New Model 3 Performance released

I occasionally get to drive El Jefe's SL65. It's quite a package.

It hard to believe a 55K car can run with this thing anywhere, but it's true- especially out of the box.

Liquid fuel can be very convenient, but having to get gas at all most often has a lot to do with how much you start with when you leave the house.

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UncleDave said:
I occasionally get to drive El Jefe's SL65. It's quite a package.

It hard to believe a 55K car can run with this thing anywhere, but it's true- especially out of the box.

Liquid fuel can be very convenient, but having to get gas at all most often has a lot to do with how much you start with when you leave the house.

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This morning, I’m leaving the house with this. Good enough for my 3 mile commute :)

Reason it’s not full is I took a long highway drive the day before yesterday and only have sloooow level1 charging at home.

If I had a proper charger at home it would be full every morning which would be ideal.

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UncleDave said:
I occasionally get to drive El Jefe's SL65. It's quite a package.

It hard to believe a 55K car can run with this thing anywhere, but it's true- especially out of the box.

Liquid fuel can be very convenient, but having to get gas at all most often has a lot to do with how much you start with when you leave the house.

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Click to expand...
To beat the new M3P 0-60 times for under $100K, you need a Plaid, right? I think the top Lucid Air maybe, but that's probably more...
I am not sure what else but there are probably not many cars out there even double or triple the price.

I will never do a 0-60 run, nor a qtr mile run, maybe hit 100 mph once in a great while. But I will merge and pass the road boulders all the time. And not burn 4 to 6 mpg doing so. 500 to 600 HP burns a lot of pricey CA wannbe premium...
 
JeffKeryk said:
To beat the new M3P 0-60 times for under $100K, you need a Plaid, right? I think the top Lucid Air maybe, but that's probably more...
I am not sure what else but there are probably not many cars out there even double or triple the price.

I will never do a 0-60 run, nor a qtr mile run, maybe hit 100 mph once in a great while. But I will merge and pass the road boulders all the time. And not burn 4 to 6 mpg doing so. 500 to 600 HP burns a lot of pricey CA wannbe premium...
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Not sure what it takes to buy, own and maintain a sub 3 second 0-60 ice car these days?

With extremely low cost (I hate to use the word free, but in very few case it might be true) juice available to you, other than eliminating tires, there isn't much downside to working the pedal.

Its fairly amusing how most guys talking about how awesome liquid fuel is have fairly pedestrian boring vehicles. When you start talking about electric performance, you get 200K car comparisons (no regards to price) , or prius cost of driving comparisons (no regards to fun).
 
UncleDave said:
Not sure what it takes to buy, own and maintain a sub 3 second 0-60 ice car these days?

With extremely low cost (I hate to use the word free, but in very few case it might be true) juice available to you, other than eliminating tires, there isn't much downside to working the pedal.

Its fairly amusing how most guys talking about how awesome liquid fuel is have fairly pedestrian boring vehicles. When you start talking about electric performance, you get 200K car comparisons (no regards to price) , or prius cost of driving comparisons (no regards to fun).
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Forget the cost, the issue time is it’s just not practical.

Even my 300/300 135i, that does what, 5s 0-60 is too fast for practical use.

Stuff like this is cool on paper, and the performance parts look neat, but its usefulness is severely limited.
 
JHZR2 said:
Forget the cost, the issue time is it’s just not practical.

Even my 300/300 135i, that does what, 5s 0-60 is too fast for practical use.

Stuff like this is cool on paper, and the performance parts look neat, but its usefulness is severely limited.
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If you live anywhere near a city it probably isnt practical to exercise much. I avoid speeding in cities and "stoplight" warfare.

I'm in rural mountain foothill areas with long empty straights, curves, and tons of long uphills that eat HP.

We go out in fast cars and motorcycles as groups fairly frequently and when its safe to do so, and we're isolated enough that we'll only hurt ourselves if we run out of talent - we push them.

I'd probably end up babying it to see how cheap I could get it to run 90% of the time.
 
UncleDave said:
If you live anywhere near a city it probably isnt practical to exercise much. I avoid speeding in cities and "stoplight" warfare.

I'm in rural mountain foothill areas with long empty straights, curves, and tons of long uphills that eat HP.

We go out in fast cars and motorcycles as groups fairly frequently and when its safe to do so, and we're isolated enough that we'll only hurt ourselves if we run out of talent - we push them.

