We’re not lying; you can, in fact, put an aftermarket exhaust system on your Tesla Model 3. Don’t believe us? Check out the season 10 premiere of All Girls Garage, where Bogi and Faye Hadley will show you exactly how to add aural shenanigans to your Ludicrous Mode fun times.
But what other Tesla aftermarket modifications can you do? And why? Sure, wheels and tires, suspension, the aforementioned exhaust—the go-tos for any gearhead who wants to personalize a new vehicle right away. But Tesla owners aren’t your average gearheads. And the 2020 Tesla Model 3 won MotorTrend’s Compact Luxury Sedan Shootout against a BMW 3 series and a Genesis G70—a testament to the Model 3’s performance bona fides. Would those changes do anything to improve on a Model 3’s performance?
Tesla Aftermarket Modifications
Despite the fact that an electric transportation appliance is actually a fun car to drive (don’t worry, Faye, this editor is just as dubious about battery electric vehicles as you are), Teslas are about convenience and lifestyle, not so much with the performance driving, even though they do that very well. Teslas are an industry leader in all sorts of automotive technology and are all about them new-fangled convenience features: autonomous driving, over-the-air software updates, and you can even summon your Tesla in a parking lot with your phone.
Great driving dynamics, loaded with convenience features—how do you improve on that? With even more convenience features! Tired of looking at the center console to check your speed? Install this secondary screen duplicating the instrument cluster we’re all familiar with in regular cars. Wish your Model 3 had soft-close doors like your kitchen drawers at home? The aftermarket has a solution for that! Got a double arm-load of chickens but need to get into the trunk? Bogi and Faye are going to install auto-struts and a sensor that, with the simple wave of a foot, the trunk magically opens to allow ingress of Faye’s favorite avian companions.
“Yeah, I put exhaust on my Tesla. Jealous?”
If there is one thing electric cars lack when it comes to performance driving dynamics, it’s sound. Yes, the electric motors winding up, tires squealing, transmission whine—it all sounds nice. But they lack the big noise-maker that really gets the adrenaline going: the fuel-burning engine. Contained petro-chemical explosions in metallic cylinders that create motive force and the sweet, sweet music that is an internal-combustion engine at full chat. A 2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance can do 0 to 60 in just 3.5 seconds, but there’s no accompanying engine roar to let you know you’re alive while doing it. What’s the fun in face-melting acceleration if your eardrums don’t explode with it?
Now you can have that fun in your Tesla. And you should! C’mon, the company that plants easter eggs everywhere (flatulence turn signal alerts and dance modes, anyone?) and calls their own sport mode “ludicrous” wants you to have fun with their products. Don’t forget, this is the same car company that made a flamethrower! While you’re at it, don’t miss any of the fun coming up this season on All Girls Garage. Subscribe to the MotorTrend App today, and start watching all 10 seasons of All Girls Garage.