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Tesla Model 3 Performance wins over longtime BMW enthusiast: ‘this is an iPhone moment’
Indie app developer Moshen Chan has been an avid BMW enthusiast for ~20 years. Having a passion for high-speed driving, he has spent a lot of time experiencing the legacy automaker’s Ultimate Driving Machines firsthand. Moshen now drives a Tesla Model 3 Performance, after a test drive with the electric sedan proved that it was a powerful, feature-ridden, and compelling vehicle that could very well be beyond anything that the German veteran automaker currently has to offer.
The indie app developer shared his experience in a series of lengthy posts on a BMW forum, Bimmerfest.com. Chan notes that over the years, he has driven several BMWs, and today, he owns a modified E36 325i with track suspension setup, as well as an E82 135i with Performance Suspension and several other M3 suspension part upgrades. Being in the market for a new vehicle, he was looking at the BMW M2 Competition, the latest iteration of the BMW M3, and lastly, the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
The test drive with the Model 3 Performance proved to be the difference-maker. The BMW enthusiast stated that he was simply blown away by the vehicle, from its hyper-low center of gravity, its low polar moment of inertia, to its silent, instant, brutal acceleration. Chan stated that Tesla ultimately “threw a curve-ball to everything (he) knew about sport sedans & performance cars” and that overall, the Model 3 Performance “absolutely outperforms anything BMW has to offer today.” The app developer further noted that his test drive with the Model 3 Performance was an “iPhone moment.”
“I can say I was very hesitant on the ultra minimalist interior but now I absolutely love it. For me this is an iPhone moment – when a new product suddenly makes everything else seem outdated and old,” Chan wrote.
The indie app developer admits that his Model 3 Performance is not a perfect car and that Tesla still has a lot to learn in terms of customer service, delivery, and providing enough spare parts for its ever-growing fleet. Despite these, Chan noted that he has no regrets with the Model 3 Performance, as the car has now taken over the mantle of the “Ultimate Driving Machine,” at least in terms of his current standards.
“BMW has better build quality. It has more refined finishing and details. That stuff makes me feel good, I guess. But for me, it’s the driving experience that really matters. The overall package of what the Performance Model 3 does for me – greatly makes up for those areas that BMW is better at,” he wrote.
The BMW enthusiast notes that he is not the only one in his circle who committed to the Model 3 Performance. One of his acquaintances, a driving instructor for his local BMW CCA, is selling his M3 and ordering the electric sedan after a test drive as well. Chan, for his part, notes that he would still be keeping his E36 325i for days when he feels like driving a manual transmission, but his E82 135i is going up for sale soon.
The Model 3 Performance is Tesla’s latest high-performance vehicle. Being the first P-branded model fitted with the company’s 2170 cells, the Model 3 Performance is looking to be the first of Tesla’s vehicles that can be driven hard for extended periods of time. When Elon Musk announced the vehicle’s specs, he noted that the electric sedan would be ~15% faster than a BMW M3 around the track. Later reviews of the car from prominent auto publications such as Car & Driver and Road & Track have compared the Model 3 Performance favorably to Germany’s best high-performance sedans like the BMW M3 and the Audi RS5 as well.
It should be noted that the Model 3 Performance’s killer feature has not been rolled out to the fleet as of yet. Tesla has revealed that the Model 3 Performance would eventually be given a dedicated Track Mode, which Elon Musk dubs as an “Expert User Mode” for the vehicle. Initial tests of Track Mode have been positive so far, with reviewers stating that the feature allows drivers to perform advanced, aggressive driving maneuvers (such as drifting) without any issues.
Even without Track Mode, the Model 3 Performance is already establishing itself as a quick, capable vehicle, and one that is seemingly more powerful than what Tesla suggests. The electric car’s 0-60 mph acceleration, for one, is listed as 3.5 seconds by the company, but VBOX tests on a fully charged, completely stock Model 3 Performance show that the vehicle is capable of going from 0-60 mph in just 3.18 seconds. With an upgraded suspension setup, better tires, and Tesla’s future software updates, it would not be too improbable look forward to a Model 3 Performance doing 0-60 in 3 seconds flat.
News
Tesla Sweden’s port deal sparks political clash in Trelleborg
The extension of Tesla’s lease has drawn criticism from the local Social Democratic opposition.
Tesla Sweden’s lease agreement at the Port of Trelleborg has triggered a political dispute, with local leaders divided over whether the municipally owned port should continue renting space to the electric vehicle maker amidst its ongoing conflict with the IF Metall union.
Tesla Sweden’s recently extended contract with the Port of Trelleborg has triggered calls for greater political oversight of future agreements.
