Model 3 Highland Performance/Plaid Speculation [Car announced 04.23.2024]

[Jeremy3292]

Also would the new P/Ludicrous be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit if below $55k MSRP? It will surely come with the Panasonic NCA 2170 cells, which I believe fulfill the battery requirements for the credit. If so, I can't see Tesla pricing it below $55k bc then it would net to the exact same cost as the LR for most people in the USA...

 

[clerks]

I personally can't stand my 2021 M3 LR suspension. It's hard as rocks. I hope they don't make the new P/Ludicrous super stiff as they already softened and greatly improved the Highland suspension.

*sigh*

The dilemma of wanting a P/Ludicrous but wanting it to be a comfortable daily driver also

It’s not that it’s too stiff. It’s that it’s a terrible suspension. Stiff doesn’t have to equal harsh. My 2021 M3P had a brutal suspension. It was downright awful. Worst part of the car. Apparently this has been improved in highland.

 

[clerks]

If so, I can't see Tesla pricing it below $55k bc then it would net to the exact same cost as the LR for most people in the USA...

You’ve answered your own question. The current LR highland is nearly 50k.

 

[Lolo780]

It’s not that it’s too stiff. It’s that it’s a terrible suspension. Stiff doesn’t have to equal harsh. My 2021 M3P had a brutal suspension. It was downright awful. Worst part of the car. Apparently this has been improved in highland.

Agreed, the stock suspension is terrible. Anyone who thinks it's good has never had a 110mph tank slapper in a mildly bumpy corner.

From the stiff ride you'd expect some wheel control at speed. Not the case.

(Ten tenths cornering at 110mph done in Mexico)

 

[canasion35]

I personally can't stand my 2021 M3 LR suspension. It's hard as rocks. I hope they don't make the new P/Ludicrous super stiff as they already softened and greatly improved the Highland suspension.

*sigh*

The dilemma of wanting a P/Ludicrous but wanting it to be a comfortable daily driver also

If the highland and the 2022 Model 3’s share the same suspension mounting points, I’ll be taking out my KW V3’s from my current car and swapping them into the new performance 3…OEM dampers have always been meh sans any Porsche setups

 

[n2mb_racing]

Also would the new P/Ludicrous be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit if below $55k MSRP? It will surely come with the Panasonic NCA 2170 cells, which I believe fulfill the battery requirements for the credit. If so, I can't see Tesla pricing it below $55k bc then it would net to the exact same cost as the LR for most people in the USA...

Why is the current LR not eligible for the credit? Probably the same NCA 2170 cells.

 

[clerks]

Agreed, the stock suspension is terrible. Anyone who thinks it's good has never had a 110mph tank slapper in a mildly bumpy corner.

From the stiff ride you'd expect some wheel control at speed. Not the case.

(Ten tenths cornering at 110mph done in Mexico)

At the risk of getting proclaimed a fanboy, the i4 m50 strikes a perfect balance of sporty but not harsh. The rear air suspension clearly helps. But the difference between it and the M3P is night and day. Probably the best part of the car.

 

[terranx]

Why is the current LR not eligible for the credit? Probably the same NCA 2170 cells.

It has the made in china LG NMC battery. Only the MY is getting the Panasonic pack currently.

 

[FastLaneJB]

I personally can't stand my 2021 M3 LR suspension. It's hard as rocks. I hope they don't make the new P/Ludicrous super stiff as they already softened and greatly improved the Highland suspension.

*sigh*

The dilemma of wanting a P/Ludicrous but wanting it to be a comfortable daily driver also

Indeed, I like a quick car but not if it’s not also comfortable. Most of the time wouldn’t be pushing it too hard but just driving family around and such.

 

[mpgxsvcd]

Why is the current LR not eligible for the credit? Probably the same NCA 2170 cells.

2023 Model 3 LR and 2023 Model Performance had different batteries. Performance was 82.1 kWh. LR is something like 79 kWh. I forget the exact number for the LR.

 

[n2mb_racing]

2023 Model 3 LR and 2023 Model Performance had different batteries. Performance was 82.1 kWh. LR is something like 79 kWh. I forget the exact number for the LR.

Interesting! That's new. I thought they were the same back in 2018.

 

[mpgxsvcd]

Interesting! That's new. I thought they were the same back in 2018.

In 2022 both were said to have the same 82.1 kWh battery in the US. In early 2023 that changed though.

