Tesla’s Model 3 “Performance” variant first hit U.S. streets in April of 2024. This version of the compact electric sedan is loaded with upgrades that increase the base Model 3’s performance to ludicrous supercar-level speeds. The 510 hp engine pushes it from 0 to 60 in just 2.9 seconds, and as one might expect, those extra horses bump up its top speed to 163 mph. It also includes a host of other upgrades, such as a carbon fiber spoiler, 20-inch forged wheels, larger brake rotors, continuously variable shock absorbers, and an adaptive suspension.
What better way to signify all of this impressive performance than with a cool badge? The Performance Model 3 comes with a fun, distinctive starburst badge on the trunk lid that, if you’re a “Star Wars” fan, might remind you of stars streaking by as a starship jumps into lightspeed. If you own a Tesla, you probably already know that Musk has a penchant for including well-placed nods to his favorite films wherever possible.
In this case, the 1987 comedy “Spaceballs” is a feature-length parody that roasts George Lucas’ seminal 1977 space opera. Musk said in a Full Send podcast interview (via Fiction Horizon) that he was around six years old when he saw his first movie — “Star Wars” – in a theater. He loves it so much he calls it the one film “everyone on Earth needs to see” and claims it’s probably what influenced his love for rockets and space. However, in a post on X he said that “Spaceballs” was the “documentary” (he was joking, of course) that taught him “real money comes from merchandising.” George Lucas made lightspeed cool, but Mel Brooks made it funny.
Two films rocked Musk’s world
In “Spaceballs,” “Ludicrous” and Plaid” are levels of speed that starships can attain within that particular universe. As it turns out, plaid is much faster than ludicrous, but not without risks. And it’s not the first time Musk has used fun badge identifiers or nods to movies in products. Take, for instance, the name of the Plaid Tesla model, which has a bevy of incredible features, is a direct nod to that humorously named speed. In the case of the Model 3 Performance, the starburst is even stitched onto the ventilated sports seats.
There’s also an Easter Egg for “Ludicrous Speed” hidden in the Model S — if you hold down the “Ludicrous” button on the center display screen, a full-screen animation of the jump to light speed pops up. A special “launch series” badge was applied to the limited-edition 2025 Model Y, one with an orange and red sunburst pattern. Overseas, Plaid-enabled models bear their own version of a Plaid-specific badge featuring red and black rectangles.
All of these badges, including Tesla’s Performance variants, are applied at the factory, but as Musk learned from “Spaceballs,” some good cash can be made from merchandising. As such, there’s a bountiful array of aftermarket items you can snag on websites like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. You can even buy Model 3 Performance Projection Lights on Tesla’s own store, which actually shines the starburst image on the ground every time you open the driver’s side or passenger’s side doors, proving that Musk really is taking Mel Brooks’ advice all the way to the bank.
