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I feel like this discussion underscores just how far Tesla has been able to go in their attempt to disrupt the industry - that we can even argue about the model 3 being a direct competitor with a 4 Series - especially one with an M badge (not that it means what it once did) - is pretty amazing. The Model 3 has been something of a category buster, and how often do we see that happen with legacy brands? I definitely have friends who went Tesla for their daily commuter after being long-time German brand buyers.
Personally, I never considered any Tesla because the interiors, build quality, road noise, and suspensions were a no-go after so many years as a BMW loyalist. Yep, I like my HUD, well-designed seats, and any flavor of M suspension, etc.
That said, I think I am going to take a hard look at the new Model 3 performance as a short term lease. I've been going back and forth between the I4 M50 and the I5 M60 for the last couple of months, while also waiting to test drive the upcoming 550e and the E53 AMG PHEV that launches in July. When I look at the price of the new Model 3 Performance and its recent enhancements, I feel like I'd be a fool not to at least test drive it. Honestly, with what I would save over an I5 M60, I could buy a GR86 or Miata for weekend use, which is feeling more and more like an actual option as I look at the ballooning weight on PHEV's and BEV's.
I'm really curious to feel what they've done with the new adaptive suspension and seats. I also like the idea of saving nearly a thousand pounds of weight. I think it is pretty likely that I'll stick with BMW or Mercedes, but I'm gonna at least give the new Model 3 a look -- even if it isn't a true luxury car. That's the thing about disruptive products -- they can be hard to classify using the same rules as we use for legacy products.
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