Rover P6 or XJ6 or Silver Shadow?
Discussion
The marvellous new BV72 addition has me wondering.
I've had two rover P6's, said at the time to be a better drive that the contemporary XJ6, plus, I'm in the process of putting a Silver Shadow back on the road.
Which has the softest ride? I'm overwhelmed with the desire to have the most comfy, absorbing, detached from the road set of wheels.
I've had two rover P6's, said at the time to be a better drive that the contemporary XJ6, plus, I'm in the process of putting a Silver Shadow back on the road.
Which has the softest ride? I'm overwhelmed with the desire to have the most comfy, absorbing, detached from the road set of wheels.
XJ6/12 over the P6, I have a forty three year old S2 XJ6 which rides like nothing else I've ever been in (well, when it starts anyway!). The first time I drove it I couldn't belive how good it was. Had three P6s previous to that which all rode very nicely 9a 2000TC and a pair of 3500 autos), but they wallowed in the twisty bits much more than the Jag does.
Enjoying the updates in your Shadow thread by the way, a top purchase if ever there was one! There's a Shadow parked up at the back of an old style garage next to Narborough station which I see when I'm passing through (it's not visible from the road or the adjacent level crossing), every time I see it I think of your project car. Deep metallic red, 'private' plate, appears to be in great nick, it just sits there looking very lordly. The garage is one of those timber shed affairs run by an old boy, probably not long for this world.
Enjoying the updates in your Shadow thread by the way, a top purchase if ever there was one! There's a Shadow parked up at the back of an old style garage next to Narborough station which I see when I'm passing through (it's not visible from the road or the adjacent level crossing), every time I see it I think of your project car. Deep metallic red, 'private' plate, appears to be in great nick, it just sits there looking very lordly. The garage is one of those timber shed affairs run by an old boy, probably not long for this world.
I am a fan of the P6 but I've never seen a contemporary road test that said it rode better than an XJ6. The Jag is the best of the three for ride in my view. Shads are well cushioned but over a lot of surfaces they feel under-damped, so while they can absorb a bump well, if you're doing any speed over a surface with heave and dips, you end up with the shell moving around unnecessarily before it settles.
Have you tried a DS?
Have you tried a DS?
I group up around XJs and Shadows. I keep finding myself looking at them on Car and Classic and if I had the space I'd have the pair.
Both in recent years have had the obvious image problems but I do feel that we seem to have come out the other side of the old man/wedding car period.
I think the key is to buy as old a version as possible to get the lovely chrome work. And to buy a dark colour like a maroon for the roller or brg for the Jag etc.
Personally, I would favour the Jag. They really do drive beautifully and let's not forget that the V12 mated to the 3 speed torqueflite gave a 50-70 time that was unbeaten for years and few cars today will exceed. It was something like 2.5 seconds (very hazy memory) but it means that it will be blindingly good for A road overtakes and general driving.
Both in recent years have had the obvious image problems but I do feel that we seem to have come out the other side of the old man/wedding car period.
I think the key is to buy as old a version as possible to get the lovely chrome work. And to buy a dark colour like a maroon for the roller or brg for the Jag etc.
Personally, I would favour the Jag. They really do drive beautifully and let's not forget that the V12 mated to the 3 speed torqueflite gave a 50-70 time that was unbeaten for years and few cars today will exceed. It was something like 2.5 seconds (very hazy memory) but it means that it will be blindingly good for A road overtakes and general driving.
Brisk but not that brisk. 3.7 sec according to the Autocar road test for the S2 5.3, 3.8 sec for the S3 H.E.
3.1 for an XJS H.E. The saloon figures are roughly the same as from a 560SEL, which makes sense, and for context a W126 500SE did it in 4.4.
The Daimler Double Six H.E. they had must have been poorly: it only did 50-70 in 5.2, which is much slower than I would expect.
3.1 for an XJS H.E. The saloon figures are roughly the same as from a 560SEL, which makes sense, and for context a W126 500SE did it in 4.4.
The Daimler Double Six H.E. they had must have been poorly: it only did 50-70 in 5.2, which is much slower than I would expect.
Edited by Lowtimer on Saturday 13th February 10:05
Thanks. I nearly wrote 2.7 so memory not wholly wonky. I remember in the days when the times were published in one of the car buying magazines that there were very few cars outside of the highest insurance group that were quicker.
I guess it was a legacy of my grandfather passing the remark after seeing my Top Trumps cards that 0-60 times were for bank robbers, that it was 50-70 times a driver should concern themselves over.
