P3D+ Owners: Does the car feel a bit squirrly when you floor it when wheels are slightly turned?

[TANGO SUKKA]

I wonder if it's due to the skinny tires, but if I'm slightly turning while getting on the throttle, I feel like the car gets a bit light and wobbles for a second before getting planted.

Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

 

[Gavyne]

I think you are describing traction control, it prevents you from spinning out.

 

[TANGO SUKKA]

I think you are describing traction control, it prevents you from spinning out.

Feels different than traction control I'm used to. Probably a lot smarter.

Anyway, a car like this needs wider tires IMO.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Performance people always think their cars need wider tires : >)

Wider tires allow the cars to go faster around the corners, but cost more, reduce mileage, increase aero drag, reduce top speed, make more noise, add more stress to the suspension components etc.

My Viper came with 335 rears, and owners still wanted wider.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Yeah, I noticed this too.

The first time took me by surprise, but I haven't noticed it so much since then. I do wonder if the P-AWD is front wheel drive biased during hard acceleration.

Hopefully someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the rear motor is the same type as on the RWD vehicle. That motor is designed for efficiency. The front motor on the other hand is more for power, and less efficient. That motor is the same type as the Model S has.

So it seems to me that it's going to be somewhat front wheel drive biased for hard acceleration versus the Model S 70D that I was used to.

It's also entirely possible that it was traction based, and the front tires simply had more traction when it felt squirrly.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Performance people always think their cars need wider tires : >)

Wider tires allow the cars to go faster around the corners, but cost more, reduce mileage, increase aero drag, reduce top speed, make more noise, add more stress to the suspension components etc.

My Viper came with 335 rears, and owners still wanted wider.

Wider tires look way cooler though.

 

[Uncle Paul]

While they look way cooler, regulations prevent them from sticking out beyond the bodywork.

Imagine lots of aftermarket options will become available for wider tires and wheels. Not all of them will provide enhanced handling.

 

[Goosby]

I don’t know if what I have experienced is the same as what you describe since I haven’t noticed any wobble (though our definitions of wobble could vary), but if I am turning a bit/coming out of a turn and floor it, there is definitely a certain feel as if a lot of weight is being immediately shifted to the rear (for a very brief second). Certainly feels different than any other traction control (if that is what’s happening) that I’ve experienced in other vehicles.

 

[TANGO SUKKA]

I don’t know if what I have experienced is the same as what you describe since I haven’t noticed any wobble (though our definitions of wobble could vary), but if I am turning a bit/coming out of a turn and floor it, there is definitely a certain feel as if a lot of weight is being immediately shifted to the rear (for a very brief second). Certainly feels different than any other traction control (if that is what’s happening) that I’ve experienced in other vehicles.

yeah, i would describe it as the front getting very light before getting planted again.

 

[Nocturnal]

A bit. I attribute that to the front motor pulling the car straight rather than the seasaw of an RWD.

 

[lairdb]

yeah, i would describe it as the front getting very light before getting planted again.

FWIW, that was precisely my first thought the first time I did wide-open from a stop. I don't think it's actually pitching due to the crazy low CG/polar moment, but I'd sure be interested in instrumented tests or slow motion video.

 

[cab]

I noticed this on my test drive of the P3D+. It was noticeable during both a test where I nailed it from a stop pointing straight ahead and when straightening up coming out of a roundabout. I agree that the front end goes a bit "light" and it seems there is enough power up front that it gets a bit squirrely.

 

[Superspectral]

The front motor mostly kicks in when you floor it. Otherwise the rear motor is mostly powering the car. Having the front wheels driven hard may give the P3D a bit of torque steer. Torque steer certainly feels "squirrelly". However, it is nothing compared to my Chevy Bolt. While the Bolt is only 6.5s to 60, it is FWD - and that is fast heavy torque for a FWD car. Big torque steer and really squirrelly.

 

[Orwell]

I've had my car for about a day and know exactly what you are talking about. It almost feels like torque steer as described above.

I have a Performance with Performance Upgrade Package.

 

[Silver Ghost]

I have also experienced this. I assume this is because in ice cars we are used to 2 to 3 seconds of the ice spooling up before the power band kicks in. In a Tesla those few seconds are enough to vector the thrust putting one off the center line “feeling squirrelly”. Never does that happen when one is in a st. Line pedal to metal situation

 

[kbecks13]

Yep it's definitely the front motor pulling you, the first time i floored it was pretty surprising

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Yep it's definitely the front motor pulling you, the first time i floored it was pretty surprising

Torque steer is what it felt like, but the rear motor is so much more powerful.

From a Motor Trend Article.
197 hp front/283 hp rear (450 hp combined)**

Hopefully track mode will allow us to adjust it a bit to see the difference.

Maybe it's a bit of torque steer plus lifting with the weight shifting.

 

[bradhs]

It feels like torque steer and some lifting to me. You know what is very odd is braking at a high rate of speed. Has anyone done it around 85 or so? It's the weirdest thing, the rear brakes seem to lock up while the fronts haven't yet and cause the car to do a weird maneuver that does not feel "normal". Especially if you are slightly turning or trying to avoid something in front of you. I think they need to sync the front and rears up.

 

[Manalope]

I also get this. I assumed it was torque steer from the front motor pulling

 

[Manalope]

just hold on tightly