Tesla Model 3 Performance vs BMW M3 - The Mic Drop

[commasign]

What’s most amusing to me is the range. I hear people say that 310 miles isn’t enough. Well, sure, here’s a “similar” BMW that has 8 miles more range. But you can’t refuel at home and you have to buy premium gas.

At $4/gallon, a full tank is almost $64 for the BMW.

At $0.26/kWh, a full “tank” is just $19 for the Tesla supercharging in California.

At $0.11/kWh, a full “tank” is just $8.25 for the Tesla charging at home. Even less in some places and way less with solar.

 

[Wooloomooloo]

What did @voip-ninja disagree with in the original post? Is something there factually incorrect?

 

[ℬête Noire]

2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance with Track Mode
Tesla Model 3 Performance review: a BMW M3/C63 rival?

(among many others...)

I don't see any track there. Just a talking head and a few 0-60 launches. The P might very well end up kicking ass on the track, or at least hanging with those on the track. I'm looking forward to seeing how that shakes out.

But that talking head video doesn't address that question in any meaningful way.

 

[CarlK]

I see the comparison, but I don’t see “a mic drop”. Seriously, the real comparison will happen on a track.

99+% of BMW buyers never go to the track. 99.99+% of all car buyers never to go the track either. A lot of people do care what they could do when seeing another fast car next to them at the pole position if front of the stop light, our when needing to fight for the ramp position with another one, though.

 

[voip-ninja]

What did @voip-ninja disagree with in the original post? Is something there factually incorrect?

Your "mic drop" is factually incorrect as long as an M3 is more fun and capable for driving around a race track, which it is. While that's not important to me it is to many who buy BMW M products.

Building a self-high-fiving spreadsheet to validate your own choices and cherry picking the stats you think are important and demonstrate P3D+ superiority is just masturbatory.

 

[commasign]

I don't see any track there. Just a talking head and a few 0-60 launches. The P might very well end up kicking ass on the track, or at least hanging with those on the track. I'm looking forward to seeing how that shakes out.

But that talking head video doesn't address that question in any meaningful way.

Here's a track...

Tesla reclaims Laguna Seca record with a Model 3 Performance driven by an amateur

Probably within 5 or so seconds of the best stock BMW M3 times. Will be interesting to see what happens once they enable track mode with customizations.

 

[commasign]

Building a self-high-fiving spreadsheet to validate your own choices and cherry picking the stats you think are important and demonstrate P3D+ superiority is just masturbatory.

See latest sheet above. Definitely not cherry picking as all specs and options are listed (could add things like headroom, storage space, etc., but the outcome would be the same). There are some areas the BMW is still "better". But on the whole (performance, efficiency, safety, included options, cost of ownership, warranty, value, etc.,), I don't see how anyone can ignore what Tesla has done here. The fact that we can even mention Tesla in the same sentence as BMW M3 should be (another) wake up call to the whole industry.

 

[Wooloomooloo]

Your "mic drop" is factually incorrect as long as an M3 is more fun and capable for driving around a race track, which it is. While that's not important to me it is to many who buy BMW M products.

Building a self-high-fiving spreadsheet to validate your own choices and cherry picking the stats you think are important and demonstrate P3D+ superiority is just masturbatory.

It wasn't "my" mic drop, I'm not the OP - but I'm sure that particular comment wasn't supposed to be factual. As Charles McCabe famously said, "Any clod can have the facts, but having an opinion is an art".

I'm just curious about the dipshittery of people down-voting posts without saying why, especially when it's just a list of specs.

 

[Eno Deb]

See latest sheet above. Definitely not cherry picking as all specs and options are listed (could add things like headroom, storage space, etc., but the outcome would be the same). There are some areas the BMW is still "better". But on the whole (performance, efficiency, safety, included options, cost of ownership, warranty, value, etc.,),

Nobody buys an M3 for specs such as range, efficiency or warranty. I have a feeling many of these kinds of posts are written by people who have never driven a car of the caliber of the M3. Say what you want about the specs, it's just an enormously fun car to drive. A few days ago I test drove a friend's new Audi RS3, and I have to say my Model 3 felt kind of boring after that. While the Tesla is a far more practical and efficient daily driver, I think at some point I'll probably get another nice ICE car for weekend fun. It'll be loud, small and fast.

 

[Wooloomooloo]

If nothing else, I've learned than BMW drivers are pretty touchy... I thought Porsche drivers were bad enough

Nobody buys an M3 for specs such as range, efficiency or warranty. I have a feeling many of these kinds of posts are written by people who have never driven a car of the caliber of the M3. Say what you want about the specs, it's just an enormously fun car to drive. A few days ago I test drove a friend's new Audi RS3, and I have to say my Model 3 felt kind of boring after that. While the Tesla is a far more practical and efficient daily driver, I think at some point I'll probably get another nice ICE car for weekend fun.

No offense to your friend, but Audi's really aren't that exciting to drive either. If you want a fun weekend car, get a used Cayman, or a Miata or an old Jag or Corvette, hell even a Mustang. If you're going to get an ICE car to tear up your weekend, something as refined as an Audi seems like a waste.

 

[Vines]

Nobody buys an M3 for specs such as range, efficiency or warranty. I have a feeling many of these kinds of posts are written by people who have never driven a car of the caliber of the M3. Say what you want about the specs, it's just an enormously fun car to drive. A few days ago I test drove a friend's new Audi RS3, and I have to say my Model 3 felt kind of boring after that. While the Tesla is a far more practical and efficient daily driver, I think at some point I'll probably get another nice ICE car for weekend fun. It'll be loud, inefficient and fast.

