Is the P85 too fast/powerful?

[AudubonB]

My prior two dozen or so vehicles over the decades have measured their 0-60 acceleration in "how many miles" rather than in "how many seconds", to give you an idea of the grunts I normally drive.

With that as background, where both I and my ultra-conservative-in-driving wife utterly agree in the performance of our P85 is in the ability its quickness gives to get a careful driver out of trouble rather than into it. May I counsel you to search for (here, on YouTube, etc.) the crotch-tightening dash-cam video from early- or mid-2013 of an interstate accident where a semi-truck crashed into the opposite traffic lanes - and out of the dusty melee a quick-responding Tesla emerged? That responsiveness nicely demonstrates its safeness. The rest is up to using your right foot responsibly.

 

[tezco]

Wont beat a Nissan off the line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLDbW4nYAm0

There is a significant penalty for that kind of ICE performance--unacceptable noise and attention. I'll take the near silent super performance of the S hands down. Uh oh, better make a note to check my testosterone....

Do you let others drive it without concern?

Unfortunately, my friends are still way too aggressive behind the wheel of their cars, and inexperienced. Recently loaned the old Audi out when one friend with a Honda S2000 burned out his clutch speed sifting his way up to dinner. Returned it a week later with all of the rotors badly warped. Better check out the threads describing the extreme costs of even minor repairs to the exterior of the S before handing over the keys.

 

[Username]

The P85 is a waste of money, energy, and tires.
Spending an additional $20,000 just to go 60 mph one second faster is ridiculous! Not only that, you will have to recharge more often, using up electricity, you will have to buy more tires sooner and you will be paying for more speeding tickets not to mention higher insurance rates because of these tickets.
If you have an extra $20,000 to spare, I suggest using it on investments, home repair or whatever!
Ive spoken with several P85 owners and they all say the glamour of going to 60 mph faster than the S85 soon wears off!
I have the S85 and it's fine. In fact, I bought the P and + insignia from Tesla parts and put it on my car. So it looks like a P85+ and to most people, they wouldn't know the difference.

 

[olanmills]

I don't think so. I have an S85, but I now wish I had gotten a P85. A few times I have had a P85 as a service loaner. It's faster, but really, that's about it. Under normal speeds, I don't think it handles that differently from an S85 (though I'm no expert, so maybe I didn't really notice).

I liked to gun it in the P85 when getting on the freeway and such, but other than that, I wasn't tempted to do anything else more risky like take curves really fast or race on city streets. I suppose if you have a weakness for that, and you're seriously worried about being able to resist the temptation, then perhaps it's more prudent (and cheaper) to get the S85. Otherwise, if you can personally justify the cost of the P85, I would say go for it. It's just a faster version of the S85. The difference in acceleration is somewhat significant, but it's not so significant that a person who knows how to control an S85 would not be able to control a P85.

Now, if you also get the performance+ package, then you should be aware that the car will handle differently under different circumstances, but I don't know much about that.

 

[mhpr262]

Returned it a week later with all of the rotors badly warped.

How is that possible? I drove the Passo Pordoi and the Passo Giovo in the Alps last week (on my motorcycle) and I can see how one could overheat the brakes on roads like that, but short of that ...?

 

[rabar10]

I have the P85+, but what really surprised me is how well-balanced the accelerator is. The first half or so of the pedal depression takes it very easy; it is easy to carefully back into a parking spot or drive through a parking garage and minutely control your speed. It's only when you really start pressing on the pedal that it gets crazy. So particularly for letting other people drive it -- if they're by nature more sedate or cautious, they probably won't even notice the power.

This.

Drove a P85 on a road-trip -- you have to ask this car (with your right foot) to show its potential power/acceleration. If you never ask for it, you'd never know it was there and it will never be "too much".

It's not too fast. You can drive it like a golf cart if you want. If there are people that you don't trust, just don't let them drive your car. Even if it's a Chevy Spark.

Agreed

 

[mknox]

I drove both before I purchased, and was hard pressed to tell the difference. The P may pull a bit more from a standstill, but the S is already ridiculously fast. I went for the S and have no regrets over a year later.