 

[dinosoar888]

A Highland M3 Ludicrous/Plaid that would slot in between a S Plaid and X Plaid performance wise would be awesome! (0-60 2.9 seconds,10.9 ET) or better!!!

Could there be a MY Juniper Performance plus/Ludacris/Plaid as well?

 

[phantasms]

As long as we're complaining about the model 3 suspension here, I agree. However I have the MPP Sport Coilovers on my M3P. It's an absolute game changer. It give you so much feel and feedback. It gets rid of the harshness. I've had my car worked on by Tesla many times and they didn't care at all about the suspension mod. I know it's not stock and all but an M3P with a suspension is still far cheaper than an S. The handling is mind blowing. And FWIW I used to test drive cars for a living. Also the highland is so quiet inside, much like the Plaid I had for a while. I do wish the 3 looked as good as the S. These P changes might be a middle-ground.

 

[Jeremy3292]

For some time there in mid/late 2022 you couldn’t buy the long range trim anymore. When they reintroduced it in mid 2023 almost a year later I believe the EPA rating had dropped from 358 miles to 333 miles. This was bc they swapped the Panasonic NCA 82 kWh pack for an LG NMC 79 kWh pack. Up until that point (since the 2021 refresh was introduced) all M3 LR and P trims had the same Panasonic NCA 82 kWh pack. So now it’s as follows (at least in USA):

Base = CATL LFP
LR = LG NMC
P = Panasonic NCA

Panasonic has the far superior chemistry for performance and fast charging capabilities. I have a 8/21 build date M3 LR and this is the pack I have. So Tesla will almost certainly use the Panasonic pack for the new P/Ludicrous.

That would mean if MSRP is under $55k it is eligible for the $7,500 tax credit, making the net cost exactly the same as the LR…

 

[Jeremy3292]

It’s not that it’s too stiff. It’s that it’s a terrible suspension. Stiff doesn’t have to equal harsh. My 2021 M3P had a brutal suspension. It was downright awful. Worst part of the car. Apparently this has been improved in highland.

That’s a good point and clarification. I’ll accept stiff as long as it’s not harsh

 

[n2mb_racing]

For some time there in 2022 you couldn’t buy the long range trim anymore. When they reintroduced it in 2023 I believe the EPA rating had dropped from 358 miles to 333 miles. This was bc they swapped the Panasonic NCA 82 kWh pack for an LG NMC 79 kWh pack. Up until that point (since the 2021 refresh was introduced) all M3 LR and P trims had the same Panasonic NCA 82 kWh pack. So now it’s as follows (at least in USA):

Base = CATL LFP
LR = LG NMC
P = Panasonic NCA

Panasonic has the far superior chemistry for performance and fast charging capabilities. I have a 8/21 build date M3 LR and this is the pack I have.

I wonder what the 2018 pack was. It supercharged like a beast, 250 kW. Which is surprising, since the pack was only 80 kwhr. That's a higher C rate than the pack in the Model S Plaid.

 

[clerks]

As long as we're complaining about the model 3 suspension here, I agree. However I have the MPP Sport Coilovers on my M3P. It's an absolute game changer. It give you so much feel and feedback. It gets rid of the harshness. I've had my car worked on by Tesla many times and they didn't care at all about the suspension mod. I know it's not stock and all but an M3P with a suspension is still far cheaper than an S. The handling is mind blowing. And FWIW I used to test drive cars for a living. Also the highland is so quiet inside, much like the Plaid I had for a while. I do wish the 3 looked as good as the S. These P changes might be a middle-ground.

It seems like coils are a must for the M3P. I went with springs and that made it go from bad to worse. Coils are expensive. But necessary apparently.

 

[Jeremy3292]

I wonder what the 2018 pack was. It supercharged like a beast, 250 kW. Which is surprising, since the pack was only 80 kwhr. That's a higher C rate than the pack in the Model S Plaid.

Back then the packs were all Panasonic NCA for simplicity I believe (speaking for USA only).

 

[Jeremy3292]

My guess is Tesla continues to capitalize on the Highland refresh in Q1 and into Q2 with slightly higher prices and thus higher margins bc people want it and are willing to pay for the refresh.

P/Ludicrous gets released end of Q2/early Q3 at $54,990 and eligible for the tax credit (perhaps with all free paint choices). LR price drops to $44,990, putting it in between the base and P trims. Note that Tesla should make higher margins off the higher trim anyways (P/Ludicrous), like most car companies do.

Tesla is trying to continue sales growth YoY and needs to be creative and find ways to stoke demand each and every quarter.