Now that the Tesla Model 3 Performance is making its rounds, being tested by media and customers alike, it seems that it’s drawing a lot of comparisons to established sport sedans. The Model 3 Performance is being compared with cars like the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63 S and Audi RS4. On paper, it’s an interesting comparison but, in reality, which one should you actually buy, the newcomer in the Tesla Model 3 Performance or the established veteran in the BMW M3?
It’s an interesting question because it isn’t as simple as just which one is faster and which one can handle better on a track, like it would be with more traditional competitors. There’s the complete difference in propulsion, where the M3 is powered by old-school internal combustion and the Tesla is purely electric. So range, technology, trend-setting and usability become more important than ever before.
On Paper
First, let’s check the specs. We’re going to use base prices and base performance figures for each car, just to make the comparison on as even grounds as possible. Both cars start at similar prices, with the Tesla Model 3 Performance starting at $64,000 and the BMW M3 starting at $66,500. In terms of specs, the comparison is a bit complicated. Neither car comes particularly well-equipped as-standard but each car makes a case for itself. The Model 3 boasts a massive touchscreen infotainment system and over-the-air updates but the BMW M3 has bigger brakes and stickier tires. So the Model 3 is techier and the M3 is sportier, off the bat.
In terms of power and performance, the Model 3 packs 450 hp from its two electric motors and the BMW M3 makes 425 hp from its 3.0 liter twin-turbo I6. The Tesla is also all-wheel drive, while the M3 is rear-wheel drive but the Bimmer packs a limited-slip rear diff as standard.
According to Tesla, the Model 3 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, while it takes the M3 about 4.2 seconds with the as-standard manual transmission. Though, the M3’s time drops to 3.9 seconds with the optional dual-clutch transmission, which is still slower.
So on paper, it seems like the Tesla Model 3 is the better buy, as it’s a bit cheaper (and gets even cheaper still with government incentives), packs more power and is faster.
On the Road
This is a bit tricky for us to judge because we haven’t yet driven a Tesla Model 3 Performance (though we’re working on it). However, we can judge it from what we’ve heard and read. The Tesla Model 3 is certainly fast, faster than the M3, but is it going to be as fun as something like the BMW?
From what we’ve heard, the Tesla Model 3 Performance is a fun car and on sweeping corners it’s probably going to be equally as fun as the BMW M3. But when things get very twisty, such as a tight mountain road or the track, there’s still room for improvement. Though, honestly, the same can be said about the BMW M3.
Though, there’s no question, the BMW M3 is going to be the better track car, consistently. The Model 3 is fun on a track but it falls down a bit when pushed really hard and it can’t last as long as the M3 can. Its extra weight will cook its brakes, its battery will overheat and/or deplete before the M3 calls it quits.
However, it’s not as easy as all that. Because, honestly, there just aren’t as many M3 owners that take their cars to the track as you might hope. So that point, while technically valid, doesn’t really apply to most buyers. At the same time, though, there’s a very motorsport feel about the M3 that the Model 3 doesn’t have. The Tesla is quiet, calm and easy. The BMW M3 is loud, brash and thrilling. You pilot the Model 3 but you drive the M3.
Regardless of how fast or impressive as any electric car can be, it will never be as engaging as a great gasoline-powered car because the latter just simply has more to drive. There’s an engine whose revs need to be watched and managed, there’s a transmission that needs to be worked and the driver needs to know what its engine’s optimum power band is and how to keep it there. For someone who likes to drive, and really drive, something like a proper internal combustion engine-powered sports car is the only way.
Verdict
Each car makes a compelling argument. The Tesla Model 3 Performance is the future, it’s packed with rich technology, it’s impressively fast and surprisingly capable when the tarmac gets twisty. The BMW M3 is exciting, even more capable when the road gets twisty and even more thrilling. Both are around the same price, both have similar performance figures and both will, honestly, have their stubborn fanbases that won’t be convinced to make the switch regardless of the argument.
