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Top 10 Tesla Track Mode V2 features for the Model 3 Performance

Credit: YouTube/Vehicle Virgins

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The capabilities of Tesla’s newly-unveiled Track Mode V2 was demonstrated recently by a select group of car enthusiasts, one of them being the host of YouTube’s Vehicle Virgins channel. Following some time with a Model 3 Performance with Track Mode V2, host Parker Nirenstein listed the 10 best features of the upcoming update.

Tesla’s V2 Track Mode was announced on March 2 and it will introduce a variety of new features that foster better performance for Model 3 owners who have a taste for higher speeds and racecar-like handling. Expanding on the original Track Mode, V2 promises even more customization, control, and capabilities for drivers brave enough to tap into the raw power of a Model 3 Performance.

Following are Vehicle Virgins‘ Top 10 Track Mode V2 features.

1. Industry-Leading Visual Display

Credit: YouTube/Vehicle Virgins

Once Track Mode V2 is enabled, the Model 3’s center display changes to give drivers pertinent information for closed circuit driving. Instead of the typical driving visuals and trip stats featured in the Model 3’s screen, the Model 3 Performance’s display shifts to provide drivers with a clear visual of what is exactly happening with certain portions of the car while Track Mode V2 is engaged. Stats such as battery temperatures and tire temperatures are provided.

2. G-Force Meter

Credit: YouTube/Vehicle Virgins

Track Mode V2’s G-Force Meter gives live feedback of current measurements of the car’s current state. The meter also tracks past G-Force measurements from the most recent session. This allows drivers to see how much G-force was applied to each portion of the car during drifting or hot laps.

3. Post-Drive Cooling Feature

Tesla has included a Post-Drive Cooling feature to Track Mode V2, a feature that the Vehicle Virgins host stated is something that is being included today in actual track cars. This feature prevents excessive heat from damaging the battery and the Model 3’s other critical components. This will also decrease the wait time between runs, allowing Model 3 Performance owners to spend more time on the closed circuit and less time waiting for their vehicles to cooling down.

4. Record Video Features

Track Mode V2 will now allow drivers to record recent runs using the vehicle’s built-in cameras that are used by Sentry Mode and Autopilot. Now, laps and drifting runs could be actively captured, allowing for playback of impressive lap times, or to show off a flawless drifting run around obstacles. Driving data from these videos can even be printed to give drivers the full rundown of their performance on the track.

5. Variable Power Splits

This makes the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive vehicle capable of changing into a full Rear-Wheel-Drive or Front-Wheel-Drive car simply by toggling through settings on the Model 3 Performance’s center display. Nirenstein noted that the Model 3’s customization of this feature is much more impressive than his Lamborghini Huracan’s “Sport Mode,” which went all the way up to 90-10 in favor of Rear-Wheel Drive. The YouTube host also emphasized that the Model 3’s price is 10 times less than the Lamborghini’s, but he is much more impressed with the electric car’s feature.

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6. Custom Track Settings

Custom settings could be named and perhaps even saved on the vehicle for specific tracks. This would allow drivers to get the optimum performance from their Model 3 Performance for each location or racing session that they will be attending.

7. 20 Stages of Traction Control

Track Mode V2 allows for 20 different settings of Traction Control for different driving experiences. Nirenstein stated that the AMG GTR became practically legendary due to its 9 different stages of traction control, but Tesla has actually more than doubled the number of options with 20 full stages. This, of course, provides Model 3 Performance drivers with an immense amount of control for their vehicle.

8. Regen only on the Rear Wheels

Track Mode V1 uses regen a lot to enable the Model 3 Performance to perform well on a closed circuit. Track Mode V2 takes this a step further, allowing owners to completely turn regen off, or only apply the braking system to the rear wheels exclusively in RWD mode. Experienced drivers and those who are proficient at drifting will likely take a liking to this capability.

9. Built-in Lap Timer with customizable start point and finish line

Credit: YouTube/Vehicle Virgins

By using the vehicle’s GPS, drivers can set a custom start and finish point that will then track lap times and speed based on the vehicle’s location. This feature will record multiple laps, allowing drivers to test different lines and speeds to improve performance.

