A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
Pricing out for performance version of Tesla Model 3
One thing Tesla can always be relied upon is to spice up a dull news week. While everyone else focused on the Royal Wedding (one highlight: the couple successfully driving off in a battery-powered Jaguar E-Type, causing Sir Joseph Lucas to convulse in his grave), the automotive sphere turned their attention to Elon Musk’s Big Circus Of Fun.
First up, the announcement that the long-awaited performance version of the Model 3 finally had a price tag. In the United States, it’ll cost $78,000, which is about $10,000 more than a basic BMW M3. Factor in EV rebates and some of the Model 3’s claimed no-cost features, and you could charitably call it a wash.
However, Mr. Musk also claims the Model 3 will be 15 per cent quicker than the M3 and will have better handling.
“Will beat anything in its class on the track,” he tweeted on May 19. Well, maybe. The Model S didn’t like racetracks much, with heat being an issue, so we’ll have to wait and see how the Model 3 handles the abuse.
In the meantime, Consumer Reports released a review of the Model 3 that noted poor braking performance. Tesla’s response was to dispute CR’s claim, then to suggest that improvements have been made since the first Model 3s rolled off the line, and lastly to suggest that an over-the-air updated would bring stopping distances down. Changing brake pads wirelessly would be a good trick.
What’s the clear-eyed takeaway? First, as a street car, the all-wheel-drive Model 3 will likely be fast and expensive, just like the Model S – and have you seen how many of those there are around here? It’ll do fine.
Secondly, if you’ve got a Model 3 on order, patience will be key. Tesla operates like many modern software companies, and is focused on releasing things quickly, then resolving issues as they crop up, instead of long-term testing before selling cars to customers. It’s always a good idea to wait for a manufacturer to sort out teething issues in the first year of production, and that probably goes double here.
Bosch jets keep motorcycles upright
Motorcycles remain more dangerous to operate than your average car, but safety has improved over the years. Anti-lock brakes are now readily available, and modern gear protects a rider more than ever.
Still, there’s always room for improvement. If you’ve ever ridden over a seam of gravel on the Sea-to-Sky and nearly wiped out, Bosch has the solution for you: jet thrusters that can fire laterally to stand the bike back up.
Think of these little jets the way you would thrusters in your favourite science fiction. The idea is that, in an emergency, rider and bike would stay upright while sliding, enabling the tires to keep in contact with the road so you can ride through the slippery section. The system works surprisingly well in testing, but is probably at least several years out in deployment (if we’ll ever see it).
You know what would really improve motorcycle safety? If drivers would stop turning in front of bikes in intersections. Never mind jets, maybe we should employ a little proper vision and take a bit of extra care now that sunny days are here and riders are out on the road.
British man sets speed record in shed
If this week’s celebrations have you thinking that the seat of British power is in a palace, permit me to correct your view. Britain isn’t great because of what goes on in Buckingham, the greatness flows from sheds.
I don’t know what it is about sheds and the English, but all manner of discovery and enterprise has resulted from the happy marriage of tinkering in a rickety wooden structure. And, when it comes to the automotive world, we can thank sheds and Brits for everything from Morgan to Lotus.
Now the British shed is really getting the recognition it deserves, with a speed record at Pendyne sands. Powered by a 450 horsepower Audi RS4 V-8, the shed went 170 kilometres per hour, and found itself entered into the record books with a rather large asterisk.
Built by Kevin Nicks of Chipping Norton, the home-built shed features air-conditioning, electric power windows, and an air-suspension to settle onto the ground. Yes it’s ridiculous, and yes I would prefer to see a land-speed shed documentary more than yet another highlight reel of Harry and Meghan’s nuptials.
Watch this space for all the week’s best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to [email protected].
