This Tesla Model 3 Is Faster On Track Than A McLaren F1

Thanks to a plethora of chassis and aero modifications, this Tesla Model 3 has beaten the legendary F1’s time around a famous Japanese circuit
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Tuning is the ultimate leveller: we all know you can tune almost anything to go chasing hypercars if you throw enough money and expertise at it, and the latest giant-killer on the scene is the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model 3.

The electric family saloon (sedan, if you’re not British) is a quick thing anyway, posting supercar-quick launch times, but on a track it’s known to run out of breath. Specialist Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance has countered the top-end fall-off in performance with a special raft of chassis and aero upgrades, under the ‘Ascension-R’ umbrella, to make the humble Model 3 an absolute missile through the bends.

This Tesla Model 3 Is Faster On Track Than A McLaren F1

The results are pretty spectacular, with the hopped-up EV now able to lap Japan’s iconic Tsukuba circuit more than a second quicker than a McLaren F1. Okay, so it’s maybe a smidge unfair to compare it to a hypercar from the 1990s, but such is the legend of the F1 that it remains a universal performance benchmark.

Among the mods are a bespoke and three-way adjustable coilover suspension kit, front and rear three-way adjustable anti-roll bars and 394mm six-piston carbon ceramic brakes. Buyers can choose 18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels depending on how much they hate sidewalls, and wearing Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres even the 20-inch hoops weigh just 8.9kg each.

This Tesla Model 3 Is Faster On Track Than A McLaren F1

Check out the rear wing, too. It’s hand-made to order and offers each lucky buyer the chance to customise the exact design before construction begins. Function matches form courtesy of useful downforce brought to the rear end.

Then there are the Tesla-embroidered bucket seats, replacing the standard ones from which the cornering forces would eject a driver pretty sharpish. They’re covered in a mix of suede and suspiciously Golf GTI-ish tartan, and they look fantastic.

This Tesla Model 3 Is Faster On Track Than A McLaren F1

The price for all this lovely silliness? Erm, $35,000. That’s almost as much as the purchase price of the base Model 3 itself and takes the overall cost of a new car plus Ascension-R mods to $74,990. Still, next to some other track-biased toys fetching six-figure price tags it looks like a bit of a steal…

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Comments

Robert Gracie

Tsukuba is a tiny circuit its only like 1.2 miles long so you would expect it to beat a McLaren F1 around there due to the performance of the motors used

08/12/2020 - 09:34 |
6 | 0

Yeah it’s a different kind of performance too. The Mc F1 will have long gearing and in standard road form it was never built to go around a track fast. The F1 was built to be an experience. Also, modern tires etc

08/12/2020 - 10:15 |
8 | 0
1950 Mercury Coupe

I’d still rather have the F1. No matter how fast this Tesla is.

08/12/2020 - 16:09 |
6 | 0
DG65425

Now put modern tyres and aero on a F1 and set a lap time

08/12/2020 - 19:42 |
2 | 0
slevo beavo

Is anyone shocked….. probably not lol.

08/13/2020 - 07:19 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

It’s almost as if they specifically chose Tsukuba to put the Tesla at an advantage…

08/13/2020 - 18:01 |
0 | 0
German Car fanboy

Wow, go Tesla!

09/08/2020 - 05:23 |
0 | 2