Tesla has used the Port of Trelleborg to import vehicles into Sweden amid a blockade by the Transport Workers’ Union, as noted in a report from Dagens Arbete (DA). By routing cars via trucks on passenger ferries, the company has maintained deliveries despite the labor dispute. Vehicles have also been stored and prepared in facilities leased from the municipal port company.
The extension of Tesla’s lease has drawn criticism from the local Social Democratic opposition. Initially, the Port of Trelleborg hinted that it would not enter into new agreements with Tesla, but it eventually opted to renew its existing contract with the EV maker anyway.
Lennart Höckert, an opposition councilor, described the port’s decision as a “betrayal of the Swedish model,” arguing that a municipally owned entity should not appear to side with one party in an active labor dispute.
“If you want to protect the Swedish model, you shouldn’t get involved in a conflict and help one of the parties. When you as a company do this, it means that you are actually taking a position and making things worse in an already ongoing conflict,” Höckert said.
He added that the party now wants politicians to review and approve future rental agreements involving municipal properties at the port.
The proposal has been sharply criticized by Mathias Andersson of the Sweden Democrats, who chairs the municipal board. In comments to local media, Andersson described the Social Democrats’ approach as “Kim Jong Un-style,” arguing that political leaders should not micromanage a company governed by its own board.
“I believe that the port should be run like any other business,” Andersson said. He also noted that operational decisions fall under the authority of the Port of Trelleborg’s board instead of elected officials.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s X sees outage on Monday as users report issues
Monday’s outage follows a similar issue that befell the social media platform in mid-January.
X experienced an outage on Monday morning, with tens of thousands of users reporting that the platform failed to load across both desktop and mobile. The disruption began around 8:02 a.m. ET, as per Downdetector data, and quickly escalated in the U.S. and U.K.
Monday’s outage follows a similar issue that befell the social media platform in mid-January.
Shortly after 8 a.m. ET, Downdetector showed a sharp rise in incident reports. At one point, U.S. complaints exceeded 40,000, while U.K. reports climbed past 6,000. Earlier in the outage, filings had already crossed 11,000 in the U.S. and 3,300 in the U.K., as noted in a TechRadar report. X users in other locations, such as the Philippines and Costa Rica, also reported similar issues.
Users attempting to access X were met with a “something went wrong” message. Feeds did not refresh, posts failed to appear, and both the social media platform’s app and web versions appeared affected by the issue. The outage struck during peak weekday usage, amplifying its visibility across regions worldwide.
X has not issued an official explanation for the latest outage or confirmed what caused the service disruption. The scale of complaints drew comparisons to the platform’s major outage in November 2025, which resulted in users being met with “Internal server error / Error code 500” messages, as well as Cloudflare-related error notices.
The incident also comes just weeks after X experienced a similar downtime in mid-January. That outage seemed more notable, however, with more than 100,000 users reporting issues with the social media platform on Downdetector.
Elon Musk
New details emerge on The Boring Company’s Universal tunnel plans
The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public.
Newly released bidding documents have shed light on how Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to connect Universal Orlando Resort’s north campus to Universal Epic Universe.
The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public about the planned Loop system.
The Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District voted Feb. 11 to begin contract negotiations with The Boring Company after ranking it the top bidder for the Universal Orlando transport project. Now, evaluation documents obtained by local news media reveal how the company intends to execute the project, according to Attraction Insight.
The proposal describes a twin-tunnel configuration, with one tunnel in each direction. It also noted that permitting, design, and construction could take roughly a year and a half once approvals are secured. The company indicated it could deploy multiple tunnel boring machines and install temporary support infrastructure, including muck storage pits and stormwater systems, during construction.
Bid documents list eight internal specialists assigned to the project, including tunnel engineers, structural engineers, and tunnel boring machine experts. Six subcontractors would handle fire protection, communications, soil treatment, and concrete work.
The company stated it “has the necessary internally produced tunneling equipment and personnel immediately available to complete this project for the district as quickly as permits and approvals can be obtained.”
Operationally, the system would mirror the company’s Las Vegas Loop model, using Tesla vehicles to provide point-to-point transport rather than fixed-route buses. The proposal frames the concept as “on-demand, express transportation,” with vehicles dispatched as needed and capacity adjustable in real time.
Stations could be built underground or above ground with ramp access into tunnels. The documents also referenced potential future integration of a configurable Robovan for passengers and cargo, though capacity projections for the Orlando tunnels have not yet been disclosed.
The proposal states that the Loop can integrate “easily into environmentally sensitive areas,” but it does not provide detailed mitigation plans for Central Florida’s high water table and limestone geology, which is susceptible to sinkholes. The company has stated that it intends to hire an Orlando-based geotechnical firm to evaluate soil conditions.
Tesla Sweden’s port deal sparks political clash in Trelleborg
Elon Musk’s X sees outage on Monday as users report issues
