Tesla is known for being one of the few car manufacturers to combine performance with electric power, and it's Lotus Elise-styled Roadster proved popular, but now the company has branched out to the saloon market with the Model S, and crammed it full of gadgets, naturally.

Tesla Model S

Shown off at CES for the third year running - although still not available in the UK until later this year - the Tesla Model S's interior is dominated by a 17in portrait touchscreen mounted in the centre of the dashboard.

Hooked up to two, quad-core Tegra 3 processors, the screen is joined by a smaller display mounted behind the steering wheel, where you would normally find the instrument binnacle; each screen is controlled by scroll wheels mounted either side of the wheel, and they can be used to control music volume, temperature and the full-length sunroof.

The central 17in screen can be used to control just about everything, and can even be split up to display two function at once, such as the music player and satellite navigation (provided by Google Maps).

But the screen goes beyond just offering entertainment and heating controls like a regular dashboard - the display can be used to adjust aspects of the Tesla's handling and performance, and access the internet over a 3G connection, which can also be broadcast as Wi-Fi for use by passengers.

Although the display and technology on offer here is deeply impressive, we can't help but think how distracting it would be, and how difficult it could be to control while driving, as regular car controls are easy to operate without looking, thanks to being physical buttons and dials, not a flat screen.

Glare and reflections may also pose a problem, as we find the sun hitting glass and aluminium car controls to be a pain, never mind a huge glass-front computer screen.

Away from the interior tech, the Tesla Model S's part piece is its electric motor, which produces up to the equivalent of 420 horsepower and 443 ft lb of torque, propelling the 2.1 ton car from 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds.

Available in the US now from $57,500 (£35,700), the Tesla Model S will go on sale in the UK later this year, and although prices aren't yet confirmed, you can hand over a £4,000 deposit to get on the waiting list.