Green with...

...anticipation? Tomorrow, we pick up our P85D from the factory. So yesterday, I took our current P85 out for a final run to set in my mind (hopefully) the performance benchmarks for the new car to exceed.

The new car, like the current car, will be green. Not that that affects performance, but we're sort of interested to know how many other green P85Ds there will be before the color is no more (we ordered right after the D intro).

Ok, so the point of this post: Maybe I've become jaded by a year with a P85, but certain aspects of its performance don't seem as impressive as they used to. In particular, the 0-60 run is good, but it no longer strikes me as amazing. And above 60 I just don't think that the acceleration is anything extraordinary for the large performance vehicle segment.

Also, my wife claims that I can make any car go sideways within a few minutes of taking the wheel (even the AWD A5 and A7 Audis that preceded the P85) and that my complaints about the ease with which the P85's rear drifts hard have to be taken with a grain of salt. I also think that the current seats absolutely suck and are worthless for aggressive driving.

SO...will I be blown away by the P85D, which should address the complaints I have with the P85? Stay tuned...

(and FYI, I think the P85 is an incredible vehicle overall, I just have a pretty high bar when it comes to performance vehicles and driving them as the good lord intended)

Gizmotoy said:

I'm picturing Eclectic tearing up the giant factory parking lot. I hope that's accurate. :biggrin:

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I did ask about the factory test track and was given a polite no, and the parking lot was way too crowded (it seemed to be the day for factory tours....)

So, my preliminary review of the P85D as compared to the departed P85 (note that the D is virtually identical in options to the old car...19 inch wheels, etc., so the comparison is pretty much apples to apples, but for the second motor).

Yep, it delivers.

I can't really say more at this point, as there was bad traffic on the way home so I couldn't really go insane, but I had a few chances to air her out and it was as I had hoped. The handling feels MUCH tighter, as well, so signs look good that this car will amuse me for at least a year.

The bad? Well, they didn't have the next gen seats installed, and that was a big bummer, as I really don't like these old style seats.

The surprising? I really like that center console. It makes the front interior feel much more finished and cockpit like. A little thing, but it makes a difference to me.

In a few weeks or less I'll take the new car for a real test run up Highway 1 towards Point Arena. I have high hopes for AWD + all that power.

Shawn Snider said:

I agree, absolutely beautiful ride! Green/White Int. is such a beautiful combo!

A question tho; Does the car feel solid in the corners with 19's?

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Thanks, I really wonder why the Green was not more popular. I guess us older guys have a thing for British Racing Green and all it stands for....

The car feels remarkably solid through corners with the 19s. Probably the most buttoned down cornering of any sedan I've ever driven. It's night and day versus the RWD P85 with 19s. We actually canceled the order early on when we found out the D came only with 21s, as that tire size didn't work at all for our needs. I had driven P85+s before, so I know the benefits of the 21s, but the combination of 19s and the front motor/drive brings the car into a new (better) league, whether you compare it to a P85 w/21s or 19s.


Update...

I took the car out for a few insane mode runs and am happy to report that it is as insane as promised. The funny thing is that the blood does rush from your head and it actually is something of a kick to the gut, in a good way, but it's so quiet that you don't realize what is happening with the speed. This was far from my best run...I had the phone in one hand and was starting off in a bit of gravel. So first there was a bit of wheel spin (all four) and then I lifted off the accelerator a second or two in as I was slammed backwards when the car hooked up (about 25 mph).

The 0-80 rush is a drug....I just wish I had those dang next gen seats!