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Unplugged Performance Tesla Model 3 sets record ahead of Pikes Peak attempt
The Tesla Model 3 Performance is already a track weapon straight out of the factory. With Track Mode, a stock Model 3 Performance could completely dominate high performance sedans on the closed circuit. But with special parts that are designed to increase the vehicle’s track capability even further, the Model 3 Performance becomes something that is downright frightening.
Around two weeks ago, Tesla aftermarket specialist and tuning house Unplugged Performance announced its entry to the esteemed Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with legendary racer driver Randy Pobst behind the wheel. Pobst is the perfect driver for such an event, considering that he was directly involved with Tesla’s creation of the Model 3 Performance’s Track Mode. With Pobst behind the wheel, Unplugged Performance’s Model 3 has the potential to complete the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and possibly surprise a number of critics along the way.
Interestingly enough, the Unplugged Performance team did not have a car for the event when it made its Pikes Peak Hill Climb announcement. Such a vehicle was only picked up on the night of July 17, and later equipped with the company’s Ascension R package. Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R kit made its debut with Tesla owner enthusiast Erik Strait’s Model 3, which was sent to Japan earlier this year. Strait’s vehicle, the first of the company’s Ascension R units, set records in Japan during its brief stay in the country.
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- Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
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- Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
The Model 3 picked up by the Unplugged Performance team on July 17 would become the company’s second Ascension R unit. The modification of the Model 3 Performance would begin on July 20 and end on Fright night, July 24. With the car completed, the team drove over to Buttonwillow on Autopilot to ensure that the trip was as safe as possible. At around 2 a.m. on July 25, the Model 3 Ascension R took its first charge. Interestingly enough, July 25 also happened to be the day of TeslaCorsa 9, an event where Tesla owners get together for a day on the track.
In a message to Teslarati, the Unplugged Performance team stated that they did not really expect the freshly modded Model 3 to set new records right out of the bat. The vehicle’s driver, Oscar Jackson Jr., after all, has never driven a Tesla prior to the event. Jackson was used to racing vehicles like the Porsche GT3 RS, but he did not have any experience with high performance EVs stepping into the Model 3. It was then surprising to see that before lunchtime, Unplugged Performance’s Model 3 Ascension R broke the record for fastest production Tesla on street tires on the Buttonwillow track, running a 1:54.266 on 200 tread wear tires.
What was even more interesting was that later during the day, the Model 3 recorded an even more impressive lap despite its battery being halved. The team equipped the Model 3 with Pirelli slicks, and the vehicle ended up running a 1:53.277 lap despite a 50% state of charge. In a statement following his experience, Jackson, noted that he was incredibly impressed with the Tesla Model 3. According to the racer, the Model 3 was already a great car from the factory, but with an additional boost from Unplugged Performance’s parts, the vehicle had the potential to rival even the best track weapons available today.
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- Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
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- Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
Tesla Model 3 equipped with Unplugged Performance’s Ascension R package. (Credit: Unplugged Performance)
“It was a pretty mind blowing experience to have this be my first time driving a Tesla. Despite it being a shakedown day for Unplugged’s latest build, the car was surprisingly well sorted and it inspired immediate confidence. The brakes in particular were a big surprise given that the car is a lot heavier than what I’m used to racing with. Unplugged’s “BFB” carbon ceramic kit allowed me to brake deep into the corner and I found myself using braking points comparable to what I use when racing the Porsche GT3 RS and spec Miatas!
“The car was already really well prepared so we did not need to change much. The suspension was great off the bat and really well dialed-in. As the day progressed, we simply raised the rear up a little and added a bit more compression. Since the car was factory power and factory traction control I found myself being interrupted by the car’s nannies… Overall the car is a rocket ship (no SpaceX pun intended)! If I had more time with it I’m certain I can go a lot faster. I’m looking forward to my next time behind the wheel of it!” he said.
Watch a rather entertaining run of Unplugged Performance’s Model 3 Ascension R in the video below.
Tesla owners have long griped about the wireless phone charger in the Model Y and other vehicles. It often turns smartphones into miniature ovens rather than reliably topping them up.
Software engineer and Model Y owner Michał Gapiński tackled this issue head-on with a clever DIY upgrade, swapping the cooled wireless charger pad from the China-made Model YL in for the one that came standard in his vehicle.
There are several key differences between the U.S.-built Model Y’s wireless charging pad and the one that Tesla has been installing in the Model YL. The one installed in U.S.-built vehicles lacks active cooling and relies on basic heat dissipation, leading to rapid temperature buildup during charging. In contrast, the Model YL integrates a small fan for active cooling.
Will it fit? Fingers crossed, I want a first YL charger deployed in the regular juniper pic.twitter.com/wWDqSNFVkW
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
This design maintains lower temperatures even in warm ambient conditions, though it does not support faster Qi2 charging on iPhones. The connector matches exactly, making physical swaps feasible on compatible consoles, but coding is required to enable full functionality.
Owners in the U.S. have complained about the wireless charging pad, with many reporting that overheating is fairly common. Within 20 or 30 minutes of placing a phone on the wireless charging pad, many have reported overheating messages on their phones, which halt charging and essentially turn the pad into a fancy place to rest your phone.
Many owners have opted to simply plug their phones into a charging cord. Tesla has acknowledged the problem by releasing several solutions for owners, including a relatively new feature that allows you to simply turn off the charging and simply act as a holder for your phone while driving.
Gapiński said that he sourced the cooled pad affordably from China, and it cost under $200 for the part.
