Jonathan

Its also confirmed that WRX/STI owners find it hard to like the P1.

This months Car has their Performance car of the year awards. They test various groups of cars and create a shortlist to go to Croft. The initial driving was done on the road where lets face it 99% of all our driving is done.

The P1 was up against the RS4, EVO Makinen and Skyline. The P1 and RS4 were judged to be better road cars than the EVO and Skyline.

Some great quotes

"Blisteringly quick pointto point though the EVO undoubtedly is, its a little less accomplished and less satisfying than the P1. Understeer can build up to frustrating proportions if you try to power out of a second gear roundabout"

"the Skyline cant compete offering no more performance and less practicality for an eye watering £20,000 more. And its hard to argue that the Skyline is more desirable than the Japanese saloons when it looks as brick like as it does. Say no more"

Of the EVO vs P1 "The Impreza feels the more dramatic of the two, delivering a thrilling wallop of power from suprisingly low down as its turbo goes ballistic"

There a lot more to read.

When they come to the Croft track day my worst fears are concerned. A Scottish WRX/STI owner with it chipped to give over 300bhp is less than enthusiastic. Now who does that sound like . The said owner in this case happens to be Mr Dumbreck.

Go buy it

Jonathan

Go P1 Go

Jye

Should shut up the whinging minority who canny understand how to push a UK scoob safely throught the corners without whining about understeer. (turn, lift, blapp, pshhhst, shoveeeeeee.....)

And OK, I know it was a P1, but the RB5 was mentioned in v. flattering terms as well, which compares well with a UK MY99 with decent running gear etc.

p.s. My 99 scoob is standard out of the box and handles 'adequately' all the 'real' roads and conditions that southern scotland can throw at it. Body roll? Feedback m8 :~)

Knockhill excluded :0

DanPhillips

Dont Believe The Hype.......The P1 is newer therefore the Journalists (Loose description..) have to say its alot better than the last thing they said was alot better than the previously new thing just so they can sell a few more magazines.....
When they get the new Sti VII it will be Vast leaps and bounds better than the P1...and then the Evo VII will be alot better than that....
Dont hold it up as a factual tablet of stone...its based on OPINION....and the opinion of journalists who tend to get carried away with themselves.....

Facts:
P1 31000 pounds
Evo VI Rsx 27000
Sti VI 23995

I too would probably hold on to anything that made me feel slightly better about having been ripped off......

Sad........

Blow Dog

Sounds cool. I would love to drive the P1, sounds like a dream. But this quote:

"Understeer can build up to frustrating proportions if you try to power out of a second gear roundabout"

Erm, Evo does this? No it doesnt, I wonder what kind of journalists these guys are. The Evo will <I>oversteer</I> out of a roundabout way before it understeers!

Cem

Steve_Yeowart

One thing people always seem to forget about the RB5 which was mentioned once in EVO a while back is that some of the improved handling comes from a stiffened rear end, hence no folding rear seats, same as the terzo I believe, type RA body shell? (could be wrong on the last bit)

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Jonathan,

glad you are still enjoying it...

...when are you getting your M3 - what is the wait list - thinking about it :P

R

Jonathan

Dont expect to have the M3 untill June/July, so might ask for it next September. I'm number 6 at a mid size dealer. First cars will probably not arrive untill March/April.

Might even try out the new shape whilst waiting. I have had the P1 a bit too long

Question is who will be first with the ECU mod BRD or Prodrive.

Jonathan

IWatkins

Jonathan,

You aiming for a new shape M3 ? You know there is already a supercharger kit out for it ?

Oh, I'm with Cem here, no way the EVO understeers in that situation. All in the diffs. Don't believe everything you read

Cheers

Ian

Kevin2000

The Terzo has a type RA body shell???????????????
Regards
Kevo

AWD

I'm trying to hold on for the M3 GT edition that they are promising. Although once I have a test drive when my local dealer gets one, I may not have much self control left to wait.

Jonathan is there a reason you're getting the M3 from a UK dealer rather than a European import?

Jonathan

The main reason for going to a main dealer will be resale and maybe even delivery. The grey importers dont seem to have published prices. In fact Virgin cars are more expensive than the actual UK list price. I expect that going to Europe will save £5k, but I'll keep the car a year then flog it. Dealers wont touch an import and the number of private punters with £30k cash is limited.

