Tesla has not yet released the Model 3 to the European market, but the electric car maker has opted to showcase the Model 3 in this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England nonetheless. With the Model 3 making an appearance at Goodwood, Europe-based Tesla fans attending the event were able get some hands-on experience with the vehicle.
One of Teslarati‘s readers, Dean Scott, was able to win two tickets from Tesla to the motoring event. As could be seen in photos that Dean has provided, the Model 3, as well as Tesla’s other vehicles, the Model S & X, fits right in with the Festival of Speed’s lineup of impressive exhibitions. Tesla also opted to feature a red Long Range RWD Model 3 as the centerpiece of its display booth.
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
Tesla has brought the Model 3 to Europe as part of its display in the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
As could be seen the the images from the event, Tesla’s booth has attracted a considerable number of the event’s attendees. According to Dean, Tesla’s booth at Goodwood this year offers free snacks and drinks to Model 3 reservation holders. Due to the long queue of individuals who wish to check out the vehicle, however, there is a ~45-minute wait for attendees before they can get inside and get a hands-on experience with the Model 3.
Tesla has a pretty considerable presence in Europe, with countries such as Norway adopting electric vehicles en masse. Tesla’s link to Europe is established by its present and future facilities in the region, such as its Tilburg assembly plant and the upcoming Gigafactory 4, which is likely to be constructed in Germany. Despite this, however, Tesla has so far been unable to bring the Model 3 to Europe, with the vehicle’s appearance on this year’s Festival of Speed marking the first time the car is officially brought to the region.
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- Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- Tesla’s booth at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
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- The Model 3 showcased at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
Tesla’s booth, particularly the Model 3, is proving to be popular among attendees of the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. [Credit: Dean Scott]
Considering the reputation and draw of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Tesla’s decision to showcase the Model 3 at the event is quite strategic. Goodwood, after all, draws as many as 150,000 attendees every year, with auto enthusiasts celebrating motorsports in an extensive, three-day event. Tesla has made appearances at the Festival of Speed in the past. Back in 2016 alone, Tesla participated in Goodwood’s traditional hill climb event with the Tesla Model X P90D, the luxury SUV’s top-tier variant at the time.
Over the years, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has featured an increasing number of electric cars. Rimac, for one, has participated in the past with its Concept_One all-electric supercar. Part of the reason behind the event’s support for electric cars is its founder, Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond, is a huge supporter of motorsports and advanced vehicle technologies. This year alone, the Duke even invited Roborace, the creators of the autonomous AI-powered Robocar race vehicle, to participate in Goodwood’s traditional 1.16-mile hill climb run.
Based on the attention being attracted by the Model 3, however, it seems like Tesla’s compact electric car made a very strong impression among auto enthusiasts on the first day of the 2018 Festival of Speed.
Tesla has updated its Robotaxi app so riders can pick which vehicle they want before they book. The latest in-app screens now show two options side by side: the two-seat Cybercab and the four-seat Model Y.
A screenshot circulating Thursday shows the change in practice. In Austin, a rider could choose a gold Cybercab for two people or a Model Y for four. Tesla’s updated description calls Cybercab “our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle,” designed for safety, accessibility, and comfort, and says the lineup is available only through the Robotaxi app.
Tesla has updated their Robotaxi page in the App Store. You’ll be able to select if you want a Cybercab or Model Y Robotaxi.
“Our Robotaxi vehicle lineup now includes Cybercab, our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle. Designed for safety, accessibility and comfort, Cybercab… pic.twitter.com/Jff4klilDr
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
The distinction is more than cosmetic, and it’s important to note that Robotaxi refers to the platform, while Cybercab refers to a vehicle.
Model Y Robotaxis have carried the service since it opened in Austin in mid-2025 and later expanded to Dallas, Houston, and parts of Florida. Those vehicles are converted production SUVs that still have steering wheels and pedals.
Cybercab is different. It has no driver controls, butterfly doors, a low seat height meant to work with wheelchairs, extra trunk space for assistive devices, and braille on the handles. Tesla has registered dozens of the two-seaters with Texas regulators in the days leading up to its September 3 Austin event.
Giving riders a choice lets Tesla match the vehicle to the trip. Most rides involve one or two people, which is where Cybercab is meant to be cheaper and more efficient to operate. Groups of three or four, or anyone who needs more space, can still request a Model Y.
The same app handles booking, payment, cabin settings, and, on Cybercab, features such as phone-based door opening and in-cabin voice controls.
The update does not mean every city suddenly has both cars available. Cybercab support is listed for Austin first, and the purpose-built fleet is still small compared with the existing Model Y roster. Even so, the app change marks a shift from a single-vehicle pilot to a mixed fleet.
Riders can now choose between the compact, purpose-built robotaxi and the familiar SUV that launched the service.
Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.
Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.
However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.
The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.
Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:
20+ Cybercabs spotted near Miami international airport. pic.twitter.com/ORLsw8yFhf
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.
Cybercab at the Devon location in PA has multiplied over the weekend. Seeing a few more test vehicles in the lot 👀 pic.twitter.com/DhJT4P1EkU
— Billy (@billykyle) August 22, 2026
Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.
Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.
The Tesla Model Y L is arguably the most hyped trim of the all-electric crossover, other than the Performance configuration that comes with white-knuckle speed and sports car-level handling.
However, it is not all perfect. Tesla owners in China who took delivery of the Model Y L, denoted with an L to highlight its longer wheelbase, are experiencing what they are referring to as “collapsing” of the rear wheels, as suspension issues appear to be an issue with some of the builds.
🚨 Model Y L owners in China report rear suspension sag
• Six-seat long-wheelbase Y. Shanghai. On sale since August 2025
• Owners say the rear tire-to-arch gap shrinks after mileage or a full load. Some cases after about 9,000 km loaded. Others near 30,000 km
• Tesla service… pic.twitter.com/Lr6i5Tbi07— Joe Hansen (@joehansen) September 1, 2026
The gap between the wheel arch and tire has narrowed to the point that “not even a single finger” could fit, according to a report from Car News China. The failures are not tied to a specific mileage, as one owner said that after just 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles), they noticed the suspension issue when their car was fully loaded.
Another one had the issue at 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) and noticed that the wheel gap shrank to two fingers, so not as drastic as the person who reported a similar issue at 9,000 km.
Tesla Model Y L is gaining momentum in China’s premium segment
Along with the visual recognition of the issue, others are saying the sagging is causing abnormal wear on the inside of the tires. Extra weight and instant torque already provide additional stress on the tires in electric vehicles during normal operation, so it is no surprise that this is another complaint.
There has been no recall issued by Tesla, and the company has not yet publicly acknowledged the issue.
Some are suggesting that owners use a “finger test” to self-diagnose whether there is an issue with the suspension. There should be four fingers between the tire and the wheel well; anything less than that starts to get dicey.
Tesla Robotaxi riders will face the best dilemma when booking a ride
Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus
