Question About Model 3 Performance

[Sunny5280]

I see two possibilities: OP has a Stealth, or an earlier owner modified a Performance with the PUP.

As Sklith mentioned, even though the PUP was "standard" by 2019 and you couldn't order a Stealth online, you could order one through a sales rep. Also, some of their demo cars were Stealths that would get sold at the end of a quarter. You could see them every now on the inventory page, although they tended to disappear quickly.

However, OP's car might have come with PUP. Mine did in Nov 2018. I would have preferred a Stealth, but the option was no longer listed when I ordered online. However, at the time Tesla was out of spoilers and badges, so I didn't get those (at least not at first; they did put the spoiler on months later; and I asked them not to put the badge on). And the first thing I did to the car was sell the 20" wheels and buy 18"s. So while my car came with a PUP, at least at one point it matched the OP's description.

OP, what color are your brake calipers? (Of course a previous owner could have painted them, but let's start by assuming that didn't happen). The Stealth came with black calipers, the PUP came with red. Note that the upgraded brakes shouldn't matter for normal driving; the regular brakes are already stronger than the tires for infrequent emergency stops. The upgraded brakes are primarily for track driving, to keep them from overheating longer when in constant use.

I'm fairly confident mine is a stealth. The reason I say this is the door jamb plate list the wheel size as 18". I would assume if it was the PUP version they would be listed as 20s. Brake calipers are "silver" or, more appropriately, metallic in color. They're definitely not black or red.

No Dual Motor badge and corresponding red line on the back of the vehicle. I assumed the previous owner debadged it (I know a lot of Bimmer owners do that).

 

[Sunny5280]

From what I read, the stealth option wasn't available to order through the website (at least in 2019). It was something that could be purchased from existing inventory. I believe I read somewhere that it was related to hitting a sales goal. A friend of mine purchased one (also a 2019). They're essentially performance models without the PUP (brakes, 20" wheels, suspension, wing, pedals). There's a good chance they're missing the red bar badging on the trunk as well - but you can reliably identify them using the info screen in the car (look for the red bar).

As others have mentioned, they're less common (I suspect because they weren't available to order and you had to snag one if you could find one). They're also faster than the standard M3P from a roll due to the lighter wheels. From a stop they're slightly slower because the standard tires aren't as grippy as the 4Ss that come standard on the 20" wheels.

Thanks to this forum I was able to identify it as a performance model prior to purchase based off of this information along with the presence of Track Mode.

 

[Phlier]

Wouldn't everyone agree that, if it does NOT have performance brakes but HAS track mode, it has to be a sleeper/stealth...to simplify it?

Yes.

Source: I own a 2019 “stealth” performance.

 

[Gasaraki]

Funny I think we are all agreeing on the same thing and just wording it differently...

Wouldn't everyone agree that, if it does NOT have performance brakes but HAS track mode, it has to be a sleeper/stealth...to simplify it?

Exactly.

1) LR
2) Stealth Performance. Has track mode software but no big red brakes and big wheels and other stuff.
3) Performance. Has everything. Big wheels, spoiler, bigger brakes, etc.

By the middle of 2020, they stopped offering the Stealth Performance hidden trim. I called and asked the sales person and they didn't offer it anymore. The reason why people wanted that was because you can save a lot of money. I didn't want the big heavy wheels just the performance software.

I'm hearing that they started offering it again in 2021 but it's no longer cheaper than the regular Performance trim so what's the point.

 

[Sklith]

I'm hearing that they started offering it again in 2021 but it's no longer cheaper than the regular Performance trim so what's the point.

Some people just aren't into the low profile tires the 20" wheels have, so they'd rather pick up a Performance model with 18" wheels instead. Personally, I'd just buy some aftermarket 18" wheels that fit over the big brakes.

 

[Gasaraki]

Some people just aren't into the low profile tires the 20" wheels have, so they'd rather pick up a Performance model with 18" wheels instead. Personally, I'd just buy some aftermarket 18" wheels that fit over the big brakes.

Exactly. You're paying the same to get less. You can just sell the 20" if you don't like them.

 

[NickFie]

It appears I have the third model in your list. However I am still puzzled as to why a 2019 model did not have the PUP since it was made standard at the end of 2018.

Tesla would still deliver Stealth Model 3 Performance vehicles through 2019. They weren’t on the order menu, but close inventory tracking would reveal them. One or two sales reps were famous for their ability to catch and reserve the Stealth 3s.

My guess was that Tesla would make them available to boost demand or increase per-vehicle revenue.

Many regarded the Stealth as the best performance value on offer. For a handful of thousands above LR price one could gain outstanding acceleration with low law enforcement visibility.

 

[jjrandorin]

Tesla would still deliver Stealth Model 3 Performance vehicles through 2019. They weren’t on the order menu, but close inventory tracking would reveal them. One or two sales reps were famous for their ability to catch and reserve the Stealth 3s.

My guess was that Tesla would make them available to boost demand or increase per-vehicle revenue.

Many regarded the Stealth as the best performance value on offer. For a handful of thousands above LR price one could gain outstanding acceleration with low law enforcement visibility.

When it (stealth) was available for the 2k upcharge over a LR, it was absolutely the best value model 3 you could buy, in my opinion. Smaller tires so more range / less issues with potholes, same speed, track mode eventually released for that model.

It was sort of a no brainer decision for 2k more than a LR. Less so when it was the same price as a performance, without the extra bits. It wasnt available when I got my model 3. I reserved in November 2018 and took delivery in december of 2018, AFTER the "performance pack is an extra 5k, then converted to included" kerfuffle, and before they were available for 2k more if you knew where to look.

I might have still gotten the performance package though, since I like the visual difference, as small as it is.

 

[Phlier]

When it (stealth) was available for the 2k upcharge over a LR, it was absolutely the best value model 3 you could buy, in my opinion.

Mine, too.

The stars really aligned for me to get mine.

They had the exact car I wanted. White on white, 19" wheels. I told the SA that I'd think about it, and get back to him tomorrow. He gave me the time honored car salesman response of "OK, but I have a bunch of people interested in this. It might not be here tomorrow." I can't tell you how many times I've heard that exact same line from sales people over the years. Little did I know that when it came to Teslas, he really meant it. The car sold two hours after I left.

Long story short... I was able to get the very last stealth that the Las Vegas store was able to get for that quarter. And yes, it was a $2k up charge over the LR AWD.

 

[Sunny5280]

Given the stealth performance is just a software updated LR why is it the performance can't obtain the same range as the LR (assuming same driving habits)?

 

[android04]

Given the stealth performance is just a software updated LR why is it the performance can't obtain the same range as the LR (assuming same driving habits)?

Due to the different wheels and tires, they will use different amounts of energy while driving. Also, the Performance and LR AWD were only different in software in 2018 and maybe early 2019. Sometime in 2019 Tesla started putting a different rear motor in the LR AWD that is less powerful than the one in the Performance, so then the difference was not just software.

 

[jjrandorin]

Given the stealth performance is just a software updated LR why is it the performance can't obtain the same range as the LR (assuming same driving habits)?

It can (same range as a LR of that time frame).