If you had to wager two bucks on which of these is quicker on a track, would you pick the Model 3 because it reads Performance on the back, or would you rather the Taycan 4S because of the German automaker’s pedigree? Richard Symons of R Symons LTD believes that both are well suited for tracking, but on the other hand, the Porsche feels much better.
“For the money, the Model 3 is really fast and very capable,” said the man in charge of the largest supplier of used Teslas in the United Kingdom. This particular example of the breed is fully stock except for the Michelin rubber, which is better suited for racing compared to the factory-supplied Pirellis.
Pictured on 20-inch wheels, the Model 3 Performance is rocking Track Mode V2 that offers multiple customization settings and real-time status monitoring. Track Mode V2 rolled out with version 2020.8 two years ago.
The wild-looking Taycan is the 4S with the large battery pack, a sports-oriented electric sedan that costs a bit more than the Model 3 Performance. Fitted with 21-inch wheels and Pirellis rather than Michelins, the German challenger “is more composed around the corners” according to Richard.
“The suspension is more subtle, and the vehicle moves around less, giving you a bit more confidence to drive at speed and to carry the higher corner speeds which suit this track really well.” With a bit of practice, Richard thinks the Taycan can be a second quicker at the Thruxton Race Circuit.
Fast forward to the 9:45 mark of the featured clip, and you’ll see 1:35.11 for the Porsche and 1:38 on the nose for the Tesla. In addition to its well-sorted suspension, the Taycan also has the upper hand in terms of acceleration and speed, thanks to the two-speed gearbox on the rear axle.
As opposed to Tesla’s direct-drive system, the two-speed box developed by Porsche offers better acceleration in first gear and better efficiency in the longer second gear. The second gear has a ratio of 8.05:1, translating to one wheel revolution for every eight-ish motor revolutions.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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