P Options and Value

[voip-ninja]

The criticism that has plagued all Tesla P models since inception... from a performance standpoint, they are one trick (0-60) ponies.

if the Model 3 Performance is going for straight line bragging rights, it's not actually that much faster relative to the cars in it's class especially considering cars like the M3 are due for a refresh. so what makes the P class beating in this segment?
If there are no changes to the brakes and suspension, we already know the brakes are too frail for performance driving and the suspension struggles to handle the car's weight.

I'm still holding out that Tesla announces what has changed for the Model 3 Performance to 'beat any car in it's class on a track' outside of marginally faster straight line speed.

Musk specifically said that the P model 3 will beat the current BMW M3 on the track. Now, this is Elon so we don't know if that's just individual lap time or if he's implying that a 10 or 20 lap race would go to the P3... or if he's just blowing unicorn farts out of his ass like when he insisted dual motor on the 3 would be cheaper than on the S.

It seems highly unlikely that the current Model 3 would beat a BMW M3 with just dual motor and faster acceleration. It would need a pretty substantial upgrade to the suspension and brakes to really shine at the track. Better seats that are more track oriented would help too.

BMW M3 has all of those and can be had with most of it for under $70,000.

 

[TheLocNar]

Plus, the BMW has tons of aftermarket performance options as well. With the P3D, you get what you get and you're stuck with it. I know that's apples and oranges, but BMW M enthusiasts love tinkering.

I hope there are brake/suspension upgrades for the P3D. It would make the price a lot easier to swallow than if they just did a software update for the speed, and gave you a spoiler.

 

[voip-ninja]

Plus, the BMW has tons of aftermarket performance options as well. With the P3D, you get what you get and you're stuck with it. I know that's apples and oranges, but BMW M enthusiasts love tinkering.

I hope there are brake/suspension upgrades for the P3D. It would make the price a lot easier to swallow than if they just did a software update for the speed, and gave you a spoiler.

What is 100% guaranteed is that within weeks of the first P models going out someone is going to be doing that head to head with the M3 at the track and posting the results on YouTube.

It will look really really bad for Tesla if the brakes on the P are shot after 4 or 5 laps at Laguna Seca.

 

[ghostbusta]

This is the reason I configured for the dual motors as opposed to the performance model. There simply isn’t enough information for me to warrant spending the extra money. As far as I can tell for certain, it’s only the spoiler, bigger rims, binned motors, and essentially P-specific firmware/software for the 1 second difference. If Elon had mentioned bigger brakes, different suspension, or potential ludicrous modes, I would have been all over it.

My guess is that this will be no different than the 100D vs P100D offering. The claims about the track performance I can’t buy into until there is evidence of a P3 going faster than an M3 multiple times around a track. I do track days (in my STi) and quick acceleration only goes so far, brakes, cooling, suspension, and tires are essential. If the P3 brakes are that same as the initial production model, then the P3 is not a true track car. You can always swap brake pads and fluid (as I did on my STi prior to my first track day), but Elon was, as I understood, talking P3 stock vs M3 from the factory.

Hopefully I’m wrong and Elon truely knows the P3 can beat an M3 in a real track, not just a sprint. In that case, I’ll trade in the dual motor for whatever iteration for the P3 exists in a few years