After months of waiting, the Tesla Model 3 Performance has finally been revealed and the company promises to deliver their most driver-focused experience yet. This is the top-spec variant of the newly upgraded Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle which boasts better performance with quicker acceleration and it also gets adaptive suspension. The good news is that Malaysian consumers can place their orders now and they could get their Tesla Model 3 Performance as early as next quarter.
Tesla Model 3 variants and pricing
The all-wheel drive Performance Model is the third variant option for the new Tesla Model 3 in Malaysia. Here’s the official starting price for each variant before the additional required registration and admin fees, and options:
- Tesla Model 3 RWD – RM189,000
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD – RM218,000
- Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD – RM242,000
As usual, Tesla will charge you for anything extra such as different exterior colours, interior colours and enhanced auto-pilot features. The base white colour paint is free but you’ll have to pay RM5,000 to switch to Black or Blue, RM7,500 for Stealth Grey and RM11,000 for Ultra Red. By default, it gets 20″ Warp Wheels included and if you want to upgrade your seats and interior trims to white, it will cost you an additional RM5,000.
As usual, the Enhanced Autopilot which unlocks extra features such as navigate on autopilot and auto lane change costs RM16,000, while the Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability option costs RM32,000. Do note that the majority of the advanced autopilot features currently don’t work in Malaysia.
As usual, Tesla requires buyers to place a non-refundable RM1,000 order fee to secure their unit. In total, the Tesla Model 3 Performance without extra options will cost you RM243,700. If you pick the Ultra Red Paint, white interior and FSD options, it will cost you a total of RM291,700. These figures exclude other on-the-road registration fees. If you place your order now, the estimated delivery is Q2 2024 which is somewhere between April to June this year.
Unlike traditional car brands, there’s no dealer network. If you’re interested in the Model 3 Performance, you’ll have to place your orders directly on Tesla Malaysia’s website.
What’s new with the Tesla Model 3 Performance?
Similar to the Tesla Model Y Performance, the Tesla Model 3 Performance is the most powerful version in the lineup. It can get from 0-100km/h quicker in 3.1 seconds (Model 3 LR AWD: 4.4 seconds) but Tesla has left a fine print nothing this figure is with rollout subtracted. As you would expect from higher performance, this top-of-the-line variant has a shorter WLTP-rated range of 528km (Model 3 LR AWD: 629km). The top speed is also higher as well with the Performance model maxing out at 262km/h versus 201km/h for the Model 3 RWD and LR AWD variants.
It is also worth pointing out that the Model 3 Performance figures published in Malaysia are different from the US. On the Malaysian website, Tesla quoted 460hp of peak power but in the US, they indicated a much higher 510hp with 741Nm of torque and a 0-60mph time of 2.9 seconds. Interestingly, the Model 3 Performance’s range in the US is much shorter at 296 miles (about 476km) but do note that’s an EPA-estimated figure.
If we compare this to its direct Chinese rival, the BYD Seal Performance has a higher power output of 523hp and 670Nm of torque. However, Tesla claims that the Model 3 Performance is quicker (Seal Performance: 3.8 seconds) and offers slightly more range on a full charge (Seal Performance: 520km). Of course, the BYD has a price advantage as the Seal Performance is priced much lower at only RM199,800.
The new Model 3 Performance features a new performance 4th gen drive unit which offers 22% more continuous power, 32% improved peak power and 16% higher peak torque compared to the previous Model 3 Performance model, while improving on energy consumption. To standard out from the regular Model 3, it rides on 20″ forged and staggered wheels with Pirelli P Zero 4 tyres for better rolling resistance and increased range.
The bumper and diffuser combinations have been tweaked for the Performance model and they also included a carbon fibre trunk lid spoiler which supposedly helps in reducing lift at high speeds. Overall, Tesla says the new aerodynamic changes have resulted in 5% reduced drag, 36% lift reduction and 55% improvement in front-to-rear lift balance compared to the previous Model 3 Performance model.
Of course, being a Performance model, this EV gets Track Mode V3 which integrates motor controls, suspension controls, powertrain cooling, and Tesla’s Vehicle Dynamics Controller (VDC) under a single, unified system. This allows you to set up your EV according to your preference for track days.
The Performance model also gets a new adaptive damping system which Tesla claims adjusts to driver and road inputs in real time to optimise the ride and handling, as well as improve ride comfort. On the interior, you also get new sports seats which offer power adjustments as well as ventilation and heating functions. Tesla has also added some carbon fibre details on the dash so that you’ll know that you’re not sitting in a regular Model 3.
Similar to the Tesla Model 3 LR AWD, it supports 250kW DC fast charging which can top up to 282km of range in just 15 minutes with a Tesla Supercharger. If you’re not in a hurry, it also supports AC charging up to 11kW. The Model 3 Performance is covered by a 4-year or 80,000km warranty, while the battery and drive unit comes with a longer 8-year or 192,000km warranty.
If range is your main priority, the Tesla Model 3 LR AWD offers 629km of range which is still very impressive for its asking price. Would you fork out RM24,000 more for better performance and sacrifice 101km of range? Let us know in the comments below.
