Tesla 3 Performance v. Porsche 911 4S

[jkoya]

They were nice looking back in the day, but never super fast without significant mods. Ever tried changing the plugs on one of those? Yeeesh.

Best,

I would agree. Mine was at the Nissan dealer for over 3 months for a power steering issue (problem diagnosis and waiting fo parts). I knew the service writers at Nissan on a first name basis. That's when I knew it was time to let it go...

 

[Jenremoved]

BTW, I mentioned sex appeal as an attribute of the 911.

For anyone considering a 911 over a Tesla 3 Performance, just for the record, I never got noticed, let alone propositioned, let alone laid! Over 16 years. Beyond work, mostly in Manhattan, driving and parking my sexy, silver 911. And for sure I was often with my lovely wife. But even so.

I think the intangible benefits of these more exotic cars are oversold. Maybe Ferraris and Lamborghinis are different! Or maybe its the driver!

Life is beautiful as is driving my new Tesla! Maybe that's what I was missing!

Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome to this forum!

I’m not sure where the myth of the exotic car attracting women comes from, but it’s definitely a myth. It might attract some fairly obvious financially motivated women, but for the vast majority of us it’s not something we care about.

On the other hand, men come up to me to talk about my M3P+ all of the time. So, if you’re a single woman who wants to meet Tesla enthusiasts, buy one.

 

[EmOne]

Brand new owner of M3P+. As a current owner of BMW 1M and former owner of Porsche GT3 997.1, I thought I might give my perspective on some of the issues raised. Number one would be that unless you are really gonna be a "track guy" it would be silly to add another car to the M3P+ in your garage just to go once in a while. Spend a few bucks with Mountain Pass or Unplugged and show your taillights to a LOT of fancy cars driven by the other occasional track guys! My impression is that you will also IMPROVE the car's street experience. Anyone that really wants a track experience on a frequent basis ends up getting a real track car which is not likely to be used on the street at all unless coming and going, but usually they haul 'em. Both of the cars I mentioned above failed to be really good at either job. The GT3 was only barely usable on the street but so deficient on the track that my instructor (just retired GT2 level race driver) managed to roll us at 100mph (and blamed, with some justification, the TC software). The bimmer comes closer, but would need just as much modding as the Tesla to use regularly at the track and would be much more challenging for the average skill level driver (tail-happy, but not quite as inclined to do the 180 as the Porsche). I thought I would probably own the bimmer until I couldn't drive and I was a huge Tesla skeptic until being turned a bit by a McLaren 600LT owner singing its praises; one test drive later I am all in and the bimmer might be on BAT! Even the stock M3P+ suspension, which has been subject to some criticism here, strikes me as remarkable. The bones are there and unmodded it competes with the precision and shock calibration of my M car (not the steering feel, tho, but it is hydraulic on the 1M so NOTHING new does!) How many other street cars have double wishbone front suspension? Both the bimmer and the 911 have struts; you won't find those on serious race cars!
From where I sit, unless you are buying into a REAL track car or a country club car or need the vroom vroom or a stick (the issue for me!), just dress the 3 the way you need to and save a lot of hassle and money!

 

[wws]

One of the greatest jokes of the bulletin board era. I was driving a 240Z when this rolled around, but didn't have anything but a spare tire in the wheel well. I have tried to update it by adding Tesla...