What did you miss in the TM3, that you found in the Audi? I think the P3D is an incredibly good balance between driving appliance and driving orgasm, but admittedly its a bit softter in suspension for real track usage. I too could see a dedicated weekend car, but I am not sure I'd have more fun in one.

 

[davedavedave]

[QUOTE="voip-ninja, post: 3166256, member: 9361"....cherry picking the stats you think are important and demonstrate P3D+ superiority is just masturbatory.[/QUOTE]

Harsh, dude!

 

[commasign]

I have a feeling many of these kinds of posts are written by people who have never driven a car of the caliber of the M3.

Forum posts yes, but don't forget the major car magazines are also writing the same things and asking the same questions. Just google BMW M3 vs Tesla Model 3 Performance and you'll see plenty of people who have plenty of experience with cars like the BMW M3.

 

[ℬête Noire]

If nothing else, I've learned than BMW drivers are pretty touchy... I thought Porsche drivers were bad enough

Look, either you care about defending the size of your peen or you don't.

 

[voip-ninja]

It wasn't "my" mic drop, I'm not the OP - but I'm sure that particular comment wasn't supposed to be factual. As Charles McCabe famously said, "Any clod can have the facts, but having an opinion is an art".

I'm just curious about the dipshittery of people down-voting posts without saying why, especially when it's just a list of specs.

Ah, dipshittery. Well, when you get the power to control when people can downvote posts then get back to me.

Here are some specs where the BMW wins;

1. Can drive 1,000 miles anywhere in the USA with no concern about where to fuel up.
2. Can drive more than 10 laps on a track day without having to go charge, having the car go into limp mode, etc.
3. Not being mistaken for the other 1M F30 based BMW 3 series cars on the road. You get a LOT for your money with an M3 beyond a faster 0-60 and 1/4 mile time compared to a regular BMW 3 series. You get completely different wheels, carbon fiber brakes, completely different and very noticeable exterior and interior style differences including a very cool aerodynamic body kit, unique LED headlights and brake lights, choice of something like 14 interior colors, unique exterior colors that are very cool and not available on regular 3 series cars.... as well as fit and finish that is miles beyond what Tesla is cranking out of the Fremont plant.
4. Performance improvements drivers care about... like a DCT that can be driven as a manual at the track or an automatic on the street.... or magnetic dynamic suspension options and chassis tuning that Tesla engineers can only dream about and drool about.

There's a lot more to comparing these cars beyond the specs and the M3 is a phenomenal car and pretty much the pinnacle of what exists in the world of internal combustion cars that sell at prices normal humans can afford.

In 30 years collectors will still admire circa 2018 BMW M3 with all the goodies, where-as the Model 3 will be viewed like a Camry.

Having said all of that, I would still choose the P3D+ over the M3 based on the kind of driving I do and the fact that I'm not an ostentatious person who needs to flaunt my car choice as a status symbol.

 

[Leed31]

I've been a BMW owner since 2007. Started with the 335i (when they first came out), then a E92 M3, then a 1M and now currently a F80 M3. The Tesla Model 3 specs along with the fact that it is an EV, was more than enough for me to get out of my M3 and into the Model 3; despite never driven one before. I know to spend such a huge amount of money on something that I haven't had experience with is silly. But I am also super excited to get into an EV; especially a P3D+. That said, I will miss the M3; maybe I will get back into one, one day. But for now, I'm converted =)

 

[Eno Deb]

Forum posts yes, but don't forget the major car magazines are also writing the same things and asking the same questions. Just google BMW M3 vs Tesla Model 3 Performance and you'll see plenty of people who have plenty of experience with cars like the BMW M3.

Sorry, you can't possibly understand the appeal of a car like the M3 by googling.

 

[commasign]

1. Can drive 1,000 miles anywhere in the USA with no concern about where to fuel up.
2. Can drive more than 10 laps on a track day without having to go charge, having the car go into limp mode, etc.
3. Not being mistaken for the other 1M F30 based BMW 3 series cars on the road. You get a LOT for your money with an M3 beyond a faster 0-60 and 1/4 mile time compared to a regular BMW 3 series. You get completely different wheels, carbon fiber brakes, completely different and very noticeable exterior and interior style differences including a very cool aerodynamic body kit, unique LED headlights and brake lights, choice of something like 14 interior colors, unique exterior colors that are very cool and not available on regular 3 series cars.... as well as fit and finish that is miles beyond what Tesla is cranking out of the Fremont plant.

Yes, but TeslAtari.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Here's a track...

Tesla reclaims Laguna Seca record with a Model 3 Performance driven by an amateur

Probably within 5 or so seconds of the best stock BMW M3 times. Will be interesting to see what happens once they enable track mode with customizations.

5 sec differential on a sub-2 min track is a lot (yes, I know "amateur driver"). I do look forward to Tesla pushing a finished Track Mode out, someone with the skills and track knowledge that Prost has of Laguna, for example, getting behind the wheel and really digging into what it's capable of to get a better apples to apples. But so far to this point it's been "Model 3 behind but with lots of promise" by any objective measure.

P.S. I mean that last sentence with the M3. The I-Pace is very clearly owned here if you'd ever want to make that comparison. There was a very good reason for Jag to get Randy Prost in the I-Pace there, there are precious few that could mine out any more on Laguna than he did.

 

[Rockster]

You can kind of see Tesla went after BMW drivers. The Model 3 and M3 have scary close specs, price, and performance. Heck their names are even similar lol.

Even the physical dimensions are really close (measurements in inches):