10. Compressor Overclock

Credit: YouTube/Vehicle Virgins

Compressor Overclock runs the Model 3’s cooling compressor at an increased rate to inhibit faster battery and vehicle cooling, decreasing wait time between runs. The feature allows the compressor to run at a rate higher than normal, helping performance, but also increasing wear.

Each of these new features is demonstrated in Vehicle Virgins‘ new video, where host Parker Nirenstein demonstrated Track Mode V2’s capabilities. In addition to displaying the new functions Tesla has released with Track Mode V2, the video featured the new Model 3 Track Package recently released for the all-electric sedan. The package includes Zero-G Performance Wheels, race-focused brakes and brake fluid, and track-optimized tires.

Tesla has yet to set a date for when the free OTA update will roll out for Model 3 Performance owners. The Model 3 Track Package will begin shipping in April and it includes Zero-G Performance wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, high-performance brake pads, track-focused brake fluid, center cups, pressure sensors, and lug nut covers. The package will cost $5,500.

Watch Vehicle Virgins‘  Track Mode V2 video below.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Ferrari Luce sold out for 2027 after design controversy

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Credit: Ferrari

Ferrari’s first electric vehicle, the Luce, is fully sold out for 2027, according to CEO Benedetto Vigna.

Presenting third-quarter results, he stated: “Everything we plan to sell next year is already fully allocated. Client test drives, scheduled for next year, will help further boost demand. We have no critical issues, neither on manufacturing nor on the demand side. Obviously, the car is more complex because it has many new parts and many new technologies.”

First customer deliveries are expected before the end of 2026, with the model already commanding waitlists despite a turbulent debut.

The Luce is a five-seat, four-door liftback saloon—the longest Ferrari ever produced—powered by four electric motors producing approximately 1,035 horsepower.

It features an 800-volt architecture, a 122-kWh battery, a claimed WLTP range of around 329 miles, 0-62 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds, and a starting price near €550,000 in Europe (roughly $560,800–$615,000 in the U.S. depending on configuration).

Developed in collaboration with Jony Ive and Marc Newson’s LoveFrom studio alongside Ferrari’s own Centro Stile, it represents a deliberate departure from the brand’s traditional mid-engine sports cars toward a more spacious, grand-touring format.

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Its exterior has proven deeply polarizing. Unveiled in Rome in May 2026, the design features smooth, sweeping surfaces, a large glass roof, and restrained detailing that critics described as bland, generic, or more reminiscent of an Apple product or mass-market EV than a Ferrari.

Ferrari unveils its Luce EV, and its reception has been a disaster

Online reactions included memes comparing it to a Nissan Leaf or Polestar, while former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo publicly warned of “the destruction of a myth” and suggested the prancing horse logo be removed. Italian politicians and longtime owners joined the chorus of disappointment, and Ferrari’s shares dropped roughly 8% in a single day, erasing billions in market value.

Design experts noted the absence of the brand’s signature tension, aggression, and emotional drama.

Yet the controversy has not translated into weak demand among the ultra-wealthy clientele who actually buy Ferraris. Production volumes remain tightly limited, as reports suggest fewer than 500 units in the current year and a longer-term pace of roughly 600 annually through 2030, preserving exclusivity.

One early chassis sold for $40 million at auction. Vigna has indicated that seeing the car in person, along with upcoming client test drives, is expected to strengthen rather than weaken interest. Ferrari aims for fully electric models to comprise 20 percent of its lineup by 2030, with a second EV now delayed to 2028.

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For a brand defined by scarcity and desirability, the Luce’s sell-out status suggests that among those who can afford it, the polarizing design has not proven to be a commercial liability.

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Investor's Corner

Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX decline after Democratic Midterm sweep

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Credit: Grok

Tesla and SpaceX shares fell on Wednesday after Democrats swept both chambers of Congress. The decline stood out as broader market securities recovered and turned positive, while both of Musk’s publicly traded companies lagged.

CEO Elon Musk already joked about the unsuccessful campaigning for the Republicans, but now the new party will make pretty drastic changes to how it handles Tesla and SpaceX, and those companies will adjust their outlook.

Elon Musk hilariously comments on Midterm election results

Let’s take a deeper look.

Tesla ($TSLA)

Tesla shares traded lower during the regular session after Democrats secured both the House and Senate. The stock was down 2.32 percent at around 1:45 p.m. on the East Coast, trading at around $389.30.