"What your car says about you ..."
Acura Integra - I have always wanted to own the Buick of sports cars
Acura Legend - I'm too bland for German cars
Audi 90 - I enjoy putting out engine fires
Buick Park Avenue - I am older than 34 of the 50 states
Cadillac Eldorado - I am a very good Mary Kay salesman
Cadillac Seville - I am a pimp
Chevrolet Camaro - I enjoy beating the hell out of people
Chevrolet Chevette - I like seeing people's reactions when I tell them I have a' Vette
Chevrolet Corvette - I'm in a mid-life crisis
Chevrolet El Camino - I am leading a militia to overthrow the government
Chrysler Cordoba - I dig the rich Corinthian leather
Datsun 280Z - I have a kilo of cocaine in my wheel well
Dodge Dart - I teach third grade special education and voted for Eisenhower
Dodge Daytona - I delivered pizza for four years to get this car
Dodge Ram.- Former Civic owner going to get even with all the people who cut him off.
Ford Explorer - I will not be caught dead in a mini van
Ford Fairmont - (See Dodge Dart)
Ford Mustang - I slow down to 85 in school zones
Ford Crown Victoria - I enjoy having people slow to 55mph an change lanes when I pull up behind them
Geo Storm - I will start the 11th grade in the fall.
Geo Tracker - I will start the 12th grade in the fall.
Honda del Sol - I have always said, half a convertible is better than no convertible at all
Honda Civic - I have just graduated and have no credit
Honda Accord - I lack any originality and am basically a lemming.
Infiniti Q45 - I am a physician with 17 malpractice suits pending.
Isuzu Impulse - I do not give a damn about J.D. Power or his reports.
Jaguar XJ6 - I am so rich I will pay 60K for a car that is in the shop 280 days per year.
Kia Sephia - I learned nothing from the failure of Daihatsu Corp.
Lincoln Town Car - I live for bingo and covered dish suppers
Mercury Grand Marquis - (See above)
Mercedes 500SL - I will beat you up if you ask me for anautograph
Mercedes 560SEL - I have a daughter named Bitsy and a son named Cole
Mazda Miata - I do not fear being decapitated by an eighteen-wheeler
MGB - I am dating a mechanic
Mitsubishi Diamante - I don't know what it means either
Nissan 300ZX - I have yet to complete my divorce proceedings.
Oldsmobile Cutlass - I just stole this car and I'm going to make a fortune off the parts
Peugeot 505 Diesel - I am on the EPA's Ten Most Wanted List
Plymouth Neon - I sincerely enjoy doing the Macarena
Pontiac Trans AM - I have a switchblade in my sock
Porsche 911 Turbo - I have a three inch thingie
Porsche 944 - I am dating big haired women that otherwise would be inaccessible to me
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow - I think Pat Buchanon is a tad bit too liberal
Saturn SC2 - (See Honda Civic)
Subaru Legacy - I have always wanted a Japanese car even more inferior than Isuzu
Tesla Model S - I am embarrassed by car farting noises, but really like going fast
Toyota Camry - I am still in the closet
Volkswagon Beetle - I still watch Partridge Family reruns
Volkswagon Cabriolet - I am out of the closet
Volkswagon Microbus - I am tripping right now
Volvo 740 Wagon - I am frightened of my wife

LOL - many of these are not far from Truth. I met my wife shortly after buying my 944 back in 1987. Still have both!

Also wonder if whoever wrote this knew that Mamie Eisenhower drove a '62 Plymouth Valiant - Plymouths version of the Dodge Dart. It, along with Ikes Chrysler, currently reside at her childhood home in Boone, Iowa.

 

[pnoble]

So, today I received in the mail likely my last freebee copy of the amazing car porn magazine: Porsche's Christophus. Issue 394. Cover story: 'Icon - Traveling with the 911 Turbo through space and time'. The cover photo is of the sensuous butt of the new Turbo S (992). Its an exquisitely printed 100 page magazine subsidized by ads for very expensive analog watches to match your elegant car.

According to the breathless story, the new Turbo S will do 0-60 in 2.6 seconds in launch mode (foot on brake, rev to 4,000 rpm, release brake.) Typically its 0.2 sec more without launch control, but Porsche does tend to understate their performance specs. Headings in the article: '10 Pistons' (on the ceramic brakes) and '21 inches meets 20' (rims)!

