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

[cptnslo]

The base model starts at $101,395, does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, and there's no range estimate for it. A base Model S Plaid starts at $89,990, does 0-60 in 2.2 seconds without rollout, and has an EPA range estimate of 359 miles. So the Model S is $11k less for substantially better performance and more standard features by far.

Or you could step up a notch to the Taycan 4S for $120,495 that does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. Add in 21" summer wheels and tires for another $4,680, ventilated front seats for $850, power seats with memory for $1,510, Torque vectoring Plus for $1,500, Active ride for $7,140, ceramic composite brakes for $9,980, active cruise control and lane keeping with the required sport chrono for $4,050, ionizer for $460, and Burmester sound system for $7,000, for a total of $157,665. This will get you a Taycan fairly comparably equipped to a Model S Plaid with Track Package that would cost $109,990. Of course, it will still be much slower pretty much everywhere due to substantially less power and less grip from regular summer tires versus 'R' type tires.

Even the top of the line Taycan Turbo S would require a number of options to be comparably equipped to a Model S with Plaid Package. The price starts at $210,995, but then you have to add in Performance summer tires for $630, ventilated front seats for $850, active ride for $7,140, ceramic composite brakes for $900, ACC and lane keeping for $2,750, ionizer for $460, and Burmester sound system for $5,810, which brings the total to $229,535. My expectation is that a Model S Plaid with Track Package would still be faster than this car around a track or at the dragstrip, but you're paying more than twice as much for it.

How much more for a Taycan Turbo GT that can actually beat the Model S Plaid with Track Package? My guess is $40k, call it $270k total, give or take a few thousand. Of course, that's if they even offer the GT package/variant in the U.S.

From everything I've been hearing about the new Taycan, it sounds impressive, but it obviously comes at a price.

Got that is painful to read that ventilated seats and ACC and lane keep isn’t included on a 200k car

 

[GregD60]

The U.S. is one of the biggest markets for Taycan so I’d be very surprised if they didn’t offer it here!

AFAIK, they didn't offer the performance package, in the U.S., that was used for the prior Taycan when it set a record at the Nurburgring.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Got that is painful to read that ventilated seats and ACC and lane keep isn’t included on a 200k car

When you're in that price range, the add-ons are irrelevant to most buyers. If a 9% price bump phases one, then you aren't looking at top-of-the-line Taycan

 

[Kevy Baby]

It’s nice of Mr Merritt to update us on information about cars from other manufacturers. Perhaps he could concentrate on updating us on vehicles from the company that he actually works for ffs!

I didn't know that Twin Birch sold cars: I thought they were a clothing company?

(My sarcastic way of pointing out that Sawyer Merritt doesn't work for Tesla: he just owns stock ffs. The company he founded is Twin Birch.)

 

[GregD60]

Porsche has never been, and will never will be, about value.

Tesla unquestionably is the leader in speed per dollar value, there is no contesting that. If acceleration is all what buyer cares about then get a Plaid.

But I would consider “performance” more than just straight line speed, but the whole package including suspension and handling. Tesla still trails the Germans in suspension tuning and driving dynamics.

Porsche is known for combining high performance with luxury and extreme attention to detail in build quality and materials, all priced in a way to maintain status/exclusivity.

I agree that Porsche is amongst the best in the world for suspension tuning, and the quality of their cars is generally very good to excellent. Among the Germans, for suspension tuning, I'd put BMW in for number 2, followed by Mercedes and Audi. I would actually put Tesla in roughly the same group as Mercedes and Audi for suspension tuning, with all three of them having their pluses and minuses.

In my opinion, the Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track Package has the overall best suspension tuning of all the Teslas that I'm familiar with, which includes S, X, Y and pre-Midland 3. While it may not be as good as a number of the Porsches, it's not that far behind, and the Track Package brakes and tires, and the power tend to make up for any suspension deficiencies.

 

[GregD60]

Got that is painful to read that ventilated seats and ACC and lane keep isn’t included on a 200k car

Not painful, just the way Porsche does business, similar to Ferrari or Lamborghini where they start with a more basic car that you can customize extensively for a price.

 

[gearchruncher]

Got that is painful to read that ventilated seats and ACC and lane keep isn’t included on a 200k car

Meanwhile you can't even get blind spot monitoring or rear traffic cross alerting on a $130K Tesla.

 

[gearchruncher]

In my opinion, the Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track Package has the overall best suspension tuning of all the Teslas that I'm familiar with

The track package only changes tires and brakes, so I am confused about why the track package is important to suspension tuning. I mean, tires are part of the suspension for sure, but are you claiming that the base Plaid suspension is actually tuned for those tires to the detriment of the 99.99% of Plaids without the track pack?

it's not that far behind, and the Track Package brakes and tires, and the power tend to make up for any suspension deficiencies.

Except for the 18 second gap at the Nurburgring between the Taycan and the Plaid of course.

 

[n2mb_racing]

Except for the 18 second gap at the Nurburgring between the Taycan and the Plaid of course.

That's the new yet to be announced Taycan. The previous Taycan turbo S was beaten pretty soundly on tracks, the ring, and drag strips by the plaid.

