Consumer Reports Still Not Fully Impressed By Tesla Model 3

Concerns seem pretty minor, though.

The Tesla Model 3 has been reviewed by any number of publications since it debuted last year and the torrent of accolades that have been poured out in that time that may have washed away some of the more critical voices out there. Consumer Reports, which purchased their own example of the mid-sized sedan and have already issued an initial video review, has not allowed the praise from others to stop them from raising some quibbles and publishing its full review with the somewhat disparaging subtitle “Fully electric but not fully baked.”

This newly published review, it has to be said, seems to be a warmed-over version of that initial take. In print form, it starts with the same criticisms as its original video (embedded below) — they knock the suspension, saying it’s “overly stiff”, call the rear seat uncomfortable, and repeat that the driver controls, located on that single screen mounted to the dash, are distracting.” They also bring up the braking issue they had, which Tesla fixed with an over-the-air (OTA) update.

Those issues aside, they appear to really like it, repeating many of the positives they noted in their original review. They say the steering is precise, and it handles like it’s glued to the road. The one piece of new information we can see from its extended time with the car is their attempts to test the range. They say that while it is rated to achieve 310 miles on a charge, while “using Tesla’s higher regenerative braking mode” they managed to squeeze out a nice 350 miles.

One criticism from the original video not repeated here has to do with wind noise. This writer has read a few reports noting wind noise, as well as some seeing substantial improvement after a treatment from service technicians, so it’s possible they had this issue addresed. You can read their complete road test results here, but you’ll have to be a subscriber to do so.

Source: Consumer Reports

Tesla Model 3 Track Mode Unlocked – Sets Track Record

Sasha Anis and his crew of tuners at Mountain Pass Performance may be known for their big brake kits, coilovers, and suspension mods for the Tesla Model 3, but today, they took the wraps off their latest and perhaps greatest achievement: disabling Electronic Stability Control (SC) and the Traction Control System (TCS) without disabling the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) on the Model 3. 

While details on the modification have yet to be shared, Sasha did share that they have designed a defeat system that, unlike the defeat devices implemented by internal combustion vehicle manufacturers, is designed to let the vehicle play a little nicer on the track.

The factory Stability Control and Traction Control systems were designed to maximize traction and safety in the Model 3 while on the street, but when it hits the track, drivers are looking for more control over the vehicle. These two automated systems continuously override the accelerator inputs, even going so far as to kill the acceleration when the vehicle is pushed to the limits.

Racers like to have more control over the vehicle, so Sasha and his crew of misfits took on the challenge and have essentially unlocked the famed “Track Mode” on the Tesla Model 3 … and theirs is a rear-wheel drive model, not an all-wheel drive Performance Edition.

Naturally, Sasha quickly took the newly modified Model 3 out to the road to test out the new modes and found that he was able to easily get the vehicle to break traction around a turn, confirming that ESC and TCS had been disabled, then stopped abruptly, confirming that ABS was still functioning.

After the road test to confirm the new modifications were successful, Sasha and the team at Mountain Pass Performance took “the future” — the name of their Model 3 — to the track to see just how much it had improved. The results were astonishing. Over the last few weeks, the team at Mountain Pass Performance has developed a new Big Brake Kit for the Model 3 along with a set of custom coilovers and some suspension mods for the car — all of which stacked onto the capability added by a good set of rims and tires. The MPP hardware modifications took the car to a new level, but this new “hack” blows the lid off of the entire thing.

I won’t spoil the fun. Sasha reached out to us and shared that the, “Car also went wildly faster today with the traction control disabled and some more setup work. It would have set a new record in its class by almost a second if this was a competition. The record is a 1:20.3 by an M3 and we did a 1:18.9!!!” The modification was achieved “with CAN communication with the Motec,” according to a post by Mountain Pass Performance on its Instagram feed.

Not only does this new modification validate the direction he’s headed with “the future” — it also confirms that the Model 3 is a serious contender and, while the progress made by Mountain Pass Performance is stunning, the outfit has only been playing with it for a few weeks, so there is no doubt that this is only the beginning and Sasha Anis and the crew at Mountain Pass Performance will be sitting on top with a new record.

Elon Musk and the team at Tesla have created a beast, but they tamed it before unleashing it on the streets. Sasha Anis and his team at Mountain Pass Performance are now enticing the beast to reveal its inner nature. They are putting the car on a strict workout regimen designed to squeeze as much performance out of this thing as possible, while feeding it only a diet of fresh and clean renewable energy.

The results today confirm that the Model 3 is indeed a monster on the track and that Tesla has an opportunity to open up an entirely new segment of customers in the racing community if it’s willing to play nice and officially open up “Track Mode” features to drivers of its vehicles. An even better bet would be to go straight to the guys over at Mountain Pass Performance to figure out what racers actually want from the car … and work with them to build up a custom set of track capabilities for the Model 3.

What’s even crazier about this accomplishment is that Sasha did this with just the RWD version of the car. It’s not the Performance Edition or even the AWD configuration — just a single, lonely motor in the back of the car. In other words, it’s the zero-to-sixty in 5.1 seconds version, not the zero-to-sixty in the “pin you to the back of your seat” 3.5 seconds version. That’s straight up nutty to think about. This accomplishment has me excited once again about electric cars and for the future as we crack open a new chapter in track racing where, from the very outset, electric vehicles are starting on top thanks to Sasha and his team of hackers at Mountain Pass Performance.

Mercedes-Benz EQS caught in spy shots

Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept, 2016 Paris auto show

For decades, Mercedes-Benz sold only two passenger cars. Now, the automaker is promising 10 different electric cars.

Although the Mercedes has not revealed plans for all of them, spy photographers have recently captured a large electric sedan from Mercedes-Benz testing at Mercedes's headquarters in Sindelfingen, Germany. 

The spy pics were published by Motor Authority.

In line with Mercedes-Benz's naming convention and statements from company executives, observers expect the new sedan to be called the EQS, sitting parallel in Mercedes-Benz's lineup with its flagship S-Class.

Previous statements from Mercedes executives have hinted that the EQS will go on sale in 2020, likely as a 2021 model.

It is expected to ride on Mercedes's dedicated, modular electric-car architecture, dubbed MEA. At the same time, Mercedes is separately developing a new gas-fueled S-Class sedan that will ride on a separate rear-wheel-drive gas platform (MRA), and debut around the same time.

The EQ chassis sits a little higher than the basic S-Class to allow space for the large battery packs under the floor, but it has a much more steeply swept windshield and sleeker profile.

A high tail indicates it could be a hatchback, perhaps like the Tesla Model S, its target competition. It could, however, be just part of the prototype's camouflage.

Among the 10 electric models Mercedes has said it will deliver, the EQS represents the third passenger car, after the EQC small SUV and the EQA small coupe.

It has also revealed prototypes and specs of two commercial electric vans, and is expected to offer a small electric sedan the size of the C-class.