6 pot XJR vs New V8 XJR
Discussion
Am currently taking an holiday from Jags but got a drive on country roads in a relatively new (approx 1 year old) XJR last weekend. Having owned a manual XJR6 for nigh on six years I was stunned at how much kit was on the '8' but also how spongy the ride was, even in sports mode (on permanently! 
)
Has anyone had the same experience?
Next car will probably be the XKR but not if the ride is like the current XJR. Cornering under load would be a bit scary I imagine!
I know the comparison is difficult as a lot of time has passed since the mid 90's when the X300 XJR was born but there is such a vast difference in driving feel, despite the power being so much greater. It just doesn't follow.
Love Jags and always will but this one was an enigma after the XJR6 which was squat and stuck to the road like Sh1t to blankets!
)Has anyone had the same experience?
Next car will probably be the XKR but not if the ride is like the current XJR. Cornering under load would be a bit scary I imagine!
I know the comparison is difficult as a lot of time has passed since the mid 90's when the X300 XJR was born but there is such a vast difference in driving feel, despite the power being so much greater. It just doesn't follow.
Love Jags and always will but this one was an enigma after the XJR6 which was squat and stuck to the road like Sh1t to blankets!
I have an X350 XJR and before that an X308 XJR - both V8 cars with CATS suspension, although air suspension for the X350.
It's hard to remember what the X308 was like now but all I recall was that for normal driving the X350 was fairly similar to the X308 when I did the swap 2.5 years ago. If anything I thought the ride/handling was generally better in the newer car as one might expect.
I've never driven an XJR6 but both V8 XJRs I've had are certainly not sports cars and can feel a bit soft if pushing on but I find if you're in the mood and push the car hard so the CATS does its thing then both cars could be hustled along at a fair old lick. You need to use the J-gate to enjoy the handling so you can lock it in gear and power round the bends. I suspect a manual car if such a thing existed would be a better drive.
The overall character of the XJR8 is much more luxury car with lots of effortless grunt - maybe the XJR6 had a different character - closer to an S-Type R perhaps?
It's hard to remember what the X308 was like now but all I recall was that for normal driving the X350 was fairly similar to the X308 when I did the swap 2.5 years ago. If anything I thought the ride/handling was generally better in the newer car as one might expect.
I've never driven an XJR6 but both V8 XJRs I've had are certainly not sports cars and can feel a bit soft if pushing on but I find if you're in the mood and push the car hard so the CATS does its thing then both cars could be hustled along at a fair old lick. You need to use the J-gate to