Telsa Model 3 Performance - A True Driver’s Car?

My First Tesla

In the world of testing cars and motorbikes, I rarely get to experience new things anymore. From Fiat to Ferrari, I'm reasonably confident that I've driven or ridden a product from all major current manufacturers, many of which I've experienced to test.

There has, however, been one brand that has somehow escaped me in my 10+ years of evaluating vehicles: Tesla. That was the case until a week ago when collecting a new Tesla Model 3 for 7 days. My first experience in a Tesla would be a strong start, too, as the Model 3 I'd be testing would be a fast one - the Model 3 Performance. What a way to get started.

A Tesla for Drivers?

The Model 3 Performance has been designed, engineered and marketed as a Tesla for 'real drivers'. The Model 3 Performance has a new aerodynamic front bumper with a front splitter and ducts to channel air into and around the car's body. At the rear, a sizable carbon fibre spoiler protrudes from the boot lip to aid with downforce, and at the base of the rear bumper is a diffuser designed to channel air from the car's underside for greater drag coefficiency.

The Performance model also has uprated motors, forged wheels and Coilover suspension with adjustable dampers for a stiffer and more focused ride. The brakes have also been upgraded with high-performance brake pads capable of holding firm with prolonged abuse on track.

Inside the car, sports seats with side and base bolstering are designed to keep the driver in place without compromising comfort, and in the driver settings, there is even a track mode with g-force monitoring and lap timing.

The entire chassis of the Model 3 Performance has been stiffened for greater rigidity, the same way a BMW M car or Audi RS model would be - and that's the market that Tesla is aiming for with its new Performance edition of the Model 3.

It all looks and sounds impressive on paper—but it's a Tesla. I've never before considered a Tesla as a driver's car and certainly not as a potential competitor to the likes of a BMW M3.

Brand Reputation

There is no denying that, as a car maker, Tesla is a powerhouse in its own right. Since bursting onto the scene in 2008 with its chop-shop electrified version of a Lotus Elise, it's made an enormous impact worldwide and, as a brand, has significantly influenced the EV market for every other manufacturer. Since the Roadster in 2008, Tesla has introduced the Model S in 2012, X in 2015, 3 in 2017 and Y in 2020, and the sales figures for all models have been staggering.

Tesla has earned a positive reputation for producing popular small, mid-size and large family cars. However, the one area it's yet to dominate is the sports and performance category - and certainly not the track day market. So why start now, and is it all in vain - given that competitors such as BMW and Audi have already been excelling in this market for decades?

It's Fast. Very Fast

In the most high-performance driving mode (aptly named Insane), The Model 3 Performance will accelerate from 0-60MPH in just 2.9 seconds. A close comparison in terms of performance is the Porsche 911 Turbo S, which has a price tag four times that of the Tesla. 50 to 70 MPH is equally staggering and rewards the acceleration you can expect in a lap record-holding supercar. For many, the acceleration offered by the Model 3 Performance will be utterly unnecessary. For most, it's an assault on the senses, but for a few, me included, it's highly addictive. As you would expect, repeated fast acceleration pulls will take its toll on battery life and range. Fortunately, there are two alternative driver modes beneath 'Insane': 'Chill', which provides the most sedate acceleration experience and 'Standard', which offers a happy medium between the two extremes.

Driving Dynamics

While the acceleration is staggering, I felt most impressed through the twists and turns. At 1,800KG, the Tesla isn't exactly a lightweight performance car, but what it's capable of in the corners is remarkable, thanks to some clever work on the suspension and geometry. The Model 3 Performance has adjustable dampers that stiffen the shock absorbers for a flatter, more settled cornering experience. With sport mode switched on, the ride is noticeably stiffer for road driving, but it allows faster and more responsive cornering. The steering feel and the brake pedal is not representative of a car with performance pedigree, but with time, I found myself dialling into the feel of both and still having an enjoyable time. On a sequence of familiar fast roads, the joy of tipping the car into a corner, finding the fast line and then powering out at the pace of a hypercar is nothing short of exhilarating, and not once did I feel I needed a screaming V8 soundtrack to add to the experience.

Everyday Driving

When not impressing your friends with pin-in-the-seat acceleration from the traffic lights, the Model 3 Performance does an excellent job of being an enjoyable everyday car. The Model 3 is spacious, with none of the performance features compromising comfort or convenience.

The Model 3 Performance has sound-insulated double glazing and generous layers of sound deadening, which reward the cabin so quiet that conversations inside the car can be held in a whisper, even on rough roads and motorways. This also compliments the stereo system, which is worthy of note. A 17-speaker sound system with dual amplifiers and subwoofers does an excellent job of projecting stereo sound around the cabin in all environments.

For storage, there is a sizeable 500L boot at the rear and an additional 88L under the bonnet. Passenger comfort is excellent in the front and the back, although the rear does lack cup holders, which may be a sticking point for some. In the front console is a space for two phones to wirelessly charge, along with some deep storage bins between the driver and passenger seat.

Almost everything happens via the big screen

Tesla is big on simplicity and minimalism, so the interior of the Model 3 Performance is stark in places. There is no indicator or wiper stalk - there isn't even a physical button to turn the car on or select a gear. The car knows when you're inside it and presumes you'll want to go forward or backward according to the environment (which it doesn't always get right). Selecting (or correcting) a desired gear is done by sliding your finger up or down on the right side of the display screen.