It really comes down to what you want. If you can sacrifice some true track capability and 10/10ths driving pleasure (which, let’s face it, a lot of driver’s can), the Tesla Model 3 Performance is hard to argue against, especially when you factor in the lack of gasoline needed. But if you want something that thrills, is genuinely more about driving than anything else and gives you that motorsport feel, the BMW M3 is going to be the car for you.
From someone who’s a self-professed M-fanboy, having owned a handful of them over the past 15 years, I went with the Model 3 Performance this year and have zero regrets. I thought I’d miss some of the luxury and creature comforts BMW always had, but I honestly do not. I sat in and drove my wife’s fully-equipped X5 for some weekend errands, after driving my P3 all week, and it surprisingly all felt unnecessarily complicated. I’m converted.
What was the car you owned before the Model 3? We’re curious to hear what any F80 M3 owners have to say about the Model 3 Performance.
Model 3 have started to arrive in my market. In 2013 I thought my neighbour’s Model S was the big Jaguar, took me three months to clue in. Model 3 is similarly so generic that by the time they fill orders it will look as commonplace as a tin of no name beans. M3 is gorgeous, prefer it to M4.
Jaguars are generic? I did not know that!
I was spoiled, I grew up in the Sir William Lyons era – once you go E-Type, you never go back! Ford ruined both brands for me when they started swapping out Jags & Astons under the other’s brand. Is the current model XF? Don’t see enough of them to make an impression – doesn’t it resemble a Mazda 3?
When it’s bmw blog and it’s a toss up the winner is clear. (Model x owner)
We’re more than objective, so the name BMWBLOG has nothing to do with it.
More objective as in Teslarati has an article with someone who owns two BMWs and one Tesla but the writer of this article comparing the two has never even test driven a Tesla. Oooooookk…
So skip over the Teslarati for their headline news that “BMW enthusiast likes Tesla”. Film @ 11.
I have owned lots of Ms 3,5 even an X6M and wouldn’t own anything else. Drove a friend’s Tesla in “ludicrous mode” it was cool but didn’t handle the curves at high speed the way the M does. Guess it’s a driving style kind of thing.
Since BMW outperform volume manufacturers that have been @ it for decades, not surprising.
So you haven’t actually driven the Model 3?
“For someone who likes to drive, and really drive, something like a
proper internal combustion engine-powered sports car is the only way.” Really? And in the early 1900’s people were saying, “For someone who likes to travel, and really travel, something like a proper saddle on a horse is the only way”. Motorheads can preach that an ICE is the only true driving experience but they are a dying breed.
Yeah…elektro-lobby makes sure of that…..
Electro-lobby has influence over transitions in the entire global car market? Good to know…
A century ago electric had 1/4 of the market. Didn’t last. Record 80+ million ICE sold last year, they’re around for @ least a decade, so not dying just yet.
This is a silly waste-of-time article, though with the makings of a good article – you should have waited to drive one before publishing. You make so many assumptions about what engagement with the car and the road is like in the Tesla.
Read the Road and Track review. https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/a22625274/tesla-model-3-performance-track-test/
No assumptions, we used the technical data. We will have a great video comparison soon, one of our guys just took ownership of a Model 3 Performance.
Let’s make sure someone other than Nico does the video comparison (Chuck’s was great – I own BMWs and a Tesla and his video was balanced). Nico has already shown his internal bias with his judgement that he could write a comparison article with no ownership or seat time in a Tesla.
No bias. He was upfront and honest about the report.
You really really needed to drive the Tesla! BEFORE you write the article!
The performance figures are deceptive – the BMW has similar (but less) power ONLY if the driver does everything right
It’s like the difference between riding a bike with a big engine and a 250 – the 250 may well have similar power if you are in exactly the right gear
But the big engine has that power ALL the time
The Tesla is like that – power available at any time
We’d love to drive the Model 3 Performance. However, it’s not as easy as just snapping our fingers and getting one. Tesla doesn’t often play ball so we have to find an owner with one to drive and schedule it. We’re working on it.
