The BMW M3 has long been the king of the sports sedan segment but can the all-electric Tesla Model 3 Performance beat the M3 at its own game?
To see, Top Gear pitted the duo together for a series of performance tests to see if electric powertrains really are the solution to building enjoyable and quick sports sedans.
The comparison begins with a drag race between the duo. Whereas the BMW pumps out 425 hp from its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, the Tesla has a combined 450 hp. Unlike the BMW, the Tesla is all-wheel drive and the lack of a transmission means it can defeat the BMW in a straight line.
For the next test, Top Gear set out to see which of the two can accelerate and then brake the quickest. Thanks to its electric powertrain, the Tesla was once again able to walk away victorious in this test. In the final performance test, the two lapped a twisty circuit and while you may expect the M3’s lighter overall weight to give it the advantage, it was actually the Tesla which came out in top.
Last but not least, the two were put head-to-head to see which performs the better powerslides. The BMW M3 came out on top in that little test.
While the Tesla may have the BMW beat on paper, Top Gear argues that it is the M3 which is the more enjoyable car to drive. We couldn’t agree more.