Buttons for both the left and right indicators are located on the steering wheel's left side, making it the most counterintuitive location for indicators on a production car since an early '80s Citroen BX. It's a similar story for the wipers on the opposite side of the wheel, which are turned on with a button and then adjusted for wipe frequency via the large centre screen. There is no head-up display or instrument cluster directly ahead of the driver seat, which means the only location where the speed is displayed is, you guessed it, inconspicuously in the top right corner of the large centre screen.

Adjustments to the wing mirrors and steering wheel rake and angle are made via the settings on the big screen, and even opening the glove box requires 2-3 taps on the screen rather than a simple button near the box.

It's clear that many of the Model 3 Performance's features have been created to look smart and minimalist; however, for the most part, I found it either unnecessarily distracting or, at times, a tad frustrating.

In my week with the Model 3 Performance, there was one technological feature that I was expecting to admire but resulted in despising: Autopilot.

Autopilot is disappointing

One feature I was looking forward to trailing was Tesla's Autopilot system, designed to offer a similar and, in claimed cases, better version of assisted cruise control. The Model 3 Performance is constantly aware of its surroundings with other vehicles, road markings, speed limit signs and even traffic lights being detected and displayed on the large centre screen. With so much real-world information being observed by the car's cameras and computers, the enhanced autopilot system offers the ability, when switched on, to stay centralised to the lanes, automatically switch lanes on motorways when indicating, observe and abide by speed limits, stop at traffic lights and maintain a safe distance from leading vehicles. I attempted to trial the system on every drive in my seven days with the car. I switched the system off every time.

The system could be better in comparison to assisted cruise control systems on other cars like the latest BMW models. At times, I felt that the system was trying to do a bit too much and, as a result, got confused to the point where it couldn't process what was happening, and the system would simply disengage when struggling to make sense of an environment.

On at least two separate occasions, the car aggressively applied the brakes in environments that, if not for a quick reaction, could have caused a potentially unpleasant situation. On a motorway at 70mph, when the Tesla incorrectly assumed a car was merging into my lane, the auto steer swerved without prompt towards an active lane. Also, when a motorcycle passed in the opposite direction mid-corner on a 60mph two-lane single carriageway, the system presumably assumed the bike was going to collide with the car, causing the Tesla to give an audible alert and aggressively apply the brakes with traffic following close behind. I'm aware that Tesla is continuously striving to improve its autopilot system, and I'm sure updates will improve the tech with time. Unfortunately, these incidents left me with little confidence in the system for my week with the car and made me more inclined to keep the autopilot switched off.

Charge times, range and economy.

An area where Tesla succeeds is charging. Thanks to the latest battery technology, a 250kW fast charger can add as much as 143 miles of range in just 15 minutes. When inputting a charge point into the in-built navigation system, the car pre-conditions the battery for a more efficient charge time. Taking advantage of Tesla charges at motorway service stations and my local dealership, I frequently charged 20-80% in under 30 minutes, resulting in a range of around 250 miles. On average, this charge cost me around £20.00 each time. As with all EVs, the big cost savings come with charging at home on an overnight tariff - with a standard home box outputting 7kW, a full charge will likely take just over 11 hours, costing less than £10.

Tesla advertises a WLTP electric range of 320 miles; however, in my week with the car, the highest predicted range I was rewarded with on a full charge was 303 miles. The Model 3 Performance I had on test had an average consumption report of 3.3 miles per kW, but given that the model is a press car driven spiritedly by journalists, real-world use is likely to see that figure closer to 4 miles per kW.

Prices and optional extras

Tesla has done a fantastic job of portraying its brand as a luxury one, and as a result, many people expect the price tags to be much higher than they are. The Model 3 Performance retails at £59,990 or around £599 per month with a £6,350. At that price, little else on the market will come close in terms of performance, technology and brand appeal, and this might just be the factor that seals the deal for many buyers.

Optional extras are limited for the Model 3 Performance thanks to a generous list of standard equipment, but the model, as tested, had a retail price of £69,890 due to optional 'Ultra Red' paint (£2,000), white interior (£1,100), and advanced Autopilot system (£6,800).

Conclusion

Given the multitude of performance cars that I've been fortunate to drive over the past 12 months, I was expecting the Model 3 Performance to feel like a bit of a gimmick or somewhat of a straight-line hero' - fast in a straight line but unfulfilling in the corners. For a similar price, a BMW M2 will do a better job as a track day car and reward a better driving experience whilst still being an excellent road car, but it would be unfair to describe the Model 3 Performance as a gimmick - because it isn’t. It is an excellent driver’s car.

While I'm not quite ready to walk past the BMW M dealer and into the Tesla showroom for my next sports saloon, the Model 3 Performance edition is true to its name. It rewards a genuinely engaging and fun drive, which even the most steadfast petrolhead would struggle to deny.

What Tesla has created in the Model 3 Performance is worthy of admiration, and, given the ever-changing and challenging world for car manufacturers, it may end up being a car that's looked back on as one of the first of its kind in a world of EV performance and track day cars to come.

words by John Marcar
pictures by Henry Faulkner-Smith