CAR WARS! Did Elon Musk Get The Last Laugh? Top Gear Finds Out WHICH Is Better: The Model 3 vs. The M3

The one vehicle that's been the benchmark for eons, which every manufacturer tries to best, is the BMW 3-Series. While there's no doubt the latest generation wasn't all that and a bag of chips, it still was the best sports sedan by some accounts.

Knowing this, Elon Musk set out to create the Model 3 to crush the long-time accolade winner. When Musk announced the stats for the Model 3 Performance, everyone thought he was mad.

And then the car got delivered. Everything changed. But, how much was hyperbole? How much was rooted in reality?

In this Top Gear test, the whole battle gets sorted out. That's because the British publication put the BMW M3 up against the Model 3 Performance.

Once and for all, the record can be set straight. See below to find out WHICH auto is better, the Model 3 or the M3.



Four challenges - a drag race, 0-100-0, hot lap, drift off - a point for each, one overall winner. And it’s all because Elon posted a tweet last May claiming the Model 3 Performance would wipe the floor with the BMW M3 on track. Was he right?

MBKing - 5/1/2019 1:08:26 AM

+5 Boost

The only thing this video determined...this dude Jack is a horrendous driver.

pchera01 - 5/1/2019 2:53:33 AM

+4 Boost

+1

skytop - 5/1/2019 6:36:29 AM

+3 Boost

Tesla excels in boring, unenthusiastic, prosaic driving.

rockreid - 5/1/2019 7:40:13 AM

-4 Boost

The tester didn’t mention the fact that the Tesla also gets 130mpg-e while also being able to blow the BMW off the road. There’s that too.

MDarringer - 5/1/2019 8:06:25 AM

+2 Boost

And that is of ZERO consideration when considering an M3-class vehicle.

MDarringer - 5/1/2019 8:07:11 AM

+1 Boost

This is pure bullsh!t: "Elon Musk set out to create the Model 3 to crush the long-time accolade winner." Not even an iota of truth in that.

countguy - 5/1/2019 8:54:19 AM

+3 Boost

lmao, don't care how fast it is for a couple of minutes, still don't want a crap ughly tesla. Let's see how it performs on a track, oh wait it can't do a track day without having to recharge, lmao.

SanJoseDriver - 5/2/2019 4:32:23 AM

+1 Boost

You can get about 90min in, should be plenty of time for most people.

cidflekken - 5/1/2019 11:21:13 AM

+2 Boost

Couldn't watch the video so I don't know the performance outcomes, but these are two different cars for two different buyers. If a Civic Type R outran and out performed an M3, I still wouldn't buy it over an M3 (or C63 or Quadrifoglio or ATS-V).

SanJoseDriver - 5/2/2019 4:35:06 AM

+1 Boost

Guy in the video claims the Model 3 is more comfortable than the M3. Fewer compromises between everyday driving and the track. He still said the M3 was more fun despite being slower and less comfortable. You can't easily drift the Model 3, if that's your idea of fun.

Truthy - 5/1/2019 4:43:20 PM

+2 Boost

How much tesla stock do the agents here own? This is f**king how much pro-tesla they put out every day.