It got me inspired to go to the Porsche USA website (porscheusa.com) and spec one out. Unfortunately the only version you can currently price is the last generation Turbo S (991.2) which does 0-60 with launch control in 2.8 sec and has 20" rims. Base price is $191,950 though to be fair most of the non-cosmetic options are included on the Turbo S, unlike the 4S where non-cosmetic options would typically be another $30K. I just added the Burmester sound system - a bargain $3,710 more - for a total delivered price in New Jersey, my fair state, of.....drum roll please.......approx: $220,000 (with taxes and destination charge).

The new Turbo S would surely beat me on the highway, at least over 65 mph, but not by that much until you got into triple digits. And the ceramic brakes? On my M3P, I don't even use the brakes!

 

[EdRad]

I have driven a silver 911 C4S for 16 years, models: 997.1, 997.2, 991.1, 991.2 and two weeks ago I switched to a Tesla 3 Performance. I had wondered what to expect but couldn't find any posts anywhere on making the change; only YouTube 911/Tesla 3P drag race videos!

So, for anyone considering the move and for Tesla 3 Performance owners wondering if they made the right choice (they did!) or what they might be missing (not a whole lot in IMHO!), here are some initial thoughts.

Firstly my own profile since that obviously colors my perspective: I am strictly an on-road driver. I have never been on a race track. I am a pretty aggressive, disciplined, reasonably responsible driver with a Valentine 1 who never exceeds 100 mph but is often driving over 80 mph on the highway and spends a fair amount of time navigating around my fellow NJ drivers! I have been ticket-free for the past ten years or so. I love to drive. I have never used cruise control, ever.

I loved my 911s for all the obvious reasons.They are beautiful sensual cars, especially from the back, exquisitely made and far, far in excess, at least roadholding performance-wise, of anything I ever put them through. My first and second were stick-shift and there was something wonderful about the experience of moving through the exquisite gear box. When they added a seventh gear I gave up and switched to PDK which was wonderful. I never once used the paddles. I kept my 911 in sports mode, always.

I leased all four cars and persuaded myself I wasn't actually paying for all the options. Of course, I was! The sumptuous leather interior, the fantastic Burmester sound system, the PASM, the auto leveling, the four wheel steering in the last one.....everything is extra in a Porsche. Everything.

I never got the sports exhaust which, as someone who despises Harley riders assaulting my ears, I thought was totally obnoxious. And not once did I try launch control. I couldn't imagine sitting at the traffic light gunning my engine to 4,000 RPM with the other foot on the brake. And, honestly, everything about the car was probably a bit obnoxious for anyone looking at mine, especially when I passed them in the right lane at 90. Even driving at 30 mph in our no-sidewalk neighborhood, people walking their dogs would wag their finger at me because although I was not driving fast my car always sounded fast.

Anyhow, the lease was nearly up on my 991.2 and my dealer was asking when I was going to order the 992. With the options I was used to, nothing crazy but this is a 911, the list on it was close to $140K and the lease payment was going to be in the range of $2,200 a month.

And so.....with five clicks (including a double click for the deposit) I ordered and bought a Tesla 3 Performance! (Fun fact: ordering my Apple Watch took ten clicks on their web site!)

So here is my take on the car in comparison to the 911.

OK. It's not as pretty! But it certainly isn't ugly. The S design, to my eye, is one of the finest sedan designs ever. The 3 not as much so, but its just fine. Coupes are easier to design. The new Roadster should be stunning.

Any other minuses versus a $140K 911 from my POV? Of course all the interior 'craftsmanship'. The roadholding on a racetrack where I never took it. Sex appeal?

So what about the plusses compared with a 911?

Performance! OMG. No contest. At least below 110 mph (see above!)
And quiet, no noise, no drama, instantly available acceleration.

Regenerative braking: what a wonderful way to drive.

Drive quality: definitely better than my last 911 with its refined air ride, self leveling, yada-ya. Tesla - better.

Steering quality: excellent. Just right for me in sports mode. Not in any way a letdown from the 911. Road feel? A 911 is also drive by wire these days.

Practicality: space, seating, storage, etc., obviously no comparison.

Automation: amazing! Phone key, auto garage door opening, connectivity.......

