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Tesla Model 3 Performance takes on supercars, high-performance sedans in track battle
When Elon Musk first announced the specs of the Tesla Model 3 Performance, he noted that the electric car would beat anything on its class inside a closed circuit. With its dual motors that produced a combined 450 hp and 471 lb-ft of torque, its 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, and its top speed of 155 mph, Musk noted that the top variant of the Model 3 would cost roughly the same as a BMW M3, but be “15% quicker and with better handling.”
It should be noted that Musk mentioned the Model 3 Performance’s comparison with the BMW M3 at a time when Tesla was yet to reveal that it was developing a dedicated Track Mode for the electric sedan. With Track Mode, which optimizes the car for intensive closed circuit driving, the Model 3 Performance becomes a very formidable car on the racetrack. Over the past months, videos of the Model 3 Performance that have been shared online have mostly featured the vehicle competing in drag races or going around race tracks on its own. Rarely has there been a test of the car competing on a closed circuit against other high-performance vehicles.
That is, until recently, when Chinese auto group Know the Car (credit to Tesla community member JayinShanghai for sharing the video) opted to test the Model 3 Performance against several notable competitors. The group selected three groups of vehicles that would compete against the electric car — Chinese-made EVs, the NIO ES8 and the BYD唐DM; high-performance sedans, the BMW M3 and the Mercedes-AMG C63; and supercars, the Nissan GT-R and the Ferrari 488 GTB.
The tests were conducted at the Goldenport Park Circuit in Beijing, China in -5°C (23°F) weather. In its first test, the group opted to test the Model 3 Performance’s acceleration. Thanks to the instant torque from its dual electric motors, the electric sedan soundly dominated its competitors. After beating the competition on the straight line test, the group opted to call a professional driver to see just how well the Model 3 Performance stacked up against the six other vehicles on the track.
It should be noted that Beijing’s Goldenport Park Circuit is a location that is known to favor cornering and technical driving over high-speed, straight-line acceleration. Thus, during the tests, the Model 3 Performance, with its Track Mode enabled, was driven hard from one corner to the other. When the track times of the six vehicles were compared, it became evident that Elon Musk’s words about the electric car were accurate.
At the bottom of the rankings were the two Chinese-made EVs, which is understandable considering that the NIO ES8 and the BYD唐DM were SUVs. Immediately following the two EVs was the BMW M3, which was able to complete a lap around the track in 01:22.67. The Mercedes-AMG C 63 fared better than the M3, finishing a lap in 01:20.23. True to Elon Musk’s words, the Tesla Model 3 Performance dominated its class, with its lap time of 01:18.62.
Only two vehicles proved faster than the Model 3 Performance around the track — the Ferrari 488 GTB, which finished a lap in 01:16.31, and the Nissan GT-R, which completed a lap in 01:15.23. As noted by the group that conducted the test, the Model 3 Performance was ultimately outgunned only by vehicles that are beyond its class and its price range (credit to David Jao for the translation).
“The data doesn’t lie. China’s new electric entrants compared to the Model 3 are still far behind. The cars that we previously worshipped as high-end sedans, regretfully defeated. Only the supercars, costing 3-5 times the Model 3 remain to defend the honor of the internal combustion engine (ICE). So the appearance of the Model 3 brings forth a new kind of performance — cheaper, quieter, and even faster.”
The group’s statement about the prices of the Model 3’s rivals in the Chinese market is no exaggeration. Tesla lists the Model 3 Performance with a price of 560,000 RMB (around $81,000) for the Chinese market. While higher than its $64,000 price in the United States, the Model 3 Performance is still considerably more affordable than its rival high-performance sedans in the country. The BMW M3, for one, sells for 998,000 RMB ($162,000), while the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe costs 1,198,000 RMB ($173,623). With its price in the Chinese market, Tesla all but made the Model 3 Performance as the ultimate bang-for-your-buck high-performance sedan — quicker, cleaner, and cheaper than the competition.
Watch the Tesla Model 3 Performance battle local high-performance sedans and supercars on the track in the video below.
Elon Musk
How much of SpaceX will Elon Musk own after IPO will surprise you
SpaceX’s IPO filing confirms Musk will maintain his voting power to make key decisions for the company.
Elon Musk will retain dominant voting control of SpaceX after it goes public, according to the company’s IPO prospectus that was filed with the SEC. The filing reveals a dual-class equity structure giving Class B shareholders 10 votes each, concentrating power with Musk and a handful of other insiders, while Class A shares sold to public investors carry one vote.
Musk holds approximately 42% of SpaceX’s equity and controls roughly 79% of its votes through super-voting shares. He will simultaneously serve as CEO, CTO, and chairman of the nine-member board after the listing. Beyond that, the filing includes provisions that may limit shareholders’ influence over board elections and legal actions, forcing disputes into arbitration and restricting where they can be brought.
The case for Musk holding this level of control is grounded in SpaceX’s actual history. The company’s most important bets, from reusable rockets to a global satellite internet constellation, were decisions that ran against conventional aerospace thinking and would likely have faced resistance from a board accountable to investor gains. Fully reusable rockets were considered economically irrational by established industry players for years. Starlink, which now generates over $4 billion in annual operating profit, was widely dismissed as financially unviable when it was proposed. The argument for concentrated founder control seems straightforward, and the decisions that built SpaceX into what it is today required someone willing to ignore consensus and absorb years of losses.