He removed the existing console charger, swapped in the new unit, confirming a perfect connector fit, and handled the trim differences. Since the parameter isn’t fully secured, he enabled it through custom coding outside official Toolbox.
Connector is identical, she fits, now time to code it. https://t.co/Y9idgDrpCq pic.twitter.com/uwwgq6blg7
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
The fan activates quietly, blending with AC and seat cooling. He reported the installation was effective and the wireless charging pad worked perfectly; it even kept the phone cool as it stayed at just 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Many times, the wireless charging pad will bring the phone’s temperature well above 100 degrees, sometimes even being relatively hot to the touch.
The retrofit worked, no issues. First Model Y with a cooled wireless charger! No QI2/faster charging on the iPhone but it does not boil the phone even when it is 30 degrees outside.
The fan kicks in, it is not audible especially with the air conditioning and seat cooling. The… https://t.co/JOyR8Tb1Yo pic.twitter.com/kJcYhQIlYq
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
This retrofit highlighted an elegant, owner-driven solution to a factory shortcoming. It is expected that Tesla will begin installing the cooled charging pads into new cars in the U.S. soon, and hopefully, it will offer some sort of retrofit service or kit to owners here who want to use the charging pad effectively.
For those who love to tinker, it’s an accessible upgrade, proving that innovation thrives beyond the production line.
The Tesla Roadster unveiling could be coming “in a few weeks,” according to the company’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, who said at the Tesla Takeover Europe Event in Austria that the all-electric hypercar could finally make its way to the production line after years of anticipation.
Von Holzhausen delivered the news just days after The Information reported that Tesla planned to push the Roadster unveiling to August. It was slated for both April and May of this year, but now it seems the company is leaning toward a late Summer event to cap off the heat with perhaps its most anticipated vehicle of all-time.
🚨 Tesla Chief Designer Franz Von Holzhausen, speaking to the crowd at Tesla Takeover Europe, said at the event that the Roadster is coming “in a few weeks,”
Multiple attendees have confirmed this pic.twitter.com/B1v6yb2Geq
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 6, 2026
Franz has been with Tesla since 2008, and has played a pivotal role in the iconic design language the company has utilized with its vehicles. Speaking to the crowd in Austria virtually, von Holzhausen’s comments injected fresh excitement into a project that has been plagued by delays for nine years.
The second-generation Roadster promises to redefine supercar standards. Tesla’s website still highlights ambitious targets: 0-60 mph in under 1.9 seconds (with optional SpaceX thruster pack potentially achieving 1.1 seconds or less), a top speed exceeding 250 mph, and a range of about 620 miles.
Equipped with a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup delivering over 1,000 horsepower, the four-seater aims to blend blistering acceleration, everyday usability, and innovative features like cold gas thrusters for short-hop capabilities, technology that will combine the project with SpaceX.
But years after the company promised to start production, which was slated for 2020, the timeline for the Roadster has continued to shift.
Tesla has strung along those who have put $50,000 deposits down, as well as fans and enthusiasts of the company who have been long awaiting the company to bring forth a car truly designed for the human driver, and not autonomy. The Roadster is more than just a halo vehicle for Tesla; it showcases the company’s ability to push the boundaries while incorporating synergies from other Musk companies.
However, it has to make it to production, which is something Musk and Co. have pushed back repeatedly.
As Tesla navigates Robotaxi development and broader autonomy goals, the Roadster serves as a reminder of its performance roots. If von Holzhausen’s timeline holds, fans could witness this engineering marvel by late June or early July 2026. Whether a full unveiling, demo, or initial deliveries, it marks a milestone for electric supercars.
Tesla has reportedly pushed the unveiling of the Roadster once again, but there are also evidently new details about the event that the company plans to show off.
The Information reported this morning that Tesla will now unveil, for the second time, the next-generation Roadster in August, a further delay from the multiple timeline that the company had previously stated.
The report has not been confirmed or denied by Tesla at any capacity.
It also states the unveiling event will take place in Texas, the same place that Tesla executives revealed in May would be the place of manufacture for the company’s highly-anticipated supercar, which boasts a top speed of over 250 MPH and 650 miles of range, according to its website.
Tesla is also expected to showcase the SpaceX package, which will be used for faster acceleration and potentially hovering capabilities, at the unveiling event, the report states. Musk has always planned for this to happen, but now it seems it is more realistic than ever
The report also states the Roadster unveiling is planned for August pic.twitter.com/By26XZIJzU
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
The Roadster has had its unveiling date and manufacturing date pushed back on many occasions. It was set to start production in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic crippled supply chain operations, forcing Tesla to push its timeline back considerably.
However, COVID has been over for some time, and Tesla has still not managed to successfully schedule and execute an unveiling event, which is something fans and enthusiasts, as well as those who have put down a $50,000 deposit, have been waiting for.
The vehicle was close to completion last year, but Musk truly wanted Lars Moravy and Franz von Holzhausen to push the limits of the Roadster. In July of last year, Moravy said:
“Roadster is definitely in development. We did talk about it last Sunday night. We are gearing up for a super cool demo. It’s going to be mind-blowing; We showed Elon some cool demos last week of the tech we’ve been working on, and he got a little excited.”
It is important to note two things: Tesla has not confirmed these details, and the company has regularly pushed these dates back. Until Tesla sends out formal invitations with a concrete date, taking any unveiling event reports with a grain of salt is a good idea.
Tesla owner fixes common feature complaint with crafty DIY retrofit
Tesla Roadster unveiling teased to be happening ‘in a few weeks’ by exec