Sound system: to my ear at least as good and maybe better (and without the engine noise, much better) than a Bermester which cost close to $6,000 more(!) than the Bose system which was in turn a premium over the standard sound system. You get killed with options. It's the Porsche way.

Call quality: way, way better. Ditto navigation and voice navigation.

UI/UX: OK, I'm still mourning the absence of CarPlay, but wow, what a terrific user experience on balance.

Fun to drive? Different but I love the Tesla.

And this is before the really important stuff: a total change in the driving paradigm. No fossil fuel, automatic updating of features and functionality.

And all for under $60K delivered.

If I'd waited another week to write this I don't think I'd have even bothered. It's already hard to look back. Driving a Tesla changes how you think about driving. It is so obviously the future, as of course is autonomy and eventually cars as a service.

One final thought: when I went to return my 911, the dealer had a shiny new black Taycan Turbo recharging at the entrance. Very lightly optioned it was around $170,000 before tax. Even folding mirrors ($330) would be extra as would the premium Bermester audio ($5,810). A well optioned standard Turbo would be closer to $180K. But it did have one option listed:

• Porsche Electric Sport Sound

And that to me said it all! Vroom-vroom.

How things have changed!

Thanks for a great review. Even though I've had no regrets since getting my model 3 your review just confirms I made the right choice and saved a ton of cash too.

 

[AlexanderTX]

[QUOTE="Whats better than a 200ms upshift... no shift and instant power. ... Brilliant.[/QUOTE]

Indeed, brilliant!

 

[Magellan55]

Very nice post. I've never owned a Porsche, but I was cross-shopping a base 991.2 (drove PDK and stick - both super sweet) and Lexus LC500 two years ago as daily drivers when a buddy suggested I try a Tesla before buying anything. This was before the 3's were available to test drive, and before the 3P was even announced. One test drive and I was hooked on the powertrain. Took home a P100D overnight, but it seemed too one-dimensional so I walked away with a 100D and $30K in my pocket. Have driven non-P 3's since and yes they do handle better, but I just really like the styling and dash on my S. The 3 is the much better value too.

Side note - at least where I live, most 911 drivers have whiter hair than me. Tesla drivers are mostly younger. And my daughter's friends all think it's the coolest car! I don't think they'd have any idea what a Porsche (or Maserati or Aston Martin) is, or care. The young generation is all about being green and high tech.

 

[Meccanica]

Honestly, I'm not comfortable with a larger car. It's why I never got a Panamera. Before my run of 911s I had an M5 (E39). Pre-Bangle. And everything I've read suggests that the 3 is the best handling Tesla.

We have had similar cars. I had an e39 M5 Dinan S3 (possibly my favorite ICE car ever) and a 997TT. Since we started going electric we quickly replaced all our ICE vehicles, and once we got our X no way we will go back.

It's just so much better to drive (for many of the reasons you cite). When I ride in other cars they feel broken now.

 

[wgood33]

I too have had many cars, some very fast, and am a gear head/mechanic. I always really wanted a 911, love the look, feel and performance of that awesome car. In Fall 2018 I was ready to buy a Model S and at the last visit I decided it would be dumb to not test drive the Model 3. I had driven the Model S 3 or 4 times. It took 5 min for me to decide the M3P was the best car I had ever driven. Compared to the S it was more comfortable, had better vision, a better stereo and handled better. If the M3P is not fast enough there is something wrong with you. The bonus was I realized I was satisfying my desire for a 911 with the M3P and would not need a 911.
The Tesla has ruined every other car for me. I have 50k miles on mine, it is so great!

 

[wgood33]

70+ cars....nice! I'm approaching car #50 pretty soon. My next will be 48. I love the thrill of the case of car shopping. Can't wait to get a Tesla, cant decide if I go M3 for more immediate gratification or wait it out for the Y. Either way I'm a few months off while my house is being finished and I'll have a place to charge.

Make sure you drive both the 3 and the Y before you decide! No bias here but you better check em!

