V8s are great!
There aren't many naturally aspirated V8s left on sale, so let's celebrate them while we can!
Now however, with the rise of turbos, diesels and hybrids, traditional big-cube V8s are under threat. Sure, they're still thundering along nicely in the US, but choice for European buyers is far more limited. And, well, you can't imagine a resurgence for them now, can you?
So while various turbo and hybrid arrangements are very good, we thought it high time to celebrate the last of a dying breed: those cars that rely purely on displacement and eight cylinders in a vee for their power. Because who doesn't love a V8?
There's something tremendously amusing about arriving at a photoshoot with a 4.7-litre car and that being the smallest engine in the group. To that end this is not a serious, analytical, objective assessment. This is not a test with a winner and a loser. This is a gathering of V8s, a reminder of why they're brilliant and - to be frank - an excuse to drive some cool cars. Enjoy!
Introduction
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Maserati MC Stradale
Lexus RC F
Ford Mustang GT
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT
Verdict
[Huge thanks to HR Owen for helping us out and loaning PH the MC Stradale you see here. It's currently for sale at the St Albans dealership]
Obviously, the weight thing does seem pretty silly. But, as a road car, as Mr Harris said on his review, it just makes for a great car to have.. I love the proper coupe looks and styling and also that wacky interior. It's just something a bit different, powered by a sonorous, atmospheric V8.
I mean just listen to it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtdtGgf1BF0
With the fact it handle to just seals the deal.
I mean just listen to it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtdtGgf1BF0
With the fact it handle to just seals the deal.
I've had two, one of them I had for three years which is the longest I've ever owned a car and I only sold it because I'd bought an e39 M5. Me and mate were having a chat about engines a while back, his argument was that v8's are outdated, drink fuel and don't actually make a lot of power for their size when compared to modern smaller turbo motors, to be fair, he was probably right, even diesels these days can run big power and still return good mpg. My reply was that no other engine seems to have the character of a v8, there's something about the way they deliver their power, you need to own a v8 for a while to get it I've found. Then there's the lazy torque, the mid range shove, the noise.
Due to a change in the circumstances the above mentioned M5 had to go and I now have a diesel which does what I want it to do very well indeed, however, exciting and characterful are not words that I would ever use to describe it. It'll do me for a couple of years yet but then I know I'll be back in a v8.
This article pretty much sums up my logic for buying the e39 M5 I've been driving for the past couple years. With fuel prices only going to go one way and road tax on these cars going up all the time, it's going to become harder and harder to find big ridiculous naturally aspirated V8 cars you can actually use every day, so snap them up while you've got the chance. I'm not completely against turbo cars, but they're a different character and almost everything released today has one, so I'm sure I'll be forced to get one eventually. I'd have been totally gutted if I'd missed the opportunity to drive about with a big charismatic engine which actually feels and sounds special.
This article pretty much sums up my logic for buying the e39 M5 I've been driving for the past couple years. With fuel prices only going to go one way and road tax on these cars going up all the time, it's going to become harder and harder to find big ridiculous naturally aspirated V8 cars you can actually use every day, so snap them up while you've got the chance. I'm not completely against turbo cars, but they're a different character and almost everything released today has one, so I'm sure I'll be forced to get one eventually. I'd have been totally gutted if I'd missed the opportunity to drive about with a big charismatic engine which actually feels and sounds special.
This article pretty much sums up my logic for buying the e39 M5 I've been driving for the past couple years. With fuel prices only going to go one way and road tax on these cars going up all the time, it's going to become harder and harder to find big ridiculous naturally aspirated V8 cars you can actually use every day, so snap them up while you've got the chance. I'm not completely against turbo cars, but they're a different character and almost everything released today has one, so I'm sure I'll be forced to get one eventually. I'd have been totally gutted if I'd missed the opportunity to drive about with a big charismatic engine which actually feels and sounds special.
The drive & the tech are nowhere near the 997 I replaced with it
I agree that they have hurt their brand with the 4x4 and Ghibli. I don't think Maserati's pedegree is as resilient as Porsche's was when they launched the Cayenne
I test drove my first V8 (a slightly tatty Tanzanite Blue 1999 E55) one sunny morning back in 2003. By that afternoon I'd put a deposit down on 2000 C43 saloon which served me well for several years until a larger family meant my chopping it in for a C43 Estate. Then a growing camping habit meant the lure of Airmatic and self-levelling got me into a 2005 5.0 E500 estate. Absolutely loved that car and kept for seven years.
Lucking the camping habit has gone but I still have a V8 - this time the 390bhp 5.5 as found in a 2010 E500. And its Tanzanite Blue, just like the first one I drove all those years ago.
Oddles of character whether bimbling to the shops or blasting to the South of France.
Sometime I drive on the paddles purely to platy tunes.
I LOVE V8's. 14 years and counting. And as the one I have is only on 55k I've got a fair few years to go. This one's a keeper.
If you HAVE to do a downsided hybrid they only acceptable option is a V6 petrol + battery pack.
Anything less in a car like that is sacriledge.
And the V8's are, of course, the pinnacle in the range.
Another mate has a 50th anniversary Defender as his DD.
And a third has just bought a 99 Alpina 5 Series with a dirty great V8.
That's four of them in a one mile radius in London.
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