Our '79 928 had the same benefit of the three speed box giving brilliant over taking performance.
I guess it was a legacy of my grandfather passing the remark after seeing my Top Trumps cards that 0-60 times were for bank robbers, that it was 50-70 times a driver should concern themselves over.
Our '79 928 had the same benefit of the three speed box giving brilliant over taking performance.
Huntsman said:
Lowtimer said:
Have you tried a DS?
No, I haven't. Been admiring them from a far for a while.Looking forward to getting the Shadow on the road to see how it compares. Both the P6 V8 auto I had and the Shadow I now have are 1974 cars. Both V8. Both auto. The P6 was an amazing car.
Where the DS wins is on really bad surfaces, and god knows Britain now has some of the worst roads in Europe! The reason for this is that the suspension is purely hydraulic and dissapates shocks through the whole system, not just at each corner. It just devours potholes with ease.
In its day the P6 was remarkable and had a better ride than the pre-XJ Jaguars.
J
jith said:
The DS beats anything hands down. But I think you have to be careful what it is you're looking for. The Shadow is silky smooth in the ride department, but compared to the XJ it's just an ungainly barge of a thing. Similarly, the DS won't handle like the XJ, but it is surprisingly nimble for such a big car with a soft ride.
Where the DS wins is on really bad surfaces, and god knows Britain now has some of the worst roads in Europe! The reason for this is that the suspension is purely hydraulic and dissapates shocks through the whole system, not just at each corner. It just devours potholes with ease.
In its day the P6 was remarkable and had a better ride than the pre-XJ Jaguars.
J
Maybe my memory is wonky but didn't the Shadow use the DS suspension design under license or somesuch?Where the DS wins is on really bad surfaces, and god knows Britain now has some of the worst roads in Europe! The reason for this is that the suspension is purely hydraulic and dissapates shocks through the whole system, not just at each corner. It just devours potholes with ease.
In its day the P6 was remarkable and had a better ride than the pre-XJ Jaguars.
J
I was driven across the Cotswold's in a DS recently and it was a superb driving experience.
I've had a few S1 XJ6's and an early Silver Shadow.
Yes, the Shadow uses the Citroen self-levelling suspension, usually on the rear wheels only. It's not the same as the DS though, the self levelling is hydraulic but the car actually runs on conventional springs and dampers, the hydraulic suspension does very little to affect the ride or handling when driving, deliberatly switching to a 'slow' mode so that it doesn't try and self level all the time. Early cars with front levelling had a roll control system to limit roll at the front but in truth any serious attempt by the car to self level while driving just lead to erratic handling.
My vote goes to the XJ6. The Shadow has a nicer ride in a straight line but wallows through the corners, you're high up and it leans a fair bit, and with no support on the seats so you kind of have to hang on (or slow down...). The XJ6 is nearly as nice in a straight line but much more composed round corners and during braking so pips it for me. RR is quieter though and probably fits the OP's description better.
Yes, the Shadow uses the Citroen self-levelling suspension, usually on the rear wheels only. It's not the same as the DS though, the self levelling is hydraulic but the car actually runs on conventional springs and dampers, the hydraulic suspension does very little to affect the ride or handling when driving, deliberatly switching to a 'slow' mode so that it doesn't try and self level all the time. Early cars with front levelling had a roll control system to limit roll at the front but in truth any serious attempt by the car to self level while driving just lead to erratic handling.
My vote goes to the XJ6. The Shadow has a nicer ride in a straight line but wallows through the corners, you're high up and it leans a fair bit, and with no support on the seats so you kind of have to hang on (or slow down...). The XJ6 is nearly as nice in a straight line but much more composed round corners and during braking so pips it for me. RR is quieter though and probably fits the OP's description better.
Edited by varsas on Monday 15th February 13:10
I've never had an XJ6 or Shadow, but I did have a P6B many years ago.
I remember the ride was very good, but the handling was pretty roly-poly (although I was only 20 years old at the time and would have had a 3 litre Capri if I could have insured it)!
The best-riding car I have had was a W123 Mercedes 280E - it also handled pretty well!
Whatever you go for I hope it lives up to expectations!
I remember the ride was very good, but the handling was pretty roly-poly (although I was only 20 years old at the time and would have had a 3 litre Capri if I could have insured it)!
The best-riding car I have had was a W123 Mercedes 280E - it also handled pretty well!
Whatever you go for I hope it lives up to expectations!
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff