3P Road and Track Review

[spesler]

Tesla Model 3 Performance: Track Test

Track Mode!

 

[tracksyde]

The numbers:

0-60 in 3.51
0-100 in 8.84
1/4 mi in 12.07 @ 114MPH
0-120 in 13.69
60-0 and 80-0 "on par with BMW M3 with carbon ceramic brakes"

And regarding track duty:

"After three or four laps at absolute tire-torturing full speed, the car begins to reduce power output. It's a balanced, gradual event. The motors and battery use cooling circuits that are independent but linked; as one component heats up, the system shifts cooling capacity where it's needed. It can even use the battery as a heat sink to shed excess thermal load from the motors."

 

[ba2002]

Interesting that I don't see any lap times to compare against other cars at the same track?

 

[tracksyde]

Interesting that I don't see any lap times to compare against other cars at the same track?

My guess is they're saving that for another feature editorial. Sounds like the writer(s) took both of the cars home, probably for more testing, more content.

 

[P85_DA]

Tesla Model 3 Performance: Track Test

Track Mode!

So they got 3.5 the other video u posted I wonder how they got 3.2 ??

 

[ecarfan]

Pretty glowing review. Key quotes for me were:

“In our testing, we found the Model 3 Performance to be a joy around the track. It's a tossable delight, even under limited power. And while the rationing of horsepower might be frustrating, it ensures that, as long as all cooling systems are working normally, you'll never fry the car's circuitry, no matter how hard you drive it.”

“What they've created along with the entire Tesla team is the world's first electric sport sedan with bona fide race track chops. That's important for electric car technology, for motorsports culture, and for the future of the automotive hobby as a whole.”

 

[EfficientWatts]

I wonder if the slowdown is due to the front motor being inductive. Others testing with RWD don't report similar slowdowns though it would be nice to get an apples to apples comparison. Makes me wonder how a model with with both front and rear PM motors would perform (ignoring the efficiency issues).

 

[Guest]

Please give us track Mode in regular AWD!! The few times I go to the track don't equate to purchsing a P, but, come on, lets us play with the handling potential of our cars on occation, please!

 

[juanmedina]

I though it was going to be an 11 second car... close enough

 

[calvinvle]

Man, those are beautiful photos. Reading this article makes me want to sell my RWD and upgrade.

 

[Funkmobile]

Interesting that I don't see any lap times to compare against other cars at the same track?

Editors Note:

While the track was relatively dry during our acceleration and braking tests, it began pouring rain during our lapping sessions. Due to these inconsistent conditions, we did not measure lap times.

 

[SarahsDad]

“Ed. Note: While the track was relatively dry during our acceleration and braking tests, it began pouring rain during our lapping sessions. Due to these inconsistent conditions, we did not measure lap times.”

Edit - looks like they just added that line. Wasn’t there the first time I read it...

 

[insaneoctane]

Most days, the woods around the track echo with the sounds of dead dinosaurs sacrificed to speed. Not today. As I pull out of the pits in the Model 3 Performance, the silence is eerie. With no engine noise, all I hear is the grainy rumble of the tire treads gripping the pavement, cut through on occasion by the faint high-pitched skeeeee of the electric motors under hard acceleration.

 

[ZeroRider]

50% increase in regen in track mode!

"In Track Mode, the regenerative braking is increased significantly—up to 0.3g of deceleration, compared to a max of 0.2g in street trim."

 

[Park2670]

What an amazing review. Maybe instead of getting a standard range car I keep saving my pennies and wait another year to get a performance instead.

 

[NathanielHrnblwr]

That is a fun article to read. Love the pictures too.

P3 definitely seems to be a fun car!

 

[brianman]

My favorite part:

Track Mode ... I was assured the version we tested was nearly identical to what customers will receive when the option goes public sometime soon.

Most informative part:

Moravy told me that, before we arrived at Lime Rock Park, his team had run simulations to see how Track Mode would perform at this particular circuit. The data predicted that, after roughly three full-speed, perfect laps, the car would gradually start pulling power, hitting equilibrium at a pace about two to three seconds off the absolute quickest lap times the car is capable of. To him, that's not a devastating loss of performance. "Two, three seconds, that's equivalent to driver error," he points out.

Our experience matched his predictions. After three or four laps, the hard slap of the Performance Model 3's acceleration slowly began to dissipate. It was always gradual, workable, not a sudden loss or change of performance. A few cooldown laps—or 20 minutes parked in the pits while we ran our backup car—and the thing would bounce right back to full power, no drama involved.

This is significantly better than the Model S experience. Nice work, Tesla.

 

[SigNC]

I'm surprised it cut power since I've not heard anything about that in the RWD model. Do induction motors heat up that much vs a Switched Reluctance Motor?

 

[TexasTeslaRacing]

I'm surprised it cut power since I've not heard anything about that in the RWD model. Do induction motors heat up that much vs a Switched Reluctance Motor?

I believe the reason for reduced power is this track is very fast. On a more technical, slower speed track, I don't expect this to occur. Good to note that it's not a major reduction in power. I don't mind a few tenths of my PB in order to keep driving.

 

[T34ME]

Most days, the woods around the track echo with the sounds of dead dinosaurs sacrificed to speed. Not today. As I pull out of the pits in the Model 3 Performance, the silence is eerie. With no engine noise, all I hear is the grainy rumble of the tire treads gripping the pavement, cut through on occasion by the faint high-pitched skeeeee of the electric motors under hard acceleration.

POETRY!