes on the front lights, seats were zebra-striped, pink fuzzy dice hung in the rear-view mirror, and there were Batman wings on the back. The car's pink color wasn't irreversible; it was just vinyl paint.
Google worker Corey Tabaka additionally took a photo of Brin driving the Tesla at LinkedIn HQ and later posted the photo on Google+.
Let's now fast forward to the present: This Tesla isn't Brin's current car. A 2018 CNBC reports that Brin now drives a Toyota Prius that is valued at $30, 920.
Overall, the funny employees that know how to have a good laugh make us want to work at Google. And Brin is also pretty impressive for owning such an innovative car.