Then wait until you’ve actually driven it before comparing…
It’s too late. Writing such a worthless article comparing two cars and coming to a ‘conclusion’ when you’re an enthusiast of one brand and not even done the most basic test drive of the other, already shows your lack of any editorial/writing credibility and utter blind bias. As a BMW owner myself, I’m ashamed BMW owners are putting out this trash.
How is this for objectivity?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVX2eYIlmII
…yeah…..even when battery goes flat…..:-D
You compare 2 cars but only drive one! This is junk journalism.
“We haven’t actually driven the Tesla Model 3 Performance, but we are going to compare it’s drivability to the BMW M3 anyway.” :-)
Here’s an idea. Try test driving both of them. If you can’t find a performance Model 3, try the regular one. See how you like it compared to the BMW. I don’t want to influence you since you can make up your own mind. What are you afraid of?
I won’t tell you my preference, but I will tell you how I ended up comparing them. My Model 3 was in the shop (Tesla redesigned the suspension after mine was made, and they gave me a free upgrade) and Tesla was out of Tesla loaners. So they lent me a BMW. I had it for several days. Then I got my Model 3 back.
I suppose you could ask BMW to lend you a Model 3. They’d probably say that they don’t have one and wonder why you’d expect such a thing. But anybody who feels that the BMW would come out ahead should encourage BMW to do this. If you are right, they won’t lose a thing.
Sure, going on a competitor’s waitlist for loaners. Or use the hyperloop.
My neighbor had this exact same experience, getting a BMW loaner from Tesla. I already own two BMWs but I was curious what he thought. He said it really reminded him how much better the Tesla is in driving experience and he couldn’t wait to return the BMW back.
Different people have different needs. Most performance cars cost more to maintain, not so with Tesla. Nice to have the convenience to fill up at home with Tesla’s large battery. Nice to have updates/repairs over WiFi. Most repairs can be done at your home by a Tesla ranger as most parts, are modular, plug and play. 80% of repairs do not need a lift. Most cars looked dated inside because of buttons and knobs on the dash. With Tesla touch screen, the dash can be kept modern as the years past.
I have owned many expensive vehicles, BMW, MB, lots of Porsche’s, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Maserati and others. My Tesla Model X is amazing. Instant torque and full horsepower at 0 rpm or any speed with one gearbox gear. No waiting or hesitation when you mash the accelerator. It has an unique sound and it handles well enough for street driving.
I have attended 2- 2day M courses at BMW’s Spartanburg plant and I highly recommend. An adult Disneyland. Love the look of glowing red brake rotors and tires shredding from drifting.
I couldn’t buy Tesla on appearance alone, each one looks generic & identical.
BMW Blog should be ashamed of themselves for letting this complete worthless and joke of an article be published. Why waste time writing an article comparing two cars when you have zero experience with one of the two cars. As in not even driven it? Laughable this would fly.
For what it’s worth I own two BMWs and have driven the M2, M3 and Performance Model 3 and it was an easy win for the Tesla. The fact that Tesla uses BMWs as their cheap rental loaners should tell you something. The owners always say they can’t wait to get out of the dimmer.
Again,
Check this out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVX2eYIlmII
Thanks, that review was objective, balanced and fair and the author spent equal amounts of time in both vehicles. If this is the level of journalism BMW Blog aspires to, then this completely junk article by Nico DeMattia does your brand a huge disservice. Let’s make sure the next comparison is done by Chuck Vossler.
I’m genuinely astonished at the personal attacking. This was the first part of my last paragraph. “It really comes down to what you want. If you can sacrifice some true track capability and 10/10ths driving pleasure (which, let’s face it, a lot of driver’s can), the Tesla Model 3 Performance is hard to argue against, especially when you factor in the lack of gasoline needed.”