 

[SeaNile]

Make sure you drive both the 3 and the Y before you decide! No bias here but you better check em!

I know the Y is for me. I need the space, rear storage capacity, etc. If I didn't know the Y was the right choice a M3 would have been purchased by now!

 

[wgood33]

First, let me introduce myself as new to EV. My wife and I had an M5,and a 996tt and now we have been shopping for a 997.1tt for a few months. An evil friend told us before we commit to any thing "drive a Model 3 Performance", the CFO loved it, I thought it was ok. Yesterday I test drove a 997.1tt and I couldn't believe how slow if felt waiting for the turbos to spool up and finally start pulling. That said we are now seriously considering a Model 3 performance over the tt even though the tt is way sexier looking.
So... My question for all of you:
What would be a draw back to a 2018 M3P at $45k vs a 2020 M3P at $64k? or a 2019 M3P at $52k?

I have feverishly been reading all am to solve this dillemma and can only come up with:

• HW 2.5 vs HW 3 - $2000 upgradable system?
• maybe missing a frunk mat and some various hooks?
• fender panel fitment issues

FSD does not interest me as I like to drive, I don't care about a few miles already on it. I just don't want a 2018 if I can only do x with it whereas a 2020 can do x,x,x,x, and x.

I am mostly interested in performance - related aspects.

Thank you f

Once or twice a month I will take my M3P above 100, there are areas I drive where it can be done. Last week I took a long sweeper at 120, very fun. I have taken it to 145. Most of my experience with high speed is on performance street motorcycles. So anyway my opinion is the M3P handles great to 110. Above that it is good but has too much air going under the car, it would need to be lowered for sure and maybe tighter springs/shocks. The OEM Tesla Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are the best tires I have ever had. I replaced them last week at 49k! That was $1300 but so what

 

[wgood33]

I know the Y is for me. I need the space, rear storage capacity, etc. If I didn't know the Y was the right choice a M3 would have been purchased by now!

Last week I parked next to a Y, weird that it was the same color here...

 

[MightyThings]

Once or twice a month I will take my M3P above 100, there are areas I drive where it can be done. Last week I took a long sweeper at 120, very fun. I have taken it to 145. Most of my experience with high speed is on performance street motorcycles. So anyway my opinion is the M3P handles great to 110. Above that it is good but has too much air going under the car, it would need to be lowered for sure and maybe tighter springs/shocks. The OEM Tesla Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are the best tires I have ever had. I replaced them last week at 49k! That was $1300 but so what

Amazed you got 49,000 miles out of a set of MPS4S!!

Michelin only warrants them to 30k. I also have them in a staggered setup on my 911 GTS. Michelin only warrants them to 15k on staggered setups, and mine are usually done after 12-15k. They start getting noisy around 8-10k.

Amazing tire though. If I get anywhere near 30k out of them on my M3P I'll be thrilled.

 

[pnoble]

Once or twice a month I will take my M3P above 100, there are areas I drive where it can be done. Last week I took a long sweeper at 120, very fun. I have taken it to 145. Most of my experience with high speed is on performance street motorcycles. So anyway my opinion is the M3P handles great to 110. Above that it is good but has too much air going under the car, it would need to be lowered for sure and maybe tighter springs/shocks. The OEM Tesla Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are the best tires I have ever had. I replaced them last week at 49k! That was $1300 but so what

Good to know, wgood33! I don’t have anywhere close where I would risk exceeding 110 unfortunately. Even with my trusty Valentine. Certainly really stable below. My last Porsche had the very same Michelin Pilot Sport summers and Pirelli SotoZero winters as the MP3, just wider. Fantastic tires, both.

 

[BR0CK]

Hello! Delightfully surprised to find you here and see your review featured on the main page. Hope you find some time to rip around on the deserted roads during this time. Track Mode V2 has a lap timer. Home -> Pharmacy so you have plausible deniability,

 

[TX_M3P+]

I have driven a silver 911 C4S for 16 years, models: 997.1, 997.2, 991.1, 991.2 and two weeks ago I switched to a Tesla 3 Performance. I had wondered what to expect but couldn't find any posts anywhere on making the change; only YouTube 911/Tesla 3P drag race videos!

