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Yesterday, I brought my GTP in for the 'leaky front valve cover' recall. While I was waiting, I decided to take a G8 GT out for a test-drive. I did a bit of 9/10s cornering, and made a few full-throttle runs out on Hwy 10. The version I drove had the optional sport package, which includes machined 19" wheels & summer-only performance tires.
First impressions:
Controls, space, fit & finish:
Pros: Decent interior. A welcome absence of cheap-looking plastics. Easy-to-reach controls. Easy-to-read speedo & tach. Large digital speedo readout in the MFD between the analog speedo & tach is a nice touch - especially for old farts with tri-focals, like me. Definitely a driver-oriented cockpit. Comfortable seats. Decent lateral support. Plenty of seat adjustment range. Huge trunk w/back seat pass-through. Plenty of room in the back seats for 6-footers. Exterior finish seems to be quite good.
Cons: I'm not sure why they chose a thumbwheel to control audio volume from the steering wheel, in lieu of the more traditional up/down rocker. The multifunction scroll wheel on the left steering wheel spoke might take some getting used to, as well. Although the nostrils on the hood are not blocked off, the openings hardly seem large enough to do anything useful. External rear-view mirrors could be larger. The steering wheel's tilt and telescope ranges seem rather limited.
Driving impressions:
Around town:
Pros: Easy to maneuver, relatively easy to park. Very responsive. Six-speed auto is very willing to downshift multiple gears at once. Quiet exhaust. Grocery-getter quiet, even.
Cons: Small external mirrors hinder the rear view somewhat.
Performance:
After getting used to the car for a few miles, it was time to check out its handling & acceleration. I did not find an opportunity to check WOT acceleration from a standstill.
Pros: I was very impressed with the steady-state cornering, like what you find on a typical cloverleaf ramp. It felt very neutral and predictable, even when I encountered some rough crack repairs during hard cornering. There was very little body-lean. I didn't have an opportunity to fully check out its transient handling capabilities, but from what I could tell, the car felt very light on its feet, yet very connected to the road. Impressive? Yes. But all the more so - considering that it weighs over 2 tons with driver. The ride is very good - excellent body control, yet not the least bit harsh.
Cons: The steering seemed somewhat uncommunicative, in my opinion. Especially for a car that's attempting to compete with BMW. Even though the car felt very connected to the road, I found myself wishing for more feedback through the steering wheel. Acceleration from a roll was brisk, but not remarkable. The combination of over two tons of weight and only 385 pounds of torque at an unusually high 4,400 RPM is not a formula for stellar acceleration. Quick for a two-ton sedan? Yes. Muscle-car quick? No. Granted, I didn't do any WOT standing-start runs, but it didn't feel much quicker than my GTP until 70 MPH or so.
Overall impression:
The G8 GT is one of the best-handling production sedans that I have ever driven. Its agility defies its 2-ton weight. In the corners, it feels more like a 3,400-pound car. Overall, its handling is well beyond being simply confidence-inspiring, and the brakes are nothing short of phenomenal, as well. I tried, but couldn't find any bad handling habits. The tasteful interior, nicely positioned controls, roomy interior, smooth ride, and very good fit & finish round out the package quite nicely.
My only real complaints on the GT version: Needs some low-end grunt, and could use a bit more feel in the steering.
Bottom line: Although the acceleration of the GT version is a bit slow by my standards, its handling is so outstanding that I could overlook the lack of low-end & mid-range grunt. When I consider the overall package, and then consider that they're going for under $30k, I think the boys at BMW should be nervous. Very nervous.
GXP thoughts: The 3:70 gears & the Tremec 6-speed should liven things up quite a bit. Hopefully, the suspension mods won't kill the ride to gain a couple tenths of a G in cornering. Let's hope the performance benefits are worth the $8k or so price hike over the GT.
I may have found the eventual replacement for my GTP...
First impressions:
Controls, space, fit & finish:
Pros: Decent interior. A welcome absence of cheap-looking plastics. Easy-to-reach controls. Easy-to-read speedo & tach. Large digital speedo readout in the MFD between the analog speedo & tach is a nice touch - especially for old farts with tri-focals, like me. Definitely a driver-oriented cockpit. Comfortable seats. Decent lateral support. Plenty of seat adjustment range. Huge trunk w/back seat pass-through. Plenty of room in the back seats for 6-footers. Exterior finish seems to be quite good.
Cons: I'm not sure why they chose a thumbwheel to control audio volume from the steering wheel, in lieu of the more traditional up/down rocker. The multifunction scroll wheel on the left steering wheel spoke might take some getting used to, as well. Although the nostrils on the hood are not blocked off, the openings hardly seem large enough to do anything useful. External rear-view mirrors could be larger. The steering wheel's tilt and telescope ranges seem rather limited.
Driving impressions:
Around town:
Pros: Easy to maneuver, relatively easy to park. Very responsive. Six-speed auto is very willing to downshift multiple gears at once. Quiet exhaust. Grocery-getter quiet, even.
Cons: Small external mirrors hinder the rear view somewhat.
Performance:
After getting used to the car for a few miles, it was time to check out its handling & acceleration. I did not find an opportunity to check WOT acceleration from a standstill.
Pros: I was very impressed with the steady-state cornering, like what you find on a typical cloverleaf ramp. It felt very neutral and predictable, even when I encountered some rough crack repairs during hard cornering. There was very little body-lean. I didn't have an opportunity to fully check out its transient handling capabilities, but from what I could tell, the car felt very light on its feet, yet very connected to the road. Impressive? Yes. But all the more so - considering that it weighs over 2 tons with driver. The ride is very good - excellent body control, yet not the least bit harsh.
Cons: The steering seemed somewhat uncommunicative, in my opinion. Especially for a car that's attempting to compete with BMW. Even though the car felt very connected to the road, I found myself wishing for more feedback through the steering wheel. Acceleration from a roll was brisk, but not remarkable. The combination of over two tons of weight and only 385 pounds of torque at an unusually high 4,400 RPM is not a formula for stellar acceleration. Quick for a two-ton sedan? Yes. Muscle-car quick? No. Granted, I didn't do any WOT standing-start runs, but it didn't feel much quicker than my GTP until 70 MPH or so.
Overall impression:
The G8 GT is one of the best-handling production sedans that I have ever driven. Its agility defies its 2-ton weight. In the corners, it feels more like a 3,400-pound car. Overall, its handling is well beyond being simply confidence-inspiring, and the brakes are nothing short of phenomenal, as well. I tried, but couldn't find any bad handling habits. The tasteful interior, nicely positioned controls, roomy interior, smooth ride, and very good fit & finish round out the package quite nicely.
My only real complaints on the GT version: Needs some low-end grunt, and could use a bit more feel in the steering.
Bottom line: Although the acceleration of the GT version is a bit slow by my standards, its handling is so outstanding that I could overlook the lack of low-end & mid-range grunt. When I consider the overall package, and then consider that they're going for under $30k, I think the boys at BMW should be nervous. Very nervous.
GXP thoughts: The 3:70 gears & the Tremec 6-speed should liven things up quite a bit. Hopefully, the suspension mods won't kill the ride to gain a couple tenths of a G in cornering. Let's hope the performance benefits are worth the $8k or so price hike over the GT.
I may have found the eventual replacement for my GTP...