Tesla Model 3 Performance vs Porsche 718 Spyder : which one is faster?
0-100 km/h, 400 m, 1000 m, top speed — physics simulation calibrated on 7 measures.
400 m
Simulation de performance
Race simulation at real speed
CONFIDENCE 98%Calibrated physics simulation: SCx via VMax, power curves, Crr via WLTP, drivetrain losses. Manufacturer 0-100 is the calibration target. Confidence 98 %.
Model 3 Performance vs 718 Spyder: chronicle of a drag race at 310 km/h
The launch: 0 to 100 km/h
Off the line, the Model 3 Performance hits 100 km/h in 3.29 s versus 4.27 s for the 718 Spyder. The instant torque of 698 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Model 3 Performance leads by 0.98 s and sits roughly 9 m ahead.
From 100 km/h to 400 metres
At 200 metres, the Model 3 Performance is doing 157 km/h against 156 km/h for the 718 Spyder. The gap is 0.61 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.
At 400 metres standing start, the Model 3 Performance crosses the line in 11.49 s versus 12.04 s. The 0.56 s gap represents roughly 30 m of track — a gap visible to the naked eye.
Beyond 400 metres: top speed comes into play
Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The Model 3 Performance maxes out at 261 km/h while the 718 Spyder keeps accelerating towards 310 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap is down to 0.46 s from 0.56 s at 400 metres.
At 1,000 metres, the Model 3 Performance finishes in 21.21 s versus 21.49 s, with just 0.28 s to spare. The 718 Spyder fails to fully close the launch gap.
What the numbers don’t tell you
The Model 3 Performance features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the 718 Spyder’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.
Electronically capped at 261 km/h, the Model 3 Performance never reaches its natural aerodynamic ceiling in this duel. That’s not a physical limit of the motor — it’s a deliberate manufacturer decision, typically tied to standard-fit tyre ratings or model-range positioning.
Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.
In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 5.82 seconds. The 0.98 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.
Tesla Model 3 Performance has a clear edge over the Porsche 718 Spyder to 100 km/h. This difference is clearly noticeable in spirited driving and widens on standing starts.