 

[ACDriveMotor]

I drove the S, the P and the P+ several times before purchasing with all configs of tires and suspension. The S is quite fast and if you are coming from an SUV you likely won't notice the diff between an S and a P. If you are used to fast cars I suspect you will note the difference. If you are used to pushing a car through corners you will notice the better handling of the P+.

 

[brianman]

Two downsides for P85 vs. S85:
1. You'll use more energy because you'll want to, um, "enjoy" the torque that it offers.
2. They really need to "get on with it" on valet and other governer type features for when you offer the wheel to a valet, friend, family member, etc.

 

[ACDriveMotor]

Agree on both points.

 

[kota23]

Had same debate P vs S. Went with the P and have not regretted it at all. Can still be driven calmly, but the power is just addictive when you want it. I have driven the S as well in a loaner and still was very impressed with it. Either way you go both can easily get you in to trouble. The P will beat almost anything that is on the road without much effort, and that is quite a nice feeling.

 

[EXOTIC1]

No its not. You'll still get blown away by Panamera Turbos etc.. The issue is more that the performance does not last for a sustained period of time (canyon sessions, track etc.). See thread on its inability to do 1 lap for the Nurburgring. Nürburgring lap time for P85+? - Page 3

....... and P85 will be beaten by most new AMG Mercedes cars and top of the line Audi's.
It's the fastest electric car and kudos to that.

 

[bevguy]

They are both scary fast. The instant torque makes them feel even faster. The difference at passing speeds is small, 2/10 seconds 45 to 65 mph , 1/2 second 30 to 80 mph. With either your big problem passing or entering the expressway will be to avoid running down the cars in front of you .
But if you can afford the extra money with no pain, why not. Though I would avoid the 21 " wheels, they are too fragile. Assuming the guaranteed buy back figures are realistic, extra cost features will depreciate faster than a more or less base S 85.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Too fast? Too powerful? Yes. Completely unnecessary. And I absolutely love it!

I think the instant acceleration off the line is totally impractical for anything other than showing off. That said, showing off what a real electric car can do is half of the reason I opted for the P85. I've sold more than one Model S off from test drives thanks to that.

 

[brianman]

Too fast? Too powerful? Yes. Completely unnecessary. And I absolutely love it!

I think the instant acceleration off the line is totally impractical for anything other than showing off. That said, showing off what a real electric car can do is half of the reason I opted for the P85. I've sold more than one Model S off from test drives thanks to that.

Is it showing off or advertising... when you get about 20 car lengths from the light ahead of the pack before letting cruise control take over at the speed limit?

 

[Byoung]

My 60 is in the shop and I got to drive both a P85+ and S85 as loaners this weekend.

There's a definite difference between each model. I felt like the S85 was a step up from my 60 but that the P85+ was two steps up from the S85.

The P85+ drives nice and smoothly if you're not playing around with it. It's only as fast as the driver wants it to be. It does consistently feel heavier, more solid and more powerful than the other models. It's just plain beastly.

I did notice some spinning and fishtailing of wheels when I was playing around with flooring the accelerator. So in those situations, yes, maybe a bit too fast. But that's when you're playing, and hopefully you'd only do that when it's safe to do so.

 

[Haggy]

Is it showing off or advertising... when you get about 20 car lengths from the light ahead of the pack before letting cruise control take over at the speed limit?

It's showing off when you turn on cruise control and let it follow another car, speed up when needed, slow down when needed and come to a complete stop on its own, and then you turn to the person next to you and say "Why can't your Tesla do that, Dad?" Whatever you say, you will be reminded that you spent four times as much on the Tesla as you did on the car for your daughter.

 

[igotzzoom]

The friend's S85 I drove was definitely no slug. I didn't even floor it, and it was plenty responsive at half-throttle. I would say if the price difference between the S and the P is no big deal, by all means, go for the P, but I don't think you'd regret an S.

 

[ACDriveMotor]

I agonized painfully over P vs. S and you can probably still locate my posts. I can say definitively that I have had not a moments regret over choosing the P. As someone told me (paraphrased): if you can afford the P you won't ever miss the $10K. But if you get the S you may always wonder whether you should have gotten the P.

 

[brianman]

Whatever you say, you will be reminded that you spent four times as much on the Tesla as you did on the car for your daughter.

Eep! I need to drink more, or less, or immediately incinerate my time machine sketches. I didn't know I have a daughter!