Tesla’s widely acclaimed Model 3, known for its affordability and recent facelift under the “Project Highland” codename, has undergone a challenging assessment on the renowned Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany. The extensive test drive, featured on Misha Charoudin’s popular YouTube channel, offers insights into the Model 3’s performance in a high-performance setting.
The video showcases the Tesla Model 3 Highland’s abilities and limitations, shedding light on various aspects of its performance. Notably, experienced driver Misha Charoudin frequently highlights the Model 3’s brake system, which exhibited signs of overheating when the decelerating recuperation function was disabled. Additionally, the stock Michelin e-Primacy tires, designed for maximizing daily driving efficiency and range, struggled to provide adequate grip on the wet and slippery track surface, as expected.
The Model 3’s facelift introduced new dampers aimed at enhancing ride comfort on regular roads. However, the video reveals that these dampers may not be optimized for high-speed cornering, hinting at a potential area for improvement for a performance-oriented Ludicrous model.
On a positive note, the test drive showcases the Model 3’s new lithium iron phosphate battery’s capability to withstand prolonged heavy load without overheating. This robust battery retains its full performance even when operating at a lower state of charge, highlighting its resilience.
The video also highlights a minor critique related to the Model 3’s windshield wiper controls, which were deemed somewhat unintuitive. In one instance, the assistance of passenger Kyle Conner from “Out of Spec Reviews” was required to navigate the controls effectively.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife test provides valuable insights into the Tesla Model 3 Highland’s performance characteristics. It showcases the car’s strengths, such as its durable battery technology, while also pointing out areas where improvements could be made, particularly for a potential high-performance variant of Tesla’s affordable electric vehicle.
