Tesla Model 3 Performance vs BMW M3 Competition: Which to Hire for a Weekend

The Tesla Model 3 Performance puts 370 kW and 660 Nm through all four wheels and hits 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, which is quicker than a current BMW M3 Competition. That single number reframes the whole weekend hire question, because the car that wins the traffic-light and on-ramp game is also the one with no fuel stop, no warm-up and a Parramatta base. But raw acceleration is not the only thing that matters when you are choosing a car for two days of Sydney driving.

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By Elie Arzoumlian, electric car expert at Drive Tribe

Two Very Different Answers to the Same Question

Hiring a fast car for a weekend is really a question about what you want the weekend to feel like. The BMW M3 Competition is a twin-turbo straight-six sedan with decades of motorsport branding behind it. The Tesla Model 3 Performance is a dual-motor electric sedan that makes its power instantly and quietly, then lets you recharge at home or on the road.

We run the Model 3 Performance in our Sydney fleet as a self-drive hire, minimum driver age 20, based at Parramatta. It is the car we hand to people who want the fastest thing on the road without the theatre, the noise or the fuel bill of a traditional performance sedan.

This article compares the two on the things that actually matter for a weekend: acceleration, how they feel on real Sydney roads, running costs, practicality and the hiring process itself. If you want the short version, the Model 3 Performance wins on pace, ease and running cost, while the M3 Competition wins on sound, badge and rear-drive drama. Everything else is detail.

Power, Torque and the 0-100 Reality

The Model 3 Performance makes 370 kW and 660 Nm from two electric motors, one on each axle. Tesla quotes 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds. That is not a marketing figure that only happens on a prepped surface with a tailwind; electric motors deliver full torque from a standstill, so the car does it repeatedly without drama.

A current BMW M3 Competition uses a 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six. It is a brilliant engine and the car is genuinely fast, but it needs revs and boost to make its best numbers, and it sends drive through a conventional automatic gearbox. Off the line, in the wet, or from a rolling start at 60 km/h, the Tesla's instant torque and all-wheel-drive traction are simply harder to beat.

Here is the comparison in numbers, using the specs we actually publish for our hire car.

The torque figure is the one that surprises people. 660 Nm is a lot, and because it arrives at zero rpm, the Model 3 Performance feels quicker than its 0-100 time suggests in everyday driving. You do not need to plan an overtake; you just take it.

If you want a deeper look at how this car has evolved, our comparison of the 2020 vs 2024 Model 3 Performance: What Changed and Does It Matter for a Hire covers the hardware differences between generations.

How They Feel on Sydney Roads

Spec sheets only tell you so much. The real test is what the car is like on the roads you will actually drive.

City and inner west

The Model 3 Performance is calm in traffic. There is no idle, no gearbox hunting for a ratio, no exhaust drone at 40 km/h. Through Newtown, Leichhardt and the inner west, it is quiet and easy, and the instant torque means you can slot into a gap without waiting for a downshift.

The M3 Competition is the opposite. It wants to be driven hard, and in stop-start traffic its gearbox and engine are always reminding you that you are not. It is not unpleasant, but it is not relaxed either.

Hills and back roads

Point the Model 3 Performance at the Galston Gorge, the Old Pacific Highway or the climb out of the Hawkesbury and it is genuinely entertaining. The battery sits low in the floor, so the centre of gravity is low, and the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system shuffles torque front to rear faster than any mechanical system. Track Mode lets you adjust the front-to-rear power balance and tighten the stability control, which makes it feel more like a rear-drive car when you want that.

I have driven the Model 3 Performance on the Spit Bridge climb and through the Northern Beaches, and the thing that stands out is how little effort it takes to be quick. You are not working for it. The M3 Competition rewards effort, and on a good road that is a real pleasure, but it also demands more from you.

Highway and long runs

On the M1 or the Hume, the Model 3 Performance is a comfortable cruiser. The 567 km range means a Sydney to Hunter Valley or Southern Highlands return trip is easy without charging, and if you do need to top up, the Supercharger network covers the main routes. The M3 Competition will need fuel, and premium fuel at that, but it will also cover long distances without any planning.

Running Costs Over a Weekend

This is where the comparison gets lopsided, and it is worth being clear about why.

When you hire the Model 3 Performance from us, you charge it. Electricity is cheaper than petrol, and if you charge at home or at a destination charger you will spend very little. If you use a Supercharger, it costs more, but still less than a tank of premium unleaded in a performance six.

If you were running an M3 Competition for a weekend, you would be paying for premium fuel, and a twin-turbo straight-six driven enthusiastically uses a lot of it. You would also be paying for the servicing and consumables that come with a high-performance combustion engine.

We do not publish fuel or electricity figures because they change with driving style and prices, but the direction is obvious. The Tesla is cheaper to run. The rate, bond and any fees for our car are shown on the car's page and in the booking total before you pay, so there are no surprises.

For a broader look at the ownership experience, our 2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance Review: Still the Benchmark Fast EV covers what living with the car is actually like.

