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Tesla Model 3 Performance Deemed Better Than BMW M3: Video Review
AUG 23 2018 BY VANJA KLJAIC 33
Model 3 versus M3. There can be just one winner. Or, maybe not.
Before we dive into the ins and outs of this video, there’s an issue we need to resolve. While YouTubers – especially the most popular ones – are considered the voice of the car industry these days, there’s a small problem with that. Most of them are out there for clicks and views. Which is definitely fine with us. However, from an objective journalism standpoint, some of their videos (and titles especially) need to be taken with a grain of salt. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t still compelling reasons to share them.
More Model 3 Test Drives
Pretty much the same can be applied to this video by the well-known Vehicle Virgins channel. Certainly, Parker makes some of the most entertaining car videos on YouTube, and the 1.7 million subscribers mean he’s doing a good job at it. However, the sheer fact that there are two videos with completely contradicting titles, posted with a small 48h timeframe difference, mean that these videos shouldn’t be taken as the law. While many are quick to bash Vehicle Virgins, or some other well-known vloggers like Shmee150 and others for primitive and despicable reasons, our personal grudge against them is their inconsistency. But hey, it gets a ton of views and gives us some interesting – albeit conflicting – information to share.
For example, in the video review above, Parker explains how he thinks the Tesla Model 3 Performance is better than a BMW M3. Only 2 days earlier, the same channel posted a video titled “5 HUGE PROBLEMS With The Tesla Model 3.”
Certainly, one does not cross out the other. But in true fairness, these are quite the opposite sides of the same argument. Furthermore, the video doesn’t really give us a lot of cold, hard facts about why the Model 3 Performance is better than an M3. Sure, the similar price point, speed off the line and fuel economy (or the lack thereof) make for compelling arguments.
But a BMW M3 or a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG (also mentioned in this video) are more than just straight line speed and how much it costs to fuel them up.
Therefore, until a real test drive where these three are compared both on and off the track, the question remains: does this video actually give us a compelling argument for a conclusive agreement on whether the Model 3 is better than a BMW M3?
Make sure to press play above and drop us your opinion in the comments down below.
Categories: BMW, Comparison, Tesla
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33 Comments on "Tesla Model 3 Performance Deemed Better Than BMW M3: Video Review"
I can’t wait to drive the Model 3P on the 31st… BMW is going to have to step-up their game.
Lucky you, I drove one, the drive is impressive… As much as I could push it in a short test drive I would say it is a huge step up from the LR RWD… I would buy the Tesla over the BMW M3, if I was young enough to be shopping in that segment.
I just gave David Green a thumbs up! I AM SHOCKED! If that is the same David Green of Tesla hate fame.
I did say some nice things about the I-Pace earlier.
Is there hope for this world? 🙂
The M3 isn’t the top dog anyways IMO. The current gen is old and wasn’t the best to begin with.
So they should have been stepping up their game for a couple of years…
The Model 3 seems to be cool, though. No overheating and good handling plus EV responsiveness and acceleration is the winning formula.
Hopping out of a P85D, lowered on Bilsteins, the one thing that still impressed me about M3P was the weight, the turn-in and “this in no way feels like a 35k car”. Sheesh, versus an ICE, any BEV with a battery in the floor is apt to feel lighter, even if its heavier. They don’t roll around, and pitch.
Still, I bet what results in the most trigger pulls is how much better people find them for ordinary use. Yes, driving a passenger car can get “that much better”.
35k car???? It’s a +/-70k car.
He means it doesn’t feel like a 35k car that’s been optioned out to 70k. Seemed pretty obvious to me, not sure why you’re confused.
I don’t know anyone who would get in a fully-loaded BMW M3 and say, “Wow, this doesn’t feel like a $35k car”… because it’s an $80k car. The same goes for sitting in a $130k Corvette ZR1 and remarking, “Wow, I’ve never seen a car like this for $55k!”
In the high-end market, options are significant and pricey. You can fudge the price of a fully-loaded Camry vs. a stripped base Camry, but you can’t do that on a car where the options cost more than the base car unless you want to sound like a lunatic.
This is fairly legit review, Model 3P is impressive in some ways, but no track testing? People who buy M3 often like to go to the track… His 0-60 runs also appeared to be on a slight downward gradient.
Let us not forget he compared the latest Tesla to the outgoing M3 which is not even being made anymore, hopefully revisit with the new M3 when released?
They don’t have track mode activated, yet. Probably because they don’t want to ruin test drive vehicles, LOL. The regen didn’t feel anywhere near 60KW. When they load up the front, to get the car to dive into turns, its going to require a lot of drag. Even then, the front regen R&T talks about is nothing like lift-throttle over-steer in a RWD car. More like lifting in a FWD car, where safer under-steer results as the transmission drag slows the fronts. It wasn’t described this way, and maybe Tesla’s engineers found a way to load the regen up, on the outside front (that oughtta bring things around?).
What is the rear bias, of the Taycan’s motors? Do you know if they are the same, or different, front and back?
They don’t feature an M3 or any Merc in the video! It’s just a 24hr driving review of the Model 3P. Not a lot of camera work either, mostly the one guy talking to the camera.
He can conclude all he wants… but what we need to see is a head-to-head on a track with someone of the calibre of Chris Harris… to put the issue to bed.
Probably worth pointing out that BMW isn’t selling any M3 at the moment due to emissions problems.
Check this out. Set aside petty sharks that Parker repeatedly
“until a real test drive where these three are compared both on and off the track, the question remains: does this video actually give us a compelling argument for a conclusive agreement on whether the Model 3 is better than a BMW M3?”