The pressure is tied to more than the raw scale of Musk’s political spending, estimated at $450–474 million this cycle with roughly $224 million directed at Texas. In that state, Tesla now faces a Democratic governor and a Democratic senator after Gina Hinojosa unseated Greg Abbott and James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton.

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The Austin Gigafactory, Robotaxi pilot programs in multiple Texas cities, and any related AI compute expansion sit under a new state executive who campaigned against certain corporate subsidies and floated a moratorium on new data-center construction.

Federally, Democratic control of key committees opens the door to deeper examination of Tesla’s autonomous-driving safety record, federal energy-storage and manufacturing incentives, and the national-security implications of any combination with SpaceX.

Investors are also weighing whether the company’s historically close alignment with the prior Republican leadership will invite slower permitting, additional hearings, or tighter rules on Full Self-Driving deployment.

For Tesla, the political shift adds near-term friction around state permitting and federal regulatory approvals for autonomy and energy storage. A potential merger with SpaceX may face slower review even if it proceeds.

Core growth drivers such as vehicle deliveries, energy deployments, and robotaxi rollout remain intact, yet the stock now carries a higher political-risk premium that could weigh on valuation until the company demonstrates workable relationships with the new Texas leadership and congressional majorities.

SpaceX ($SPCX)

SpaceX shares also declined in live trading on November 4 following the Democratic midterm sweep. The stock traded at $134.97, down 4.49 percent. The drop occurred even as broader indexes stabilized, highlighting a company-specific reaction to the election outcome.

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Musk’s large contributions, concentrated in Texas races that both companies lost, place SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility and headquarters under a new Democratic governor.

At the federal level, Democratic control of Congress enables greater scrutiny of NASA, the Department of Defense, and other contracts that support a meaningful share of revenue, along with reviews of Starlink national-security uses and any Tesla merger. Analysts have noted that empowered committees can hold hearings and request documents on these relationships.

For SpaceX, the results raise the risk of delayed contract awards, higher compliance costs, and tighter constraints on AI and satellite infrastructure expansion, particularly in Texas where a data-center moratorium has been discussed.

A merger with Tesla could encounter political friction that slows integration of launch, connectivity, and autonomy capabilities.

While Starlink growth and launch cadence continue as primary drivers, the company faces a more contested path for federal funding and state-level operations, requiring management to rebuild ties with the new congressional majorities and Texas leadership to limit the overhang.

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Tesla registrations in Germany nearly quadruple in October

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Credit: Tesla Manufacturing | X

Tesla’s new vehicle registrations in Germany rose sharply in October, nearly quadrupling from the same month a year earlier. That’s according to data from the KBA, Germany’s federal motor transport authority.

The KBA reported 2,932 Tesla vehicles registered in October, a 290.9 percent year-over-year- increase. For the first ten months of the year, Tesla’s cumulative registrations reached 47,742 units. This number is up 206.1 percent compared with the January-October period of 2025. These gains occurred against a backdrop of strong overall growth in the BEV sector as a whole.

Germany registered 94,086 new BEVs in October, a 79.5 percent rise that brought the BEV share of the passenger car market to 37 percent of the 254,492 total cars registered that month.

Despite the percentage surge, Tesla’s absolute numbers left it with a 1.2 percent share of all new car registrations for October. Chinese competitors did record higher volumes, as BYD registered 5,173 vehicles, a 2 percent share, Leapmotor with 3,661 cars, which equates to 1.4 percent, and Xpeng had a 0.5 percent share.

Year-to-date through October, BYD edged ahead of Tesla with 47,961 registrations versus Tesla’s 47,742.

The October results follow a notably strong September for Tesla in Germany, when it registered 12,552 vehicles, an increase of roughly 269 percent year-over-year and one of its strongest monthly totals on record in the country. That month, the Model Y led all EVs and ranked among the top-selling vehicles of any powertrain.

The figures form part of a broader recovery in Tesla’s European registrations after an extended period of softer demand. While monthly volumes remain subject to typical quarter-end patterns and competitive pressure from both established European brands and rapidly expanding Chinese manufacturers, the year-to-date growth indicates improved traction in Europe’s largest car market.

Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg continues to supply the region, positioning the company to capture a share of the expanding German BEV market as overall EV adoptions looks to be accelerating.

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