See All 27 Photos Motor Trendis back with another exclusive! Nowhere else will you find photos of the updatedTesla Model Swith the Model X and explosively popular Model 3 at a Gigafactory. Keep reading for a design critique on the Model 3 and our educated guesses on Model 3 tech, plus some Gigafactory trivia. See All 27 Photos See All 27 Photos It's mighty tempting, of course, to pigeonhole the Model 3 as merely a mini Model S. All of its technical landmarks are famous to Model S fans: the giant pancake battery (and thousands of liquid-cooled cells) under the floor, the compact rear electric motor, the trunk up front, and the smaller frunk when the car is equipped with a secondary dual electric motor. Fremont, California, is a virtuoso at choreographing this outlier architecture into a game-changing driving experience, and the 3 promises the same—albeit at a smaller scale. Although exact dimensions aren't available, our estimates suggest it'll be a 90 percent scale Model S—6 percent shorter, 4 percent narrower, but about a similar height. However, as the battery's footprint is constrained by the wheelbase (it's maybe 97 percent of the Model S'), the volume of the battery case might only be 6 percent smaller, suggesting room for as much as 80 kW-hrs at Tesla's current energy density—or potentially a 260-mile range. Makes you wonder if Tesla's leaving room for more cells as the price drops (the immediate constraint being that $35,000 price bogey). A 215-mile range, as officially claimed, points to about 55-70 kW-hrs. See All 27 Photos The 3's side view is telling in this regard. The priority of the wheelbase pinches the front overhang, but not unattractively. Compare for a moment the profiles of the Model 3 and BMW's 340i. That ancient horse-before-the-wagon long-hood/front-engine profile of performance cars suddenly looks kinda tired, doesn't it? (And the puffed, pedestrian-friendly hood only exacerbates the problem.) Configured as either rear-drive or dual-motor, rear-biased AWD, the prototype Model 3 continues Tesla's speccing of staggered tire sizes—Michelin Pilot Super Sports, 235/35ZR20s in front, fatter 275/30ZR20s in back. It's not just for looks or weight distribution, though. An electric motor's instant torque and Tesla's notably high regen brake drag exercise the rear rubber pretty hard. And although the car's sprung by cheaper steel springs, the 3 appears to be suspended by the Model S and X's signature suspensions—upper A-arm/lower virtual-pivot dual links in front, multilink with a lower A-arm in back. A mass-produced aluminum car is still cost-prohibitive, so the 3 is mainly steel with aluminum panels. As such, it won't be as light as its scale suggests. Moreover, the fishbowl roof's square yards of glass threaten to ratchet up the center of gravity (unless it's supplanted by Corning's automotive Gorilla glass). See All 27 Photos Nevertheless, the 3's lightning-reaction torque response, lightweight motor(s), low battery pack, and slimmer dimensions signal a car that should still revolutionize the driving dynamics of the everyman sedan. Understand, Tesla is still threading a needle here. Its human-machine interface will have to be reimagined to an Apple-like usability, and unlike early adopters, mass-market EV drivers are unlikely to accept waiting at a full Supercharger station. And on trips, the smaller battery will require charging to a higher level before setting off for the next charger—something you'd like to avoid, as topping off the battery is vastly slower. But Musk being Musk, there will certainly be ludicrous performance versions of the car, too. BMW 3 Series, I think you're looking at your worst nightmare.--Kim Reynolds 2017 Tesla Model 3