Model 3

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sedan

Tesla has taken a step toward reducing the build complexity of its top-selling Model 3 sedan, it seems, which could help the company save money and speed up production a tad as it resumes North American manufacturing operations after several weeks under lockdown.

Specifically, Tesla has done away with the so-called "sleeper" Model 3 Performance - that is, the Model 3 Performance without the Performance Upgrade Package (PUP). That package was offered as a no-cost option, unlocking a 162-mph top speed (vs. 145) at the expense of some amount of range; the PUP-equipped Model 3 Performance has a claimed maximum driving range of 299 miles, to the non-PUP 3's 322 miles.

Beside the extra speed, the Performance Upgrade Package also included some distinctive gray 20-inch wheels and a carbon-fiber spoiler, without which the Tesla Model 3 Performance was hardly recognizable as a Performance model at all - hence the "sleeper" moniker. Additionally, the package included higher-performance brakes, a lower ride height, and even a Track Mode. Those options are all now standard on the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

We don't know whether this change will be permanent, or if it's just a temporary measure as Tesla looks to reduce build complexity and streamline the assembly process as much as possible while manufacturing is being gradually ramped back up.

Interestingly, the equivalent package for the Tesla Model Y Performance still appears to be optional instead of compulsory, according to the online configurator, giving customers a choice between more top speed (155 mph vs. 145) or more range (315 miles vs. 280). The Performance Upgrade Package for the Y doesn't include Track Mode or a carbon-fiber spoiler, but it does have some wicked-looking gray 21" wheels with just about the coolest name ever: "Überturbine." Oh mein Gott.

The mechanically similar Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are built side-by-side at both of the company's existing vehicle assembly plants: Fremont, California; and Shanghai, China.