ADRO KIA STINGER V3 SPOILER PRE-ORDER
This Heavily Modified Tesla Model 3 Is No Carbon Copy
During his college days, CJ was commuting throughout Long Beach in a BMW 328i when he began tinkering with modifications and soon realized he had a passion for customizing. That car would soon get traded up to an E36 M3 fitted with an Active Autowerke supercharger kit, then later a Technique Tuning turbo kit in route to building a very complete and competitive show-level M3.
The M3 build would last for a few years, but the industry shift to electrification caught CJ's eye and wanting to get in early on the EV wave, he picked up this Model 3. He adds, "From the start, the vision was to build a full-blown show car and over the next two years, the mods started to pile on quickly."
There's a good chance that if you've spotted a Tesla on the road with even the slightest modification, it's likely wrapped in matte black vinyl (it's science). Going the opposite direction, CJ opted for TinyBot's Gloss Laser Slip Snowstorm Blue. The long name can be somewhat described as light blue that seems to capture and modify any sort of light that shines along its surface, giving off a sort of rainbow effect, depending on how it's viewed.
Pull open any of the Model 3's doors and you'll find more vinyl, though the sills use a riveted metal theme that give off a Mad Max vibe in sharp contrast to the cotton candy exterior and white interior. Right next to those craftily covered door frames are HRE's three-piece, forged 540s in 20x10.5 in the rear, with a staggered set of 9.5s in the front. The car's fenders almost kiss the wheels' outer lip once the Air Lift Performance 3H system is commanded to approach the concrete. Oversized Brembo 6-piston calipers in a custom hue can be spotted between the 540 spokes.
ADRO Has Entered The Chat
There are complete aero makeovers, lip kits, and even widebody options for the Tesla Model 3, but none carry the sort of research and precision that ADRO's (Advanced Development Race Optimization) prepreg carbon fiber ensemble do. If you're at all versed in the KDM aftermarket (Kia, Hyundai/Genesis) then you know of ADRO. What started as Dongwan Yoo and Sean Yoon meeting and sharing an interest in performance and racecar aesthetic, quickly led to the duo fabricating custom aero pieces together as a hobby. With demand for their bespoke creations increasing, they co-founded ADRO in 2020 and opened their product line to include other vehicle types, including Tesla.
ADRO's CEO, Dongwan Yoo has more than 15 years of experience with tuning carbon fiber aero. You might recall Hyundai's RM15 concept that made quite a bit of noise with its Frankfurt Motor Show debut in its race N branded livery atop CFRP panels. That was a project that Yoo took on, creating its one-off carbon fiber body kit.
Chief Technology Officer Sean Yoon has a Masters in Racecar Aerodynamics from Southampton University, and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from KAIST University. He was poised to join Ferrari's F1 efforts as their aerodynamicist prior to the Lehman Brothers' collapse and instead has worked with tech giants like LG Electronics as well as helping to pioneer automatic content recognition technology, before recently aligning himself with his automotive passion by leading ADRO's aerodynamics team.
That team includes Chief Design Officer Davis Lee, who received considerable recognition for his Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 design and his work with CLS, S-Class, and Hyundai's Ioniq 5. A decade of OEM design experience and a willingness to make an impact on the aftermarket with stylish designs led Lee to ADRO.
Having An Effect
What the group came up with for the Model 3 is a complete, high-quality carbon fiber aero kit. It all starts at the front end with a lip that takes over the lower portion of the rather bland factory bumper, but unlike other lip kit options, ADROs adds a pair of angular pillars that slash through the main grill opening before making a sharp turn outward toward the wheel wells, while creating a second tier that acts as an integrated splitter.
Make the turn visually and note the car's profile has been updated with ADRO's side skirts, which begin with a winged portion just behind the front wheels and morph into a flat side diffuser that kicks outward just a tad before meeting the rear quarter panel. Keep following that sleek carbon fiber line as it transitions to the group's rear diffuser that wraps around the bumper and features a series of fins.
Sitting atop the rear is a mild, rounded spoiler that stretches the car's deck just a few inches. Yes, the aero additions look cool and do a great job of enhancing rather than overpowering the car's original look, and their dry carbon construction is incredibly light. They also boost the Model 3's aerodynamic efficiency in the form of a 3.25 percent reduction in overall vehicle drag. Add to that increased downforce to the tune of 846 N, and ADRO's deep well of experience, obsessive use of computational fluid dynamics, and countless hours of testing make a whole lot of sense.
Built Not Borrowed
The military precision of ADRO's fibrous concoction sees its greatest contrast when attached to CJ's self-made Tesla, a project that he notes was entirely completed on his own, in his garage. His solitary confinement allowed his mind to run wild with all sorts of personal touches, like the SpaceX Falcon 9-inspired paint and alien-infused airline treatment on his 5-gallon air system that ties into a freaky-deaky galaxy frunk and headliner makeover. There are LED strips and starlight additions throughout the car and just as he planned from the beginning, CJ's finished product is truly a showstopper.
No, it's not the high-power engine swap into a familiar chassis with "rare" JDM goods that somehow don't seem at all rare tacked on to a dozen other cars at any given car show, but instead, this Tesla Model 3 is truly an extension of CJ Cardinalli. Some are going to scoff and say its ruined, and that's perfect, as CJ serves as Director of the Socal chapter of the "Ruined Tesla" car club. It might not be everyone's style, but it's certainly no carbon copy.
Car 2018 Tesla Model 3
Owner CJ Cardinalli
Instagram @casper_model3
Engine (motor) Ingenext GHOST Module
Suspension Air Lift Performance 3H system 3/8-inch; RGB LEB clear hardlines; AccuAir ENDO-CT 5-gallon air tank; custom SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket tank; Universal Air Solution Series 2 air struts, custom height sensor brackets; custom airline shut-off valves; MPP camber arms, toe arms CEEJ Customs frunk show display, infinity mirrors, Starlight frunk tub, Starlight hood, backlit false floor, galaxy wrapped tank stand, blue painted frunk accents
Braking Don Marconi Sport big brake kit; Brembo 6-piston piston front calipers, discs, pads; stainless steel lines
Wheels & Tires HRE 540 forged 3-piece 20x9.5 front +20/10.5 rear +30; Delinte D7 235/35 front/275/30 rear
Exterior TinyBot Gloss Laser Flip Snowstorm Blue vinyl wrap; ADRO pre-preg carbon fiber lip, side skirts, spoiler; carbon fiber M3-style mirrors; Infinite Auto Design carbon fiber hood; TesLuxInnovations plaid headlights, fog lights; Alpha Rex taillights; LED rear reflectors; CEEJ Customs carbon fiber chrome delete, mesh grill, taillight wrap; wind noise reduction kit; trunk and frunk Auto POP struts; Flexshield PPF and ceramic coat
Interior Unleashed Customs yoke steering wheel; metal rivet door jamb, center console, arm rest, dash, screen back wrap; vinyl wrap; CEEJ Customs galaxy headliner with fiber optic stars, steering wheel center wrap, LED top window display, carbon fiber dashboard top, side trim center console, glove box, under dash covers; AutoBeam ambient footwell lighting; carbon fiber door switch controls; Peekaystudio gated shifter cup holder; Hansshow LED door sills, Model 3 performance pedals; Abstract Ocean tempered glass display protector; LED puddle lights
Cc: motortrend
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