I'd probably end up babying it to see how cheap I could get it to run 90% of the time.
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Mountains or flat lands don’t much care. You get to illegal speeds way quick. And then what?

I do a lot of driving off hours. Empty roads, hills, flats. It’s easy to do 100 without thinking twice if one isn’t careful.

A mountain needs to be pretty darn steep to eat enough hp to fail to achieve illegal and dangerous speeds in modern overpowered vehicles.

Does it mean excess power is a bad thing? No.

It’s simply the point that it’s too easy to achieve well past illegal conditions on what is not really even a fast car by todays standards (my 135 in this case, which I learned to drive to the limits at the BMW performance center), and that 300/300 rating that it has is peanuts compared to a lot of newer and faster vehicles…
 
JHZR2 said:
Mountains or flat lands don’t much care. You get to illegal speeds way quick. And then what?

I do a lot of driving off hours. Empty roads, hills, flats. It’s easy to do 100 without thinking twice if one isn’t careful.

A mountain needs to be pretty darn steep to eat enough hp to fail to achieve illegal and dangerous speeds in modern overpowered vehicles.

Does it mean excess power is a bad thing? No.

It’s simply the point that it’s too easy to achieve well past illegal conditions on what is not really even a fast car by todays standards (my 135 in this case, which I learned to drive to the limits at the BMW performance center), and that 300/300 rating that it has is peanuts compared to a lot of newer and faster vehicles…
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For sure you can get to illegal speeds really quick even in a moderately fast car.
I'd bet fewer than 1% of the population has been in an 11 second vehicle. This is street bike quickness.

I burst up and come down quick all the time - especially driving to vegas on the east side of the sierras where Im on a 2 lane blacktop with limited passing and lots of trucks in a row to pass. I'll put my foot down till I get past the last truck and slow down the second I pull back in the lane. You may do that 10-30 times each way. II may be at 120 as I turn back onto the lane, and then right back down to 80.

DO I need that - no way I could get by with a lot less. But HP is always fun and 500 is pretty manageable in a car that size.
I had about 500/500 in my chevelle and that had way worse handling than these things.
 
JHZR2 said:
Forget the cost, the issue time is it’s just not practical.

Even my 300/300 135i, that does what, 5s 0-60 is too fast for practical use.

Stuff like this is cool on paper, and the performance parts look neat, but its usefulness is severely limited.
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Ah, but consider, you have a BMW and not a Crown Vic. "Practical" and "Impractical" are not divided for all, by the line of any one person's random musing.
 
Ws6 said:
Ah, but consider, you have a BMW and not a Crown Vic. "Practical" and "Impractical" are not divided for all, by the line of any one person's random musing.
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The make and model is practically irrelevant.

Reality is that the massive speeds achieved almost instantly are illegal, and challenging to control… Let alone the potential of being “held up” by slower vehicles, road conditions, or just plain “the law”. Oh, and then you beat on the thing too much and it starts to degrade.

Nothing more, nothing less. I own 13 vehicles at the moment, having a BMW or a Tesla, or an old 72hp diesel is irrelevant.
 
All good points. I don't need the M3P, nor do I need a 66 GTO, Porsche, you name it.
The 2024 Model 3 Performance Version is expected to complete the quarter-mile in under 11 seconds due to its new rear motor that is optimized for higher speeds.
Truth be told, I am a bit concerned about the danger of a 4,000 lb vehicle accelerating at such speed. F = ma.

I expect to pull the trigger soon, after I figure out which cars have to go. I told wifey if we don't cut loose 2 cars she has to buy me another house. Anybody looking for a clean little RX450h F Sport?
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SammyChevelleTypeS3 said:
I saw the photos of the chasis set up under the car and it looks amazing. I am sure that thing rides like a dream. How do you rate the ride , brakes and steering of your other T car?
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Our Model 3 is an early car. The ride is stiff and you run the tires at 42 psi. The refreshed Model 3 Highland has better seats and softer suspension, including tires. I would describe the car as "less visceral" as I am used to the 1st design. I think most owners will prefer the newer car for daily use.

Braking is one of the best parts of these cars, IMO. You moderate speed with the accelerator pedal with regenerative braking. Around town it is awesome. I know others feel differently; you may too. I don't use the brake pedal much. Now there are braking issues if you run the car hard, with repeated hard stops on the higher power cars. There's a growing aftermarket that addresses Tesla short comings for those in need.
Unplugged Performance is one of the leaders.

