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

[gearchruncher]

and there's also no need for rotors to be different thicknesses.

Except the fact the performance rotors are two peice and thinnner and lighter... Which is a good thing.
Nothing about this is a "mistake". They were taking an existing high volume car, and making a low volume variant out of it, and you see things like this all the time. It's just a trade off. And in terms of trade offs, a 3mm step in the hub is super minor.

 

[cptnslo]

Except the fact the performance rotors are two peice and thinnner and lighter... Which is a good thing.
Nothing about this is a "mistake". They were taking an existing high volume car, and making a low volume variant out of it, and you see things like this all the time. It's just a trade off. And in terms of trade offs, a 3mm step in the hub is super minor.

Low volume variant? Are you sure you’re talking about the M3P

 

[terranx]

Low volume variant? Are you sure you’re talking about the M3P

Compared to the LR? Absolutely

 

[12B4A]

Putting 2 and 2 together suggests that:

1. The Performance wheels will be awesome
2. They'll be impossible to get within the $55K tax credit limit so most P's will ship with standard wheels
3. The "internet" will claim that they are too heavy

Current price for an LR is $7510 less than $55k. It does make me wonder if the P will qualify for the credit and have a lower net cost than the LR as it was for a few days towards the beginning of last month. My cynicism says no.

 

[superflyrolla]

If I had to bet, the original Model 3 brake design were farmed out to Brembo. They had to work with the hub step they were given. An extra step in the 20” wheel costs nothing when it’s already on the lathe. If it is gone (just covered up) it will be because Tesla checked their load history data and found that 1% of customers use the higher capacity of the brakes so their move is to cost reduce to heavier/thicker rotors or better yet, paint the standard brakes red.

 

[gearchruncher]

be because Tesla checked their load history data and found that 1% of customers use the higher capacity of the brakes

Double bonus, Tesla gets to reduce the "safety score" of anyone that does use their brakes and deny them FSD and/or jack their "data driven" insurance.

 

[mpgxsvcd]

Except the fact the performance rotors are two peice and thinnner and lighter... Which is a good thing.
Nothing about this is a "mistake". They were taking an existing high volume car, and making a low volume variant out of it, and you see things like this all the time. It's just a trade off. And in terms of trade offs, a 3mm step in the hub is super minor.

Have they ever said how many Model 3 Performance cars sell vs. Model 3 LR cars? Didn't they go the better part of a year without selling any Model 3 LR cars back in 2022? I wonder how low volume the Model 3 Performance really is?

 

[gearchruncher]

I wonder how low volume the Model 3 Performance really is?

The important thing is what volume was the M3P designed to be for back in the 2017-2018 design cycle.

The M3P when first sold was an $70K+ car on a brand new platform that Tesla was risking it all on. It seems quite reasonable that they estimated only selling 10% of them as M3P's- and when given that guidance, you don't go make a bunch of custom parts or changing the production line or changing other things. You do things like put performance brakes on that mount the same way, and then machine a lip into some wheels, because the base design is the most correct for the 90% of cars you will make.

 

[SigNC]

Hard to believe it was a 70k car back then. At least I got to trade my free supercharging in for a 5k refund and got the 7500 tax credit.

 

[mpgxsvcd]

I think this video really explains what improvements a Ludicrous + Mode with Warp mode could provide even with the current hardware in the Model 3 Performance.

Now just imagine what Ludicrous + with Warp mode could do with the new motor technologies they have now?

The Model 3 badge the Tesla diagrams showed was not a Plaid badge. It resembled the ludicrous image from spaceballs much more than the Plaid image from that movie.

I really think we are going to get Model S P100D with Ludicrous + and Warp mode performance in a Model 3 finally.

 

[cptnslo]

I think this video really explains what improvements a Ludicrous + Mode with Warp mode could provide even with the current hardware in the Model 3 Performance.

Now just imagine what Ludicrous + with Warp mode could do with the new motor technologies they have now?

The Model 3 badge the Tesla diagrams showed was not a Plaid badge. It resembled the ludicrous image from spaceballs much more than the Plaid image from that movie.

I really think we are going to get Model S P100D with Ludicrous + and Warp mode performance in a Model 3 finally.

I still think that’s going to pillage plaid sales if you can buy a M3P that’s running low 10s for 15k less but we will see

 

[terranx]

I still think that’s going to pillage plaid sales if you can buy a M3P that’s running low 10s for 15k less but we will see

You basically described an MSLR, but people (myself included) are still more than happy to pony up the extra 15k.

 

[Ultimos]

As someone who lives in a market that doesn’t get the Model S, I couldn’t care less how much Tesla raises the price of this new Performance M3.

 

[Lets go Plaid]

You’d have to think we’re getting close now, maybe in the next couple of weeks. I’m sure they’ll get Matt Watson to do the honours.

 

[Tiger]

You’d have to think we’re getting close now, maybe in the next couple of weeks. I’m sure they’ll get Matt Watson to do the honours.

Yeah, and Matt won't sit in it unless he can win in it.

 

[nsyr]

Visited the local Tesla store to see the cybertruck and was told by the rep that the 3 will be a plaid. I of course have my reservations on how much they actually know but he was insistent that there will be no performance model but a plaid model 3.

 

[GreenHokie]

I’m ready to sell my 2019 Model 3 Performance for the upcoming Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous/Plaid with the sport seat package.

However, I can almost guarantee that Tesla won’t release this new trim until sometime after March, because I recently received a message/offer from Tesla (in the Tesla app) indicating that if I purchase a new vehicle before March 31, I can transfer my FSD to the new vehicle at no charge, as a 1-time courtesy. While the potential $12,000 cost saving is not really that important to me, I would certainly jump on that offer and purchase the new Model 3 P/L/Plaid if they make it available for ordering before March 31.

Sorry folks. Looks like we’ll just have to wait until some time in Q2! Boo!!!

But still hopeful and ……..

 

[n2mb_racing]

I’m ready to sell my 2019 Model 3 Performance for the upcoming Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous/Plaid with the sport seat package.

However, I can almost guarantee that Tesla won’t release this new trim until sometime after March, because I recently received a message/offer from Tesla (in the Tesla app) indicating that if I purchase a new vehicle before March 31, I can transfer my FSD to the new vehicle at no charge, as a 1-time courtesy. While the potential $12,000 cost saving is not really that important to me, I would certainly jump on that offer and purchase the new Model 3 P/L/Plaid if they make it available for ordering before March 31.

Sorry folks. Looks like we’ll just have to wait until some time in Q2! Boo!!!

But still hopeful and ……..

I'm looking at a 2019 model 3 performance with FSD. What do you think they are selling for?

 

[Sweed269]

The battery is the limiting factor with regards to max and sustained power. I highly doubt that tesla is going to significantly change the battery pack. IE sacrifice range for power with a modified chemistry.

Most likely:
New seats.
Actual tuned suspension. Hopefully Koni yellow level.
Small power bump in HP from hairpin rear motor.
Stiffer suspension bushings.
Optimized cooling in track mode.

Option for:
Lighter wheels.
Brake upgrade.

 

[cptnslo]

Visited the local Tesla store to see the cybertruck and was told by the rep that the 3 will be a plaid. I of course have my reservations on how much they actually know but he was insistent that there will be no performance model but a plaid model 3.

I would be extremely confused why they would make a plaid M3 because it would basically make the S obsolete unless you needed more room but I guess we will see