So, for anyone considering the move and for Tesla 3 Performance owners wondering if they made the right choice (they did!) or what they might be missing (not a whole lot in IMHO!), here are some initial thoughts.

Firstly my own profile since that obviously colors my perspective: I am strictly an on-road driver. I have never been on a race track. I am a pretty aggressive, disciplined, reasonably responsible driver with a Valentine 1 who never exceeds 100 mph but is often driving over 80 mph on the highway and spends a fair amount of time navigating around my fellow NJ drivers! I have been ticket-free for the past ten years or so. I love to drive. I have never used cruise control, ever.

I loved my 911s for all the obvious reasons.They are beautiful sensual cars, especially from the back, exquisitely made and far, far in excess, at least roadholding performance-wise, of anything I ever put them through. My first and second were stick-shift and there was something wonderful about the experience of moving through the exquisite gear box. When they added a seventh gear I gave up and switched to PDK which was wonderful. I never once used the paddles. I kept my 911 in sports mode, always.

I leased all four cars and persuaded myself I wasn't actually paying for all the options. Of course, I was! The sumptuous leather interior, the fantastic Burmester sound system, the PASM, the auto leveling, the four wheel steering in the last one.....everything is extra in a Porsche. Everything.

I never got the sports exhaust which, as someone who despises Harley riders assaulting my ears, I thought was totally obnoxious. And not once did I try launch control. I couldn't imagine sitting at the traffic light gunning my engine to 4,000 RPM with the other foot on the brake. And, honestly, everything about the car was probably a bit obnoxious for anyone looking at mine, especially when I passed them in the right lane at 90. Even driving at 30 mph in our no-sidewalk neighborhood, people walking their dogs would wag their finger at me because although I was not driving fast my car always sounded fast.

Anyhow, the lease was nearly up on my 991.2 and my dealer was asking when I was going to order the 992. With the options I was used to, nothing crazy but this is a 911, the list on it was close to $140K and the lease payment was going to be in the range of $2,200 a month.

And so.....with five clicks (including a double click for the deposit) I ordered and bought a Tesla 3 Performance! (Fun fact: ordering my Apple Watch took ten clicks on their web site!)

So here is my take on the car in comparison to the 911.

OK. It's not as pretty! But it certainly isn't ugly. The S design, to my eye, is one of the finest sedan designs ever. The 3 not as much so, but its just fine. Coupes are easier to design. The new Roadster should be stunning.

Any other minuses versus a $140K 911 from my POV? Of course all the interior 'craftsmanship'. The roadholding on a racetrack where I never took it. Sex appeal?

So what about the plusses compared with a 911?

Performance! OMG. No contest. At least below 110 mph (see above!)
And quiet, no noise, no drama, instantly available acceleration.

Regenerative braking: what a wonderful way to drive.

Drive quality: definitely better than my last 911 with its refined air ride, self leveling, yada-ya. Tesla - better.

Steering quality: excellent. Just right for me in sports mode. Not in any way a letdown from the 911. Road feel? A 911 is also drive by wire these days.

Practicality: space, seating, storage, etc., obviously no comparison.

Automation: amazing! Phone key, auto garage door opening, connectivity.......

Sound system: to my ear at least as good and maybe better (and without the engine noise, much better) than a Bermester which cost close to $6,000 more(!) than the Bose system which was in turn a premium over the standard sound system. You get killed with options. It's the Porsche way.

Call quality: way, way better. Ditto navigation and voice navigation.

UI/UX: OK, I'm still mourning the absence of CarPlay, but wow, what a terrific user experience on balance.

Fun to drive? Different but I love the Tesla.

And this is before the really important stuff: a total change in the driving paradigm. No fossil fuel, automatic updating of features and functionality.

And all for under $60K delivered.