The M3P Sport Seats are another step up, on another level. They almost sell the car.
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JeffKeryk said:
Our Model 3 is an early car. The ride is stiff and you run the tires at 42 psi. The refreshed Model 3 Highland has better seats and softer suspension, including tires. I would describe the car as "less visceral" as I am used to the 1st design. I think most owners will prefer the newer car for daily use.

Braking is one of the best parts of these cars, IMO. You moderate speed with the accelerator pedal with regenerative braking. Around town it is awesome. I know others feel differently; you may too. I don't use the brake pedal much. Now there are braking issues if you run the car hard, with repeated hard stops on the higher power cars. There's a growing aftermarket that addresses Tesla short comings for those in need.
Unplugged Performance is one of the leaders.
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I really should have drove the Highland when I was at the service center looking at the Cybertruck, but we already had plans that day and had the family with me. I want to see what the new suspension is like because I do find our 2023 to be a bit too stiff even when I run lower tire pressures. I don't think much has changed in the suspension on the Model 3 until the Highland as I saw exactly what everyone has said about the Model 3's ride quality. I'm used to a stiffer suspension set up and at times I still find it harsh.
 
JeffKeryk said:
Our Model 3 is an early car. The ride is stiff and you run the tires at 42 psi. The refreshed Model 3 Highland has better seats and softer suspension, including tires. I would describe the car as "less visceral" as I am used to the 1st design. I think most owners will prefer the newer car for daily use.

Braking is one of the best parts of these cars, IMO. You moderate speed with the accelerator pedal with regenerative braking. Around town it is awesome. I know others feel differently; you may too. I don't use the brake pedal much. Now there are braking issues if you run the car hard, with repeated hard stops on the higher power cars. There's a growing aftermarket that addresses Tesla short comings for those in need.
Unplugged Performance is one of the leaders.

The M3P Sport Seats are another step up, on another level. They almost sell the car.
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I am one too that does not drive "with my brakes" like some folks (wife a big one). I operate to where I need the brakes not so often.
I do not ride them and I plan ahead. Greatest argument the wife and I have is when I keep telling her "please do not tailgate?" and another one is "please do not stay behind all the large vehicles that you can not see around to avoid having to jump/slam on the brakes." It is not good for your car. Of course jack rabbit take offs that give near whiplash dont help either.
OMG. Here I go again. She is hard on cars. I said this many times I know but I need a car for her made out of "nerf" material. Sorry those who dont have me ignored YET for another instant replay by a mostly shut in grouch.
 
JHZR2 said:
The make and model is practically irrelevant.

Reality is that the massive speeds achieved almost instantly are illegal, and challenging to control… Let alone the potential of being “held up” by slower vehicles, road conditions, or just plain “the law”. Oh, and then you beat on the thing too much and it starts to degrade.

Nothing more, nothing less. I own 13 vehicles at the moment, having a BMW or a Tesla, or an old 72hp diesel is irrelevant.
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Its not hard to control at all. My 240whp foxbody was more of a handfull.
 
Ws6 said:
Its not hard to control at all. My 240whp foxbody was more of a handfull.
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I was going to talk a little about this as well.

I would agree with you that it's not hard to control at all, and this is both a good and bad trait.

It used to be you had to work your way up to a 500HP car in increments because they were too expensive to go out and buy as a young person, and they were much harder to drive -clutching, shifting, rev matching, tires breaking loose, sliding, cooking brakes, dissolving tires out of turns.

You had to earn your way to this level of power through skill, money and seat time.

These EV's are so easy to drive they remove the need for the base skills you used to have to previously build up/ earn over time that taught you how to handle your self in a hot corner or in a slide, or entering/ exiting a turn.

At 50K this level of performance is basically available to everyone like a 1000cc bike, but just because you can afford it, doesn't mean you should have it.

An unskilled driver with a 500HP car is recipe for disaster.
 
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My kid traded his BRZ about a year ago for a 3 Performance. It's just plain stupid fast. There I said it. I've got a long history of motorcycle ownership too.

He bought it soon after Tesla dropped the price a bunch, plus he got $7500 and (several thousand) additional back in government kickbacks. Honestly, not a bad investment. The only issue he's facing is raising energy costs here in California. He told me that a charge cost him $30 these days. He commonly plugs in when he goes to his local gym to work out. Something wrong here...
 
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