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Top Gear Reviews Tesla Model 3 Against Volvo S60, BMW 3 Series

It’s been 5 years since the infamous punch-up that has seen Top Gear change dramatically, and despite the mixed reception for the presenting team, the show continues to air with Chris Harris, Andrew Flintoff, and Paddy McGuinness at the helm. In the latest episode of Top Gear, the three amigos set out to find the best company car on sale today in the United Kingdom by means of a three-way test.
Top Gear S29 E01 21 photos
Photo: BBC
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As the headline implies, someone considered that the Model 3 is comparable to the 3 Series and S60 even though they couldn’t be more different. In addition to being electric, the Tesla is classified as a mid-size sedan instead of compact executive.

The comparison test is labeled as a 24-hour endurance test for some reason or another, and some of the trials the cars have been put through include hot laps on a circuit, time attack runs in a parking garage, sleeping in the cars, and all that jazz. “Irrelevant” is the word you’re looking for, and similarly irrelevant is the verdict.

BMW had the legs on the track, Tesla proved to have the fastest sedan in the multi-level parking garage, and Volvo trails behind in third place. The 3 Series was initially chosen as the winner of the comparison test but Harris wouldn’t take it home because the Model 3 is fantastic.” When all is said and done, does the Tesla actually make sense as a company car in the United Kingdom?

In a nutshell, yes it does. From March 2020, the government offers £3,000 to those making the switch from internal combustion to electric propulsion. EVs are also exempt from the Vehicle Excise Duty road tax that costs £140 after the first year of ownership for hybrids vehicles like the S60 T8 and 330e.

In terms of upfront price, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus with rear-wheel drive has an obvious advantage as well. For starters, it costs 40,490 pounds sterling before potential savings such as the infamous Company Car Tax.

The Volvo with plug-in hybrid assistance is five grand more than that whereas the 330e is marginally cheaper, and both of them play second fiddle in terms of standard equipment. Other than its reliance on charging stations and waiting for the battery to fill up, the Tesla sure ticks all of the right boxes.

You can watch the Top Gear episode here (registration required).
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

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.
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