Even once they are compared on one track, it will instantly just bring up the question: “But what about OTHER tracks?” How do they compare on a higher speed track? A longer track? A more technical track? A track with both dirt and tarmac? An uphill course? A frozen lake course…
Then what about with and without modifications? Which one is cheaper to mod? Different tires, a chip tune, with or without track package (Tesla) or “Competition Pack” (BMW M3). Then which is the better used car value, best 9/10ths canyon carver, best on the Autobahn, best daily driver, etc, etc etc.
There will never be any “conclusive agreement” ever on which one is best. Luckily for Motor 1, the debate will be endless, just like BMW v. Audi, Honda v. Toyota, Chevy v. Ford, etc.
I think it comes down to preference, A person who likes ICE, and the track will take the M3 or M4, a person wanting an EV will take the Tesla…
Having driven the Model 3P I would take the Tesla, just because its an EV that drives great, and is fun… On styling, and build, Model 3 is not my favorite, but good enough.
“There will never be any ‘conclusive agreement’ ever on which one is best.”
Well said! Thank you.
The idea that there is some sort of objective criteria to judge which car in any segment is “best”, is pretty silly. You can measure a car on a dyno, you can test driving response on an obstacle course, you can calculate miles per kWh. But what you can never measure objectively is how much someone will enjoy driving a car, or the various degrees of importance that different people assign to such things as price, comfort, cargo capacity, utility, visibility, etc. etc.
The saying “Your mileage may vary” applies to EVs, too!
I’ve had the opportunity to see a Model 3 parked curbside behind a C CLass Mercedes and a BMW M3. Even though the Tesla was not a Performance model, it had the 19″ alloys. The Tesla just looked like a sexier, more exciting and sleek automobile.
The two gas burners had their days in the sun. That’s the way I look at it. Because of their powerplants, they both have squared-off noses with big gaping holes in them. These grilles used to be their trademark and a huge matter of ownership pride. “Look at my three pointed star atop that big antique radiator!” “Look at my throwback horsecollar grillework under my propellor logo!” Now they just look old and low tech.
I looked at the gleaming silver Model 3 and it’s smooth nose and remembered how many onlookers say it reminds them of a Porsche. Most mean a 911 rather than a Panamera. Nonetheless, the comparison is striking. Comparing a sports car to a four door sedan that seats my entire family and their junk from the supermarket and Costco!
I see that M3 parked next to the P3 and it’s like 20th Century vs. 21st.
Two equally priced cars will show in the sales difference. M3P will cream BMW ICE 3 series like it does BMW EV just like S destroys BMW’s top line but worse. Call it karma. Saw article suggesting BMW should be the target of acquisition over Tesla, problem is BMW would be a stupid acquisition.
Wait, did you just say that Tesla should target BMW for an acquisition? That’s a bit … overthetop.
I think this will all be brutally sorted out. If you say a car is good on a track, you sorta have to go there.
The internal combustion engine is inferior in every way except for one, it uses very high density fuel. Once batteries energy gets X% denser the EV will dominate.
All Tesla Mod 3 P DM critics should read Road & Track and Motor Trend articles about the car. “The European Marques perreninally atop the sport sedan podium are about to have the trapdoor release beneath them”. >Motor Trend.
I respect those guy’s opinion atmospheres above some dork with a vlog.
Half or more of those You Tubers give the same, stupid vids, the only thing being different is the nut behind the wheel.
Who cares about some dork hitting the hard plastic and commenting on driving impressions when he has zero credentials? Car expert? They usually come across as a guy going for a test drive. Just some guy. We watch in fascination, usually because they get first access to the car. No dealer has one – you know no one who has an example you can test.
The pros use instrumentation, and if you’re Motor Trend, you may even be under scrutiny to whether you use a rolling start technique or not.
I prefer if a guy has at least gone through several Bob Bondurant School of Performance Driving classes at the very least. Perhaps he/she has raced on an amateur or professional level? Those people know handling, they know nuances, and some know engineering. The pay they have gotten for their expertise has been from an actual employer, not ad hits from Google.
I can tell this guy is not an owner. He has several things wrong. Also, he was talking about having a second ICE car for driving on the weekends. Once you own an EV and it’s your daily driver, going back to a gasser is torture, not fun. You push the peddle and then wait 10 minutes for the car to move, no regenerative braking, and a lot of other things.
This is honestly the most problematic idea within this comparison. If the Model 3 Performance is that good (and I’m not saying it’s not) then what’s the point of an ICE monster over the weekends? I like some of his videos, but here, there clearly was no objective facts other than the fuel consumption and straight line performance.
Now after the warm up original roadster (a classic and ground breaker) and the original electric RAV 4 which Tesla did for Toyota, every car Tesla has done has been the best there is.
This guy’s reaction to the Model 3 is why I think Tesla’s gonna be ok. Looking at all the negative press lately, I find myself getting back to one thing: Tesla’s product. The product is a good product and folks still want it. Regardless of the daily stock price, how many cars they produced in a week, Elon’s strange Tweets, the Tent, etc. Folks still want the cars.
Just one man’s opinion.
To get this far Tesla has “borrowed” lots of money to build factories, infrastructure etc. Those loans needs to be paid back. There are lots of debt to be paid starting Nov -18 and Feb -19. If Tesla doesn’t show profitability big time next 6 months or so then nobody is going to finance you further. It does not matter how good the car is or how many they make per month.
Tesla will be here 6 months from now. Even if they decline, some big entity will swoop in and buy ’em. Tesla’s a valuable brand.
I’ve driven the M3. Except for 0-100 it’s obviously far better than the Model 3. Sitting inside an M3 is like a dream, the Tesla interior is not even close. An electric M3 would be awesome.
I like the Spartan simplistic view and gobs amount of space of the Model 3. It’s more spacious than our G37 which was surprising.