Jonathan

AWD

What is the standard UK dealer price? All the articles that I have read are quoting £38,500. Is that right?

I have also seen that it is pretty highly specced to start with - which is good as I know that quite often the cost of speccing a BMW can cost up to 50% again as getting the standard spec car.

LitchfieldImports

I have just ordered an M3 although the final price is yet to be confirmed, our Dealer (one of the biggest in Europe) has only been allocated 27 including LHD!! Like Jonathan said LHD deliveries start in April/june but RHD european deliveries won't start til June.

It should be pretty exclusive for the first year

MorayMackenzie

Jonathon,

A Scottish WRX/STI owner with it chipped to give over 300bhp is less than enthusiastic. Now who does that sound like .

I don't know who you could be alluding to.

Moray
(It sounds a bit like me, but I don't have a "chipped" car.)

MorayMackenzie

PS: "When they come to the Croft track day my worst fears are concerned."

My fears don't even seem bothered, let alone concerned.

ARRON BIRD

Johnathan,
I think it might be a good idea if you jump on a plane to Liverpool and try a Skyline out for yourself.
Evo mag talks utter ****e and is so Subaru biased in everything that it writes.
The Mitsi out handles the P1 on all but bumpy backroads and even then it is very close..........I speak from experience!
The Skyline is a brute of a car that requires a little more skill to get the best out of, and indeed would`nt be far behind the other two on a bumpy b road but would kill them on a smooth A road.......again I talk from experience.
The RS 4 is also a fantastic road car but should not be compared. It was built to be a hotted up estate car with supercar performance wich it is, not a point to point machine. The RS4 driver would`nt be slightly interested in racing around, much to buisy enjoying the sumptious leather and bose sound system!
Me I`ll take the Skyline over all the cars in that crap mag, and as you know what car I drive you can also see that i am unbiased in my decision, just fortunate enough to get my hands on many different cars.
Regards.

Jonathan

Arron

The magazine wasnt EVO but Car. Personally I cant get on with the looks of the Skyline. It also seems to suffer P1 beating depreciation (and thats talking). Keep checking the price people sell them at. It also seems in UK spec way over priced for a Nissan.

Me I'll take an M3 next.

Jonathan

jeremy

Arron,

I do not doubt what you say about the handling of the cars you mentioned. However I think you might be missing EVO's point. And that simply is that although the EVO 6 and Skyline do handle more competetly more of the time and on more types of roads, that neither diposes of its grip more progressivly and predictably than the Impreza. Thats been mostly what they've said since their big 4WD test a year 1/2 ago.

Thanks, JL

TRIGGER

Back on the M3 side, my colleague is looking to get one and doesnt mind LHD - found a couple at £28-29,000 with delivery mileage on various websites (european autotrader type pages).

Trout

iTrader: (1)

TRIGGAR,

are you sure that they are the new model - under £30k when aren't even available in the UK, or barely anywhere else, seems a bit underpriced!

R

(New Scoob, M3, 330Ci or CLK320?)

Scott J Davies

Hang on it was CAR magazine not Evo and I am amazed that they could pick a RS4 over a Skyline

The Skyline is an awesome machine, I know where you can get an import for £31K 1999, 12000 KM on the clock, now thats value for money, P1 Smee1.

Overpriced, underperformed, but nice looking

Car magazine = IMHO

Blow Dog

RS4 is a better driving machine than the Makkinen Evo and the R34 GTR?

Hmm...sure, whatever you say boys.

Cem

(I thought the way they conducted the test was really pathetic, eventually putting a Clio through a round when an Evo fails.)

Bajie

Cem
They probably thought it was easier to drive the RS4 at lower speeds without wanting to go faster and experience all those lovely noises the car makes while travelling in the upper ranges of the rev counter.
Drove an RS4. Very fast. Very quiet. Very clinical. Bit like driving a hospital bed.

Stupot

mmmm I drive an STI and I like the P1 too... am I the only one out there like this... I doubt it somehow. BMW, vastly overpriced for something that will be everywhere in no time at all.. good decision to move on after a year methinks. I am looking forward to seeing the R35 skyline with its evil looks and twin turbo V8 all based around that luurvly 4 wheel drive system when it is released. As for the new Impreza... B4 RSK Legacy anyone?

Stu