75 V8 Ride Quality

[EdwardC]

Yesterday I drove a 75 V8 for the first time and was disappointed by the quality of the ride; I felt it was too firm and detracted from the overall experience. The standard fwd car feels like a feather filled pillow in comparison and I would plump for a V6 in preference every day of the week. A sad moment for me as it was a car I had long lusted after...

[jith]

You have to remember that the V8 is a seriously quick car designed primarily to compete on the autobahn. I think you will find at 140mph it settles down nicely!!

J

[EdwardC]

But it is not seriously quick; it is disappointingly slow...

Parkers list the 0-60 time as circa 1 sec slower than a 2.5 V6.

[jith]

EdwardC said:

But it is not seriously quick; it is disappointingly slow...

Parkers list the 0-60 time as circa 1 sec slower than a 2.5 V6.

I think we're talking about different cars here. The V8 I'm referring to is the MG version and the ones I have driven and worked on I can assure you are seriously quick, particularly at motorway speeds.

If it is simply a 75 I was not aware that they did the V8 in these: it must be very rare and in a different state of tune to the MG.

J

[Magic919]

Differing ideas of seriously quick I suspect. 250HP and 6-7 seconds 0-60 don't do it for me. At 140 on the autobahn it'd be about to run out of puff.

[SamR380]

Owning both, I can confirm that the V8 is both significantly faster and significantly less comfortable than a V6. I guess the chassis was designed more with the MG in mind.

[jith]

Magic919 said:

Differing ideas of seriously quick I suspect. 250HP and 6-7 seconds 0-60 don't do it for me. At 140 on the autobahn it'd be about to run out of puff.

We are definitely talking different cars!

I've just checked back on my records and the car I'm talking about is MG ZT 260. The top speed is limited to 155 MPH, so no running out of puff there. It would be interesting to drive an unlimited one, in Germany of course!

J

[SamR380]

Just had a thought OP, check what mats are fitted. Mine has mats from a normal 75 and they get stuck under the throttle pedal limiting to about 75%. Even on a good day it's no rocket ship but neither would I say it's slow.

[Magic919]

I don't think you'd even see 156 without a limiter.

[tonys]

Evo listed the Rover 75 V8 0-60mph at a claimed 6.8 secs.. A 75 V6 @ 5.8 secs? I haven't driven either, but I'd be surprised if a rwd V8 wasn't better than a fwd V6.

The auto box may not be the best, but given the choice between rwd and V8 and fwd and V6, in basically the same car, the V8 would get my vote. Of course, the cars aren't exactly brand new now, so there are plenty of things that could adversely affect any individual car driven now, ie old tyres, dampers, broken springs etc..

[gadgetmac]

OT I suppose but I had a 1.8 75 some years back and while it was as slow as a tortoise it had unbelievable ride quality way beyond its price point. I may reinvest later this year as a 3rd car for motorway runs etc so as not to add mileage to my existing 2 cars and was thinking of a V6 or V8 but this thread is giving me pause for thought.

[Car mad enthusiast]

Don't forget the later model Diesel's too. They were great BTW. I certainly enjoyed driving the one I had for a good few years before selling it on.

[scoobygaz1]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned There are 2 models of Rover v8s the ordinary 75 v8 and the mg v8!

[jkh112]

jith said:

We are definitely talking different cars!

I've just checked back on my records and the car I'm talking about is MG ZT 260. The top speed is limited to 155 MPH, so no running out of puff there. It would be interesting to drive an unlimited one, in Germany of course!

J

I think that there is no mechanical difference between the MG and the Rover versions. They had the same 260 bhp V8 engine, gearbox and suspension.

[SamR380]

jkh112 said:

I think that there is no mechanical difference between the MG and the Rover versions. They had the same 260 bhp V8 engine, gearbox and suspension.

Different gearbox, the Rover was automatic.

[jkh112]

I didn’t realise that the manual wasn’t available in the Rover. I had just thought the 75 buyers had chosen an auto.

[Xpuffin]

I just sold a Rover 75 260.
It's a very underwhelming car, I'm now back in an even older 800 Sterling which is a joy to drive in comparison.

[Ex X Power]

The 75 V8 was even more of a list minute thought than the ZT V8 so unfortunately it has exactly the same suspension set up as the MG variant..... A shame because I think the Rover with they autobox could have made a nice waft mobile... certainly nicer than the ZT with that God awful Tremec gearbox