Telsa Model 3 gets German muscle

Just when you thought electric vehicles couldn’t get any cooler, high-end German tuning house Novitec has done a number on the Telsa Model 3.

Adding a sporty new bodykit, custom 21-inch alloy wheels and chassis tweaks that drop the ride height by 30mm, this Tesla Model 3 looks a lot tougher than most.

Standard versions of the most affordable Tesla EV have finally begun arriving in Australia after early adopters placed $1500 deposits more than three years ago, and is now priced from $66,000, not including on-road costs.

The Novitec Telsa Model 3 upgrade comprises several bodykit enhancements, including front and rear lip spoilers, side skirts and a rear diffuser, which are exposed carbon-fibre jobbies.

Novitec is best known for developing new parts and engine mods for high-end exotic cars from Maserati, Ferrari and the like. As such, the parts are not cheap in Australia, as a spokesperson for the importer of Novitec equipment in Australia, Ramspeed, revealed.

The most affordable aspect of the kit is the Novitec Sport spring set ($945), which lowers the car 30mm closer to the ground, enhancing handling dynamics and claimed to improve the Model 3's energy efficiency by up seven per cent.

Big 21-inch NV2 forged alloy wheels are offered (in 72 different colours) and Novitec reckons they improve brake cooling thanks to their special finned design. The wheels are priced at $3450 each for the 9-inch wide front rims and $3565 each for the 10-inch wide rears.

The carbon-fibre bodykit extra will jack up the price of the car significantly, with the front lip ($1995), side skirts ($2985), rear spoiler ($1650) and rear diffuser ($1995) adding combined $8625.

Customers can also tick the box for a bespoke interior fitout, with premium leather and Alcantara available in a range of different patterns.

Novitec makes no mention of ECU mods to boost power.

In Australia there are three Tesla Model 3 grades, the rear-drive Standard Range Plus ($66,000), and the all-wheel drive Long Range ($85,000) and Performance ($91,200) model grades.

The range of the vehicles are 460km, 620km and 560km respectively, based on the WLTP standard.

The entry-level Tesla Model 3 EV accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds and has a 225km/h top speed. The Model 3 Long Range does 4.6sec and 233km/h while the Performance grade manages an impressive 3.4secs and 261km/h according to Tesla.

All Tesla Model 3 vehicles come with a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry, remote app-based dual-zone climate control, voice-controls, 12-way adjustable (and heated) front seats, two smartphone docks and Telsa's Autopilot semi-automated driving system.

The EV also has a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system that will soon be able to live-stream Netflix.

The Tesla Model 3 has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and adds to the Californian electric car brands Model S large sedan and Model X large SUV already available here.

Upcoming vehicles include the Tesla Model Y compact SUV and the highly-anticipated EV ute, which is being pitched as a high-tech workhorse.

How much does the Tesla Model 3 cost?

Standard Range Plus -- $66,000 (460km range, RWD)
Long Range -- $85,000 (620km range, AWD)
Performance -- $91,200 (560km range, AWD)

Prices exclude on-road and delivery costs