SpaceX files confidentially for IPO that will rewrite the record books
For context, Musk’s position is significantly more dominant than Zuckerberg’s at Meta. The comparison with Tesla is also worth noting. When Tesla did its IPO in 2010, it did not issue dual-class shares. Musk has only recently pushed for enhanced voting protection, proposing at least 25% control at Tesla in 2024 after selling shares to fund his Twitter acquisition left him with around 13%.
SpaceX has clearly learned from that experience and structured the IPO differently by planning to allocate up to 30% of shares to retail investors, roughly three times the typical norm for a large offering. The roadshow is expected to begin the week of June 8, with a Nasdaq listing rumored to be a $1.75 trillion valuation and a $75 billion raise.
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Tesla bolsters App with new safety, insurance, and storage features
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
Tesla is bolstering its smartphone App with a series of new features to streamline operations for owners. The new additions include fixes to safety, its in-house insurance offering, and storage management for Dashcam clips.
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
But in classic Tesla fashion, the company is aiming to improve the offerings of the app, and it is doing so with a handful of new features. They were first discovered by Tesla App Updates.
Tesla Insurance – Safety Score 3.0
This is truly part of the Spring 2026 Update, but Tesla has now given more transparency on how FSD has saved people money on their premiums.
Tesla intertwines FSD with in-house Insurance for attractive incentive
Additionally, Tesla is now automatically awarding a Safety Score of 100 for every mile traveled on Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
Update Tracking
Updates traditionally appear on the App or on the Center Touchscreen in the car. There is nothing better than seeing that Green Arrow at the top of the screen, or opening your app and seeing that there is a Software Update available.
Now, there will be no need to manually check the app and initiate the download. Tesla is enabling a new feature that will automatically download updates for you.
Storage Management
Your USB drive can now be remotely formatted, and old Dashcam clips can be deleted straight from the phone. When you record a lot of things using the Dashcam feature, that storage fills up pretty quickly.
Now, manually deleting the Dashcam videos is easier than ever.
Trailer Light Test
This is perhaps the coolest and most crucial addition to the Tesla App, as those who tow and haul will now be able to trigger a diagnostic light sequence from the app while standing behind your trailer to ensure the brake lights work.
Verifying your trailer lights are connected properly and operating normally and as intended is normally a massive hassle.
Now, a new trigger will be available to initiate a diagnostic light sequence directly from your phone.
News
Tesla is building private Superchargers just for Robotaxi
For Tesla, these Robotaxi-only Superchargers represent more than convenient parking spots. They are the first bricks in a vertically integrated autonomy platform—vehicles, energy, and software working in seamless concert.
Tesla is starting to build out Robotaxi-only Superchargers as the company is truly leaning on its Full Self-Driving and autonomy efforts to solve passenger travel.
Last week, the company filed pre-permits in Arizona’s East Valley for two dedicated, non-public charging sites stocked with next-generation V4 Superchargers. The filings mark the first visible evidence of purpose-built infrastructure exclusively for autonomous Tesla vehicles, as they state they are not for public use.
In Chandler, Tesla plans to install 56 V4 stalls on an industrial parcel along South Roosevelt Avenue. Site documents describe a high-capacity setup supported by new SRP transformers, switching cabinets, and upgrades to existing underground lines.
A second site in Mesa, located at 5349 E Main Street in another industrial zone, carries the same private-use designation. Both locations sit well away from public roads and customer traffic, ensuring the chargers serve only Tesla’s internal fleet.
The sites were spotted by Supercharger observer MarcoRP.
On the same day, Tesla also submitted a draft for another proposed location in the city of Mesa, also listed as private use.
This site is located in an industrial area on the east side of the city. pic.twitter.com/jCC1IsKKKw
— MarcoRP (@MarcoRPi1) April 17, 2026
Phoenix’s East Valley offers an ideal launchpad for Robotaxi Supercharging: the location has a clean, grid-like street layout and year-round mild weather that minimizes camera degradation. Additionally, Arizona has welcomed self-driving pilots since Waymo’s early days.
By securing private depots now, Tesla can optimize charging cycles, reduce downtime, and maintain full control over vehicle hygiene and security, critical factors for high-utilization Robotaxi operations.
The type of Supercharger is telling as well, as they are V4, Tesla’s fastest and most efficient buildout.
V4 stalls deliver faster power and support bidirectional charging, features that will let idle Robotaxis feed energy back to the grid during off-peak hours. Because the sites are closed to the public, Tesla avoids congestion, vandalism risks, and the scheduling conflicts that plague shared stations.
The timing is telling. With unsupervised Full Self-Driving hardware already rolling out across the lineup and Cybercab production targets looming, Tesla is shifting from vehicle development to ecosystem readiness.
Charging infrastructure has historically been the gating factor for ride-hailing scale; building it ahead of the vehicles signals confidence that regulatory and technical hurdles are nearing resolution.
Tesla has been spotted testing Cybercab units in Arizona over the past few months, as well.
Interestingly, the permits show V4 Superchargers in the plans, although Cybercab will likely utilize wireless charging:
Tesla Cybercab spotted with interesting charging solution, stimulating discussion
For Tesla, these Robotaxi-only Superchargers represent more than convenient parking spots. They are the first bricks in a vertically integrated autonomy platform—vehicles, energy, and software working in seamless concert.
It appears Tesla is preparing to begin building out Robotaxi-only Superchargers to avoid the congestion and keep its autonomous fleet charged up to get ride-hailers to their destinations.
How much of SpaceX will Elon Musk own after IPO will surprise you
Tesla bolsters App with new safety, insurance, and storage features
