Once again I actually talked to people at Tesla
None of whom appear to have provided you with accurate information though. A fact you refuse to accept.
O
- the P3D- was more of an accident based on production factors than a hidden special option.
...what?
When it was introduced it wasn't "hidden" at all. And certainly no accident.
It was in fact the
default performance vehicle of the Model 3 lineup at that point.
Here's the basic order of events starting back in ~July 2018:
Tesla announced the Performance model (which had everything on it).
People complained it was stupid expensive and they wished they could get it without the boat anchor 20" wheels that added weight but not tire width and so on.
Tesla responded changing the BASE Performance Model 3 to one WITHOUT the wheels/brakes or a couple other largely cosmetic items.
At that point the default P, orderable online, was the P3D-
The P3D+ was called that by folks here because it required you ADDING AN OPTION PACKAGE to the default P for an extra $5000.
That $5000 package added the spoiler, sport pedals, 20" boat anchor wheels, a 0.39 inch suspension drop, and the larger brakes (and also meant you had a lot less options for aftermarket wheels as a result)
Months later Tesla changed their offerings to make that option package standard (basically forcing it on everyone, but no longer charging any money for it), and discontinued the base (now called P3D- by many here since it's the P3D minus the option package).
Folks were pissed about how Tesla was now giving it $5000 package to people for free- so Tesla was eventually forced to offer $5000 refund checks to
every previous P buyer (regardless of it they actually got the 5k package or not when they bought the car- and in exchange for them giving up the free lifetime supercharging early P buyers were originally given)
P3D- stayed gone for many months after... but now suddenly is showing up as inventory cars (not orderable online) and have been for some months.
As before the car continues to offer
exactly the same drive units (motors and inverters) and the same batteries as the P3D+ does... same differences as before when both were orderable online.
These
facts about the parts you "heard" were not the same but actually are the same continue to be confirmed by Teslas own parts catalog, and actual owners of the various configs confirming the part numbers on the drive units on their delivered vehicles.