This winter, Model 3 owners are taking their cars snow drifting using Tesla's 'Track Mode'

“Hey kids, it’s winter in the great white North — you know what that means eh? Track Mode!”, says my good old friend Ian Pavelko before he starts enjoying snow drifting in his Tesla Model 3 Performance (aka MAGNETO).  


Above: Tesla Model 3 taking on the snow (Source: Now You Know)

Tesla Track Mode disables the stability and traction control restrictions from the car. In turn, this enables the driver to float free from the clutches of the on-board computer. However, these maneuvers are not recommended for inexperienced drivers for obvious safety reasons.

As an example, I've posted this short video clip (see below) on YouTube and it’s fun to watch it in a loop. The way MAGNETO performs donuts on the snowy surface is actually somewhat soothing to watch. "Who needs a toboggan, if you have a Performance Model 3," Ian explains.

Video: Tesla Model 3 Snow Drifting in Track Mode (YouTube: Iqtidar Ali via Ian Pavelko).

Ian also took his Model 3 Performance for an exciting snow rally at night and wrote a great story about his journey.

It turns out that another Model 3 Performance owner took his Tesla snow drifting but over in Europe in the French Alps. This is some amazing footage of his journey through the alps on a cold winter night, sliding his car in Track Mode through a closed road.

Video: Tesla Model 3 Performance snow drifting (YouTube: Sebastian Vittel)

According to the owner Sebastian Vittel in the next video, he has never driven such a car in snowy conditions. “The Model 3 is fast, easy, secure, and fun on the snow,” he says.

As we witness in these videos, the all-electric Tesla Model 3 keeps its balance fairly well on the snow — thanks to its perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution and such a low center of gravity.

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Written by: Iqtidar Ali. An earlier version of this article was originally published on Tesla Oracle.