Tesla has confirmed that the Tesla Model 3 Performance facelift is coming soon and will debut as soon as 2024, as the company told carsales.com.au last week. Described by the carmaker to be something that is “pretty special”, the upcoming Tesla Model 3 Performance is said to arrive within the first half of 2024.
Just like the brand’s other performance-oriented models such as the Model Y Performance and Model S Plaid, the upcoming Model 3 Performance will sit on top of the existing Real-Wheel Drive and Long Range AWD variants that have just made their launch in Malaysia over a month ago.
Back when Tesla launched its first generation Tesla Model 3 Performance in 2017, Tesla said that it “left a few things on the table”. The company explains that this is partly due to what its CEO, Elon Musk described at the time as “production hell”, as it was trying to scale up the model’s production.
The American carmaker also suggested that the original Model 3 Performance actually had more potential in the performance department, but due to prioritising sales volume, some compromises had to be made.
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With the upcoming Tesla Model 3 Performance, however, the electric vehicle (EV) maker hopes to address and unleash the real potential of its sports sedan, with driving enthusiasts being one of its primary target audiences.
For context, the first-generation Tesla Model 3 Performance is equipped with a dual motor setup that pushes 534 hp (metric) and 660 Nm to all four wheels via an all-wheel drive (AWD) system. This allows the sports sedan to sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds. So do expect the upcoming model to pack even more punch.
Aside from packing fresher aesthetics, and more performance, Tesla is also suggesting that its upcoming Tesla Model 3 Performance will come with bigger brakes, along with significant hardware and software changes. What are those changes specifically? The American EV maker is still staying tight-lipped at the moment.
But of course, the upcoming Tesla Model 3 Performance is still going to be based on the Model 3 Highland facelift. Therefore, we can expect the car to carry the same sleeker and sportier-looking facelifted exterior.
Inside, the Model 3 Performance should also be sporting the new dashboard and steering wheel design found in the “regular” RWD and Long Range AWD variants. The new touch-based gear selector, along with the steering wheel-mounted turn signal buttons should remain in the top-of-the-range Performance variant too.
Just in case you want a performance-oriented Tesla, but can’t wait for the new Model 3 Performance to be made into reality, you may opt for Tesla’s own Model Y Performance SUV.
Yes, the Model Y Performance might not look as sporty or sleek as the new Model 3 Highland, but it does live up to its ‘Performance’ nameplate, delivering 534 hp and 660 Nm from its dual motor AWD setup, just like the first-gen Model 3 Performance. This allows the sports SUV to perform the century sprint in just 3.7 seconds.
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