Porsche has reportedly shelled out for a brand-new Tesla Roadster, which its research and development division will drive, analyse, take apart and study in an effort to see just what makes the Lotus-based sportster tick. It’s all part of Porsche’s plan to introduce its own all-electric sportscar, of which a prototype is rumoured to already be in development.

It won’t be the first all-electric Porsche though. Porker tuners RUF beat Porsche to the punch with their all-electric eRUF concept, however the folks from Porsche HQ at Zuffenhausen were unimpressed with the concept’s tardy seven second 0-100kph sprint and are seeking a fresh approach for their own EV sportscar.

Buying the cars of a competitor for evaluation purposes is an established practice within the motor industry, and Porsche’s Tesla purchase certainly isn’t something out of the ordinary. It will be interesting to see what Porsche manages to learn from Tesla, and what sort of innovations the German giant will be able to bring into the mix. Considering the virtually limitless resources that Porsche has at its fingertips - not to mention the brand’s performance pedigree - the resulting vehicle should be something to look out for. We’ll keep you posted.