While it may not look like the most visually aggressive car out there, the Tesla Model 3 can be devastatingly quick, as long as you go for the dual motor Performance variant.
It features a combined output of 456 PS (450 HP / 335 kW) and according to Tesla, it can accelerate from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds. It can also travel up to 498 km (310 miles) on a single charge, and while that’s extremely important, this test was all about straight line speed.
As it turns out, the dual-motor Model 3 is even quicker than advertised, as the guys from Model 3 Owners Club managed to get the car from naught to 60 in just 3.17 seconds, and that’s before they fitted a lighter set of wheels, taking off roughly 9 lbs (4 kg) per corner.
The end result was a sprint time of 3.12 seconds, which is 911 GT3 RS territory…in a barely mid-size family car. Other cars that will hit 60 mph in roughly 3 seconds flat are the Ferrari 488 GTB, the F12tdf, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante and even the Audi R8 V10 Plus, on a good day.
Can the Tesla actually put its “money” where its mouth is though? As it turns out, it really can. We saw one last month taking on a BMW M3 Competition Package at the drag strip. The Model 3 Performance consistently beat the BMW, despite its weight disadvantage.
All wheel drive and instantaneous torque delivery go a long way in helping you win those types of battles.