The All-New Tesla Model 3 Performance – A Faster, Sleeker, But Is It The Masterpiece We’ve Been Waiting For?

I always thought that the Tesla Model 3 Performance was a little, well, unfinished. It had the punch, it had the potential to be a real bruiser and yet - it was missing something. Tesla, it seems, finally listened…well, sort of. They've unleashed their latest Model 3 Performance, and oh boy, does it deliver more…is it finally enough? 

Power-hungry? This bad boy boasts 510 horsepower (380 kW) thanks to its all-new drive units. That's more kick than the last model by a healthy margin. Tesla says you'll hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in a neck-snapping 2.9 seconds. You'd better have a good chiropractor on speed dial. Top speed? A hair-raising 163 mph (262 km/h). Not that you'll ever hit that on public roads, but hey, good for bragging rights, I guess.

The handling is finally getting its much-needed boost. A much stiffer chassis, fancy new adaptive dampers, and staggered 20” wheel setup with sticky rubber promise a more sports car-like experience. It even sports upgraded brakes for those rare hair-rising moments. Finally, it might live up to its "Performance" moniker.

Visually, at least they tried. The front and rear got a makeover, complete with a fancy diffuser. It's a little more distinguished than your average Model 3, at least. The more I look at it, the more I like it. It’s not your Audi RS6 with winglets galore, and air intakes big enough to swallow an unsuspecting child that dared to cross the road right in front of it. This is a subtle machine, a real-life sleeper that will undoubtedly surprise many supercar owners. 

Inside, we've got carbon fiber bits and pieces, plus – finally – ventilated seats! I know, right? It only took about five years. But they aren’t just ventilated - they actually look like they may hold the driver in place. This was one of the biggest issues with the current Performance Model 3 - there was no way to extract its performance without being thrown around as if inside of a tumble dryer. Going fast around twisty bits meant either constantly smacking your head on the window or landing on your passenger’s lap.

Now, the battery… that's an enigma. Rumor has it, it's the same one as before, but somehow the range is down from a decent 315 miles (507 km) to only 296 miles (476 km). Did they hire some software engineers from Twitter or something? That’s most likely due to the staggered wheel setup with the rear rubbers being much wider than before.

This is where it gets… interesting. The base price is $54,630. Not awful, I suppose. But remember that tax credit of $7,500? That'll bring your outlay down to a more palatable $47,130. Considering what you actually are getting, it actually is more than palatable - I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a steal, but the new Performance Model 3 looks like a decent value electric rocket.

But is it really worth it, though? The power bump is impressive, but for daily driving, the old Performance is pretty darn quick already. The tweaks are nice, but is it revolutionary? On one hand - yeah, the list of upgrades is lengthy but if you are on a tight budget, this may be a good time to snag a good deal on the previous version - if you can find one, that is.

On top of that, let's not forget the Tesla quirks. That spartan interior isn't going to win converts. And you know their fit and finish can be as consistent as my gym routine. Jumping into any Tesla from your regular car is an experience, and many people feel there are tons of things missing. It takes a while to get used to it, but once you do - every other car’s interior just looks crowded. It’s an experience for sure.

So, the new Tesla Model 3 Performance is a faster, spiffier take on the formula. It's closer to the car it should've been from the start. Is it a must-have upgrade for a current owner? Nope. If you're in the market for an electric sports sedan though? Well, it's certainly got the punch to make it worthy of a test drive.

Just don't expect the revolution that Tesla loves to promise. For that, we might need to wait and see what the competition brings to the table. But we are getting much, much closer.