News
Tesla Model 3 Performance destroys Porsche 911 GT3 in Autocross gauntlet
There are many cars out there that have the potential to be monsters in an Autocross course. Porsche’s 911 series, is one of them. That being said, unlocking the full potential of the 911 requires a driver that is experienced and skilled. Otherwise, even the mighty $185,000 Porsche 911 GT3 would end up being humbled by the $58,000 Tesla Model 3 Performance.
This exact concept was depicted in a recent video from Brooks Weisblat of YouTube’s DragTimes channel. In a recent upload, Weisblat opted to pit a Porsche 911 GT3 against a Tesla Model 3 Performance in an Autocross course. Looking at the specs and prices of the two vehicles, it seems like the Autocross course should be a shoe-in for the GT3. After all, the 911 embodies the best that Porsche can offer, and the GT3 is certainly a beast of a car.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is equipped with a 4.0-liter boxer engine that makes 500 hp/339 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle is also very maneuverable, thanks to its Rear Wheel Drive configuration and 7-speed transmission. At 3,153 lbs, the GT3 is quite light, giving it the potential to fly by corners and handle the toughest Autocross tracks with ease.
In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Performance is far humbler on paper. The top-tier Model 3 boasts 473 hp from its two electric motors, and with the vehicle’s instant torque, the all-electric sedan can blitz from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. During the Autocross run, the Model 3 had 89% battery, though some viewers of Weisblat’s video noted that the all-electric sedan does not seem to be in Track Mode.
The two vehicles completed the Autocross track three times, and in each round, the Model 3 ended up beating the time of the 911 GT3. In its first lap, the Porsche completed the track in 68.4 seconds. The second lap was faster at 58.0 seconds, and the third was even better at 57.0 seconds. In comparison, the Tesla started with an initial lap time of 56.6 seconds, followed by 56.0 seconds, and lastly, 55.1 seconds.
Of course, a huge reason behind these results lies in the fact that the Model 3 was driven by a more experienced driver. But even in a strict comparison of the two vehicles’ best laps in the track, the 911 GT3 was only able to beat the Model 3 Performance by 0.38 seconds. That’s not bad at all for the Model 3, considering that it’s less than a third of the price of the 911 GT3.
Watch DragTimes’ Tesla Model 3 Performance vs. Porsche 911 GT3 Autocross gauntlet in the video below.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk takes latest barb at Bill Gates over Tesla short position
Bill Gates placed a massive short bet against Tesla of ~1% of our total shares, which might have cost him over $10B by now
Elon Musk took his latest barb at former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates over his short position against the company, which the two have had some tensions over for a number of years.
Gates admitted to Musk several years ago through a text message that he still held a short position against his sustainable car and energy company. Ironically, Gates had contacted Musk to explore philanthropic opportunities.
Elon Musk explains Bill Gates beef: He ‘placed a massive bet on Tesla dying’
Musk said he could not take the request seriously, especially as Gates was hoping to make money on the downfall of the one company taking EVs seriously.
The Tesla frontman has continued to take shots at Gates over the years from time to time, but the latest comment came as Musk’s net worth swelled to over $600 billion. He became the first person ever to reach that threshold earlier this week, when Tesla shares increased due to Robotaxi testing without any occupants.
Musk refreshed everyone’s memory with the recent post, stating that if Gates still has his short position against Tesla, he would have lost over $10 billion by now:
Bill Gates placed a massive short bet against Tesla of ~1% of our total shares, which might have cost him over $10B by now
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2025
Just a month ago, in mid-November, Musk issued his final warning to Gates over the short position, speculating whether the former Microsoft frontman had still held the bet against Tesla.
“If Gates hasn’t fully closed out the crazy short position he has held against Tesla for ~8 years, he had better do so soon,” Musk said. This came in response to The Gates Foundation dumping 65 percent of its Microsoft position.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk sends final warning to Bill Gates over short position
Musk’s involvement in the U.S. government also drew criticism from Gates, as he said that the reductions proposed by DOGE against U.S.A.I.D. were “stunning” and could cause “millions of additional deaths of kids.”
“Gates is a huge liar,” Musk responded.
It is not known whether Gates still holds his Tesla short position.
Tesla made a change to the Cybertruck, and nobody noticed. But to be fair, nobody could have, but it was revealed by the program’s lead engineer that it was aimed toward simplifying manufacturing through a minor change in casting.
After the Cybertruck was given a Top Safety Pick+ award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), for its reputation as the safest pickup on the market, some wondered what had changed about the vehicle.
Tesla makes changes to its vehicles routinely through Over-the-Air software updates, but aesthetic changes are relatively rare. Vehicles go through refreshes every few years, as the Model 3 and Model Y did earlier this year. However, the Cybertruck is one of the vehicles that has not changed much since its launch in late 2023, but it has gone through some minor changes.
Most recently, Wes Morrill, the Cybertruck program’s Lead Engineer, stated that the company had made a minor change to the casting of the all-electric pickup for manufacturing purposes. This change took place in April:
We made a minor change on the casting for manufacturability in April. Our Internal testing shows no difference in crash result but IIHS only officially tested the latest version
— Wes (@wmorrill3) December 17, 2025
The change is among the most subtle that can be made, but it makes a massive difference in manufacturing efficiency, build quality, and scalability.
Morrill revealed Tesla’s internal testing showed no difference in crash testing results performed by the IIHS.
The 2025 Cybertruck received stellar ratings in each of the required testing scenarios and categories. The Top Safety Pick+ award is only given if it excels in rigorous crash tests. This requires ‘Good’ ratings in updated small and moderate overlap front, side, roof, and head restraints.
Additionally, it must have advanced front crash prevention in both day and night. Most importantly, the vehicle must have a ‘Good’ or ‘Acceptable’ headlights standard on all trims, with the “+ ” specifically demanding the toughest new updated moderate overlap test that checks rear-seat passenger protection alongside driver safety.
Tesla has entered an interesting situation with its Full Self-Driving suite in California, as the State’s Department of Motor Vehicles had adopted an order for a suspension of the company’s sales license, but it immediately put it on hold.
The company has been granted a reprieve as the DMV is giving Tesla an opportunity to “remedy the situation.” After the suspension was recommended for 30 days as a penalty, the DMV said it would give Tesla 90 days to allow the company to come into compliance.
The DMV is accusing Tesla of misleading consumers by using words like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving on its advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features.
The State’s DMV Director, Steve Gordon, said that he hoped “Tesla will find a way to get these misleading statements corrected.” However, Tesla responded to the story on Tuesday, stating that this was a “consumer protection” order for the company using the term Autopilot.
It said “not one single customer came forward to say there’s a problem.” It added that “sales in California will continue uninterrupted.”
This was a “consumer protection” order about the use of the term “Autopilot” in a case where not one single customer came forward to say there’s a problem.
Sales in California will continue uninterrupted.
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) December 17, 2025
Tesla has used the terms Autopilot and Full Self-Driving for years, but has added the term “(Supervised)” to the end of the FSD suite, hoping to remedy some of the potential issues that regulators in various areas might have with the labeling of the program.
It might not be too long before Tesla stops catching flak for using the Full Self-Driving name to describe its platform.
Tesla Robotaxi goes driverless as Musk confirms Safety Monitor removal testing
The Robotaxi suite has continued to improve, and this week, vehicles were spotted in Austin without any occupants. CEO Elon Musk would later confirm that Tesla had started testing driverless rides in Austin, hoping to launch rides without any supervision by the end of the year.
Elon Musk takes latest barb at Bill Gates over Tesla short position
Tesla Cybertruck gets small change that makes a big difference
