Tesla’s Souped-Up Model 3 Gives You Near Porsche-Level Performance for a Bargain
You’re about to see a lot more Teslas on track days.
At the start of the year, Tesla unveiled a major refresh to the Model 3. As much needed as that overhaul was, the EV maker wasn’t quite done with the upgrades.
Tesla recently put its Model 3 Performance up for sale, calling it the most powerful version of its entry-level sedan ever. We got a first glimpse of the performance-focused Model 3 earlier this month when Tesla showed it off at a private event in California. Seeing images of its chassis design is nice, but everyone wanted to know about the Model 3 Performance’s specs.
As it turns out, they don’t disappoint. The Model 3 Performance can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. That may not break any supercar records, but it means the EV can hang with the likes of most electric sports cars and won’t break the back. Compared to a Porsche EV with similar 0 to 60 mph, the Model 3 Performance only costs a fraction of its price.
The Model 3 Performance is already available, starting at $52,990.
Track-Ready at the Touch of a Button
With the Model 3 Performance, you can hit a top speed of 163 mph thanks to more than 500 horsepower pumped into the wheels. You have to sacrifice some range since the performance trim gets 296 miles on a single charge compared to the long-range model’s 341-mile range, but it’s a worthy trade-off.
To help achieve those wild specs, Tesla kitted the Model 3 Performance with new front and rear bumpers and a carbon fiber spoiler. Not only do these improve aerodynamics, it makes the Model 3 Performance stand out as the sleeker sibling to the base sedan. Combine that with 20-inch Pirelli tires that are specific to Tesla and the exterior makeover for the Model 3 Performance is complete.
On the inside, Tesla is handing more control over to drivers hitting the track since you can fine-tune the adaptive suspension and even customize the handling balance, stability controls, and regenerative braking with Track Mode V3. If you don’t want to bother fiddling around all those settings to find your perfect ride, you can always go with the preset modes of Standard, Sport, or Track.
The Model 3 Performance can handle track days just as well as your daily commute.
Build Yours Now
On Tesla’s website, you can build a Model 3 Performance starting at $52,990, but it does qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit. The upgraded model is still available in the same five colors offered for the base Model 3, which includes gray, white, blue, black, and red. Tesla says the Model 3 Performance is set to start deliveries from May to June.