If I'd waited another week to write this I don't think I'd have even bothered. It's already hard to look back. Driving a Tesla changes how you think about driving. It is so obviously the future, as of course is autonomy and eventually cars as a service.

One final thought: when I went to return my 911, the dealer had a shiny new black Taycan Turbo recharging at the entrance. Very lightly optioned it was around $170,000 before tax. Even folding mirrors ($330) would be extra as would the premium Bermester audio ($5,810). A well optioned standard Turbo would be closer to $180K. But it did have one option listed:

• Porsche Electric Sport Sound

And that to me said it all! Vroom-vroom.

How things have changed!

Is it wrong on my part, that I read this entire OP thread, in my mind, with a British accent?!!? Am I wrong???

Loved this post! Love the fact that I own a Tesla Model 3 Performance even more now! Thanks for your perspective between these two majestic cars and the obvious nod that I, also, made the right decision!

 

[tommie]

BTW, I mentioned sex appeal as an attribute of the 911.

For anyone considering a 911 over a Tesla 3 Performance, just for the record, I never got noticed, let alone propositioned, let alone laid! Over 16 years. Beyond work, mostly in Manhattan, driving and parking my sexy, silver 911. And for sure I was often with my lovely wife. But even so.

I think the intangible benefits of these more exotic cars are oversold. Maybe Ferraris and Lamborghinis are different! Or maybe its the driver!

Life is beautiful as is driving my new Tesla! Maybe that's what I was missing!

Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome to this forum!

I too was a 911 owner, a new 1977 911S. The only thing I still miss about it, that I can't do in my model X, is driving down the Smith River Canyon, late at night, when the exhaust just banged off the walls and surrounded me. An other-worldly experience!

 

[MightyThings]

M3P and Porsche 911 GTS (997) owner here. They are both great cars.

The Porsche wins hands down on luxury and build quality. I would so gladly have paid another $10-20k for a more premium interior on the Model 3. I don’t find the interior on the S or X premium either. I’m sure at some point in the future this will become an option, and I get why they don’t offer it now. The material quality inside the Tesla is several notches below other luxury brands. Fortunately, the brilliantly minimalist design masks and even makes up for a lot of that.

People are always raving about the stereo in the M3P, but from a sound quality perspective, it seems on par with the mid-tier Bose system on the Porsche to me.

The Tesla doesn’t provide the sensory experience (sounds, smells) that make the Porsche magical (especially the flat 6). Nor does it have the 50+ years of heritage, nostalgia, or racing pedigree that you get with Porsche (which may be of no value to you, but has strong emotional appeal to some). Nor the enormous enthusiastic community that comes with all that. The handling on the Model 3, while great, doesn’t come anywhere near that of a dedicated sports car like the 911 that’s been incrementally improved for 50 years.

But of course, the M3P isn’t a sports car. It is an absolutely brilliant sports sedan though. Is a new 911 worth at least double? Only to a much narrower audience. The M3P is the performance bargain of a decade, at least in terms of acceleration. I absolutely love driving it. And, I’ll admit, when I took the 911 out this weekend for a long, spirited drive on a deserted (thanks Covid!) winding rode, I missed the instant torque and acceleration I’ve become accustomed to in the M3P. I might even confess it seemed a little sluggish.

But I still very much loved the sound from the high revving flat 6, the feel of the Alcantara wheel in my hands, the brilliant predictable handling, and the absolutely gorgeous styling and attention to detail that makes the 911 so much more than the sum of its parts.

I love my Model 3 too though. It has exceeded my (high expectations) in nearly every way. I don’t know if I’ll ever by a new, non-electric vehicle again. It feels like the future, in the best way.

I love them both, just like I love both my children. I am fairly certain I’ll keep both of them forever (and if I don’t, it will be only to upgrade to a newer model of the same car). For most, the Model 3 is the logical choice. But emotionally, it would be a hard choice for me. I’m very grateful that I’m fortunate enough that I don’t have to choose.