If that’s not enough recognition that the Model 3 Performance is likely the better all-around performance car, I’m not really sure how much more I can spell it out for you. While I personally haven’t driven it, I’ve spoken with people who have and I’ve read accounts of it and each and every time, the Model 3 Performance is considered a great car but, at 10/10ths driving, it can’t hold up with the very best sport sedans on the market. And that’s fine, because it’s not necessarily designed for that.
The Tesla is a fantastic car, we have no doubt. Is it the better track car? I’m not so sure.
Nico, it’s nothing personal. It’s solely a judgement on the article itself you chose to write and the judgement behind spending the time to write and publish it. It has nothing to do with whether your conclusion is actually right or wrong. It’s more to do with the fact that a conclusion based on zero experience with one vehicle isn’t worth wasting our time with. Read all the comments here, most everyone agree this is a “waste-of-time” article. Additionally you make subjective comments about the driving experience which would absolutely require you living with a Tesla to conclude. You may still conclude the same, but you have zero authority to do so now to be able to write “You pilot the Model 3 but you drive the M3.” and “For someone who likes to drive, and really drive, something like a proper internal combustion engine-powered sports car is the only way.” When the iPhone was announced and before it was released – did you also write an article on the Blackberry blog about how enthusiast smart-phone users will still require a hard keyboard? The point is not your conclusions but your methods and your judgement on what is good enough journalism for BMW Blog.
It’s actually my fault. I asked Nico to write it you based on technical details. I wanted to see the feedback since some car guys don’t think the two should be compared.
Chuck has the Model 3 and he will get an F80 for the comparison.
A few BMW enthusiasts have driven both and reached this verdict:
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-performance-track-enthusiast-outperforms-bmw/
“BMW enthusiast stated that he was simply blown away by the vehicle”
“the Model 3 Performance “absolutely outperforms anything BMW has to offer today.””
“no regrets with the Model 3 Performance, as the car has now taken over the mantle of the “Ultimate Driving Machine”.”
“a driving instructor for his local BMW CCA is selling his M3 and ordering the electric sedan after a test drive as well.”
You all should test drive the Model 3 Performance.
We will
As many on this forum, a long time BMW owner/lover, took my first long range Model 3 6 month ago, and could not go back to any of my BMWs, and can’t think of how ICE could survive another 5 years. Now I took delivery of the Performance 3, i would just say I am more worried about my physical fitness to handle the car’s full potential (it could indeed use a better seat for that sake though), not to mention the upcoming “track mode”.
Speaking of “which one to buy” as in the article title, i guess you then also factor in price, and cost of ownership. The Tesla would be $10K less up front with tax incentive, and did I mention P3D charges for free at superchargers, and cost close to nothing to maintain? Like many others said, how would you even assert your subjective feeling on the driving dynamics when you never even sat in one? It is really not that hard to get your hands on one now.
All that being said, I still intend to keep my E93 convertible for a long time, to remember the good old inline 6 sound, and to teach my 5y old what a century of gasoline car technology accumulated to be, when he grow up to a word of all electrics.
Nico – seeing as how so many have given you a hard time it might be a good idea to actually do a follow up to this review with both cars to test? Put the record straight so to speak. I know you did the best you could but it is pretty hard to assess drive-ability of any vehicle on 3rd party reports.
I appreciate this is BMWblog and therefore likely to be slightly biased, but I didn’t have to give it a second thought before ordering a Model 3 Performance over the M3. The decision was made easy after owning a Model X for the last 18 months and getting a taste for both EV power delivery and Tesla tech and innovation. These are game-changers as far as I’m concerned and I have no plans to buy another ICE car. I hope BMW can get on the band wagon with EVs in the next few years. The i3 is quite cool, but a bit quirky and not in the same performance league as Tesla. Maybe the next gen i8 will be of interest if they commit to full EV. The current hybrid i8 looks the part but nowhere near as practical or quick as the Model 3 P. What BMW really need to compete here is an EV M3!