New 600HP Tesla Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous trim filmed speeding on the Autobahn

Instead of an imminent 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance release, the latest rumors peg it for a May launch under the Model 3 Ludicrous naming scheme.

Apparently, Tesla had some suspension kinks to iron out as it paired a new 406HP rear motor with a 212HP front one for a total of about 600HP output. That's just as teased by Tesla's head of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy during a recent review of the Model 3 Highland with Jay Leno.

Jay said that he might pick one if there is a tri-motor beast that will offer the same insane acceleration as the 2017 Performance model. Lars quickly dismissed the rumored tri-motor variant for China, and said that a third motor would've complicated space distribution too much. Tesla went with a dual-motor version again, yet way more powerful than what's in the current Model 3 Highland LR trim.

2024 Model 3 Performance range and specs

The use of two instead of three motors reportedly allowed Tesla to keep the car's weight in check and its range comparable to the existing Highland trims. The 2024 Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous sedan allegedly weighs just 4,089 lbs (1,855kg), and can travel for 270 miles on the demanding South Korea range test with its 79 kWh battery supplied by LG, at least for the China version.

Tesla reportedly sent a team of about 20 Fremont engineers to the Gigafactory in Shanghai to adapt the vehicle's suspension better to the new, more powerful 600HP dual-motor drivetrain. They allegedly returned this Saturday, hinting that the initial Performance/Ludicrous launch may start from China, just like with its other Highland siblings.

In any case, the EV has been seen undergoing various tests in other markets like in the US and, now, Germany. Tesla's next performance sedan with Ludicrous badging was caught hurtling at speed on the Autobahn with new aerodynamic rims that Lars Moravy praised.

The suspension seems much lower over the purported 20" Warp wheels indeed. Someone even managed to snap it charging at the side of the road, with a license plate that suggests it might be running laps at a popular local racetrack. A Tesla employee in Germany has also confirmed that there is a unit that has been brought for testing purposes.

The belated suspension and motor tuning have reportedly pushed the 2024 Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous release to May, which coincides with the latest rumors that it will see the light of day in Q2.

It is not yet clear if the 600HP Model 3 will make its way to the US at the same time. When it does, though, it will probably land with a Panasonic battery pack, instead of the LG one for China, so it could qualify for the federal tax credit, depending on the price tag that Tesla sticks on it.

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