I'm excited to see what Porsche did to nearly catch up to rimac.

 

[GregD60]

That's the new yet to be announced Taycan. The previous Taycan turbo S was beaten pretty soundly on tracks, the ring, and drag strips by the plaid.

I'm excited to see what Porsche did to nearly catch up to rimac.

It will be interesting to see if Tesla decides to respond with an even faster Model S. Plaid+ perhaps? Or Super Plaid?

 

[cptnslo]

Meanwhile you can't even get blind spot monitoring or rear traffic cross alerting on a $130K Tesla.

Did you not software update for that blind spot lol

 

[buckets0fun]

I'm excited to see what Porsche did to nearly catch up to rimac.

It (VAG) bought them.

 

[JezzaE]

The base model starts at $101,395, does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, and there's no range estimate for it. A base Model S Plaid starts at $89,990, does 0-60 in 2.2 seconds without rollout, and has an EPA range estimate of 359 miles. So the Model S is $11k less for substantially better performance and more standard features by far.

Or you could step up a notch to the Taycan 4S for $120,495 that does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. Add in 21" summer wheels and tires for another $4,680, ventilated front seats for $850, power seats with memory for $1,510, Torque vectoring Plus for $1,500, Active ride for $7,140, ceramic composite brakes for $9,980, active cruise control and lane keeping with the required sport chrono for $4,050, ionizer for $460, and Burmester sound system for $7,000, for a total of $157,665. This will get you a Taycan fairly comparably equipped to a Model S Plaid with Track Package that would cost $109,990. Of course, it will still be much slower pretty much everywhere due to substantially less power and less grip from regular summer tires versus 'R' type tires.

Even the top of the line Taycan Turbo S would require a number of options to be comparably equipped to a Model S with Plaid Package. The price starts at $210,995, but then you have to add in Performance summer tires for $630, ventilated front seats for $850, active ride for $7,140, ceramic composite brakes for $900, ACC and lane keeping for $2,750, ionizer for $460, and Burmester sound system for $5,810, which brings the total to $229,535. My expectation is that a Model S Plaid with Track Package would still be faster than this car around a track or at the dragstrip, but you're paying more than twice as much for it.

How much more for a Taycan Turbo GT that can actually beat the Model S Plaid with Track Package? My guess is $40k, call it $270k total, give or take a few thousand. Of course, that's if they even offer the GT package/variant in the U.S.

From everything I've been hearing about the new Taycan, it sounds impressive, but it obviously comes at a price.

The U.S. is one of the biggest markets for Taycan so I’d be very surprised if they didn’t offer it here!

AFAIK, they didn't offer the performance package, in the U.S., that was used for the prior Taycan when it set a record at the Nurburgring.

You are correct that the previous Taycan Nurburgring package, whatever it was called, was not sold in the U.S. as it was only available in Germany. I don’t believe it was available as and option though but rather an accessory similar to how Tesla does the Track Pack for the Plaid. The new Taycan Turbo GT from what I’ve read is rumored to be and additional trim of the Taycan and not and accessory. Guess we’ll have to wait and see

 

[gearchruncher]

Did you not software update for that blind spot lol

Blind spot monitors that do not have indicator lights in or near the mirrors and require you to look at the dash are not blind spot monitors.

 

[cptnslo]

Blind spot monitors that do not have indicator lights in or near the mirrors and require you to look at the dash are not blind spot monitors.

Technically looking at the center is less head movement AWAY from the road in front of you so that would be a subjective opinion

 

[mpgxsvcd]

Blind spot monitors that do not have indicator lights in or near the mirrors and require you to look at the dash are not blind spot monitors.

New Highland Model 3 has Blind spot indicators in the speakers near the pillar. However, that has been omitted on the US cars for some strange reason. I tested a Highland the other day and it did not appear to have it.

 

[Bandwidth]

New Highland Model 3 has Blind spot indicators in the speakers near the pillar. However, that has been omitted on the US cars for some strange reason. I tested a Highland the other day and it did not appear to have it.

My guess is that may just be a software disable for now, or not turned on in the demo models, as it is well defined in the US owners manual:

Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

Learn about Lane Assist and its specifications.

www.tesla.com

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

I didn't know that Twin Birch sold cars: I thought they were a clothing company?

(My sarcastic way of pointing out that Sawyer Merritt doesn't work for Tesla: he just owns stock ffs. The company he founded is Twin Birch.)

No, Tesla does ads now and Sawyer Merritt is the Executive Vice President of Global Marketing. The fake "Twin Birch" thing is just a cover so Elon doesn't have to admit that they have a marketing department.
I assume.

 

[momo3605]

Technically looking at the center is less head movement AWAY from the road in front of you so that would be a subjective opinion

Please tell me you don't change lanes or turn through intersections without turning your head...

 

[derekmw]

Please tell me you don't change lanes or turn through intersections without turning your head...

For blind spot checking, I've switched to using the screen but more specifically the rear view camera. It has better visibility of the blind spot than a quick head check in my opinion. So both in my Tesla's and my Rivian, I keep the rear view camera on at all times and can clearly see my blind spot through that.