Funny you mention AP, which I find to be the least impressive thing (standard AP) about the car.Man, where do I start?
The simplicity of it all was the first thing that really grabbed my interest. I really thought I wanted the fancy quilted massaging (vibrating) seats, a hi res cockpit display, apple car play, a HUD and cool ambient lighting. There are so many buttons and other things going on in these cars that it just becomes sensory overload. At the end of the day, it really is unnecessary fluff. The model 3 is the polar opposite. So minimalistic, uncluttered and refreshing. The forward view without an instrument panel is amazing. The UI is so intuitive and well organized, it really is like using an iPad. My 10 year old can navigate it without instruction.
The process of driving. Your phone is the key. You sit, brake, shift and go. When you're done, you park and walk away. There's no bulky key fob, buttons to unlock/lock the car, start/stop button, loud engine warm up. It's all very slick and streamlined.
Of course there's the drive... Coming from a modded BMW M235 and many other cars like it, I am used to quick turbo cars. The Model 3 is on a whole different level in terms of power delivery. No gears to shift, turbo to spool, launch control ritual, no wheel spin and making a total racket to go fast. It's all instant and silent. It really feels like there's a direct connection from brain to rubber on road. There's simply no comparison. The steering feels far more connected than my little 2, it's shockingly nimble and well sorted for its size and weight.
I can go on about not having to fill up twice a week on expensive premium gas, oil changes and all that....
But but but... I like lots of buttons and a "cluttered" cockpit. I'd love a HUD, I'd love a silent car with no road noise and other features... all this even after a drive test with a Model 3 and S...