Practicality: Seats, Space and Everyday Use

Both cars are four-door sedans with five seats, so on paper they are similar. In practice they differ in ways that matter for a weekend hire.

• Boot space: The Model 3 Performance has a rear boot and a front trunk, which is useful for splitting luggage or storing charging cables. The M3 Competition has a conventional boot.
• Cabin: The Tesla is minimalist, with almost everything controlled through the central screen. The BMW is traditional, with buttons, dials and a driver-focused cockpit.
• Noise: The Tesla is quiet at all speeds. The BMW is quiet when cruising but loud when you want it to be, which some people love and others find tiring.
• Gearbox: The Tesla has one gear. The BMW has an automatic with multiple ratios, which is more engaging on a good road but more to manage in traffic.

If you are carrying passengers who are not car people, the Tesla is the easier sell. It is smooth, quiet and comfortable, and the acceleration is a party trick that does not require anyone to understand cars.

If your passengers are car people, the M3 Competition has the soundtrack and the badge. That is worth something, even if it is not worth the running costs.

The Hiring Process: What You Actually Book

This is the part where the two cars diverge completely, because we hire the Tesla and we do not hire the BMW.

The Model 3 Performance is available as a self-drive hire from our Sydney fleet. Minimum driver age is 20, which is lower than most performance car hires. It is based at Parramatta, and we can deliver it anywhere in Sydney or you can collect it from Parramatta.

We also run a 2025 Tesla Model Y RWD, minimum driver age 25, based at Merrylands, and a 2017 Tesla Model X P100D, which is chauffeur-only and has no self-drive age rule because a Drive Tribe driver handles the car. If you are comparing options, the Tesla hire Sydney hub lists the full fleet.

The M3 Competition, by contrast, is not in our fleet. We mention it here because it is the natural comparison point for anyone looking at a fast sedan, and because the comparison tells you something useful about what the Model 3 Performance actually is.

If you want to book the Tesla, the 2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance page has the specs, the rate and the booking form.

Which One for Which Weekend

Here is how we would break it down.

Choose the Model 3 Performance if:

• You want the quickest car for the money and the easiest to drive quickly.
• You are doing a Sydney weekend with a mix of city, highway and back roads.
• You want low running costs and no fuel stops.
• You are under 25 and still want a genuinely fast car, since our minimum age is 20.
• You want the quiet, smooth, modern experience.

Choose an M3 Competition if:

• You specifically want the sound and feel of a high-revving turbo six.
• You want rear-drive drama and a traditional performance car experience.
• You are not paying for fuel or you do not care about running costs.
• You want the badge and the heritage.

For most people hiring a fast car for a weekend in Sydney, the Model 3 Performance is the better answer. It is faster in the situations you will actually encounter, cheaper to run, easier to live with and available to a wider range of drivers.

For a birthday or a special occasion, the calculus can shift. Our article on A Model 3 Performance for a Birthday: Why It Beats the Usual Sports Car explains why the Tesla often wins even against more expensive metal.

Charging and Living With It for Two Days

If you have not hired an electric car before, the Model 3 Performance is a good first experience. You can charge at home overnight if you have a wallbox, or use a public charger or Supercharger if you do not.

For a typical Sydney weekend, you probably will not need to charge at all. The 567 km range covers a lot of ground, and most people do not drive that far in two days. If you do, the Supercharger network covers the Hume, the M1 and the main routes out of the city.

If you are new to Tesla, our guide to Your First 24 Hours in a Rented Tesla: Ten Things to Do Straight Away is worth reading before you collect the car.

The M3 Competition, by comparison, needs a petrol station. That is not a problem, but it is a stop you have to plan, and premium fuel is not cheap.

What We Actually See With Hirers

We hand over the Model 3 Performance regularly, and the pattern is consistent. People are surprised by how normal it feels to drive, and then surprised again by how fast it is when they ask for it.

The Track Mode setting is a common talking point. Most hirers never use it, but knowing it is there matters to the people who do. It lets you adjust the power balance and stability control, which turns the car into something more playful than its standard setup suggests.

The other thing we see is that hirers underestimate how much they will enjoy not stopping for fuel. A weekend in the Tesla is a weekend without a petrol station detour, and that is a small but real pleasure.

If you are weighing up a six-seat family option instead, our article on the Tesla Model Y L: What the Six-Seat Long-Wheelbase Y Means for Sydney Families covers what is coming, though it is not in our fleet yet.

The Verdict

The Model 3 Performance and the BMW M3 Competition are both fast four-door sedans, but they are fast in different ways and for different reasons.

The M3 Competition is a traditional performance car: loud, rear-driven, rewarding when you push it and expensive to run. The Model 3 Performance is a modern performance car: instant, all-wheel-drive, quiet when you want it, and cheap to run.

For a weekend hire in Sydney, the Model 3 Performance wins on pace, ease, running costs and accessibility. It is available to drivers aged 20 and over, it is based at Parramatta, and we can deliver it anywhere in Sydney.

The M3 Competition is not in our fleet, so if you want one you will need to look elsewhere. If you want the fastest, easiest and most modern fast sedan you can hire from us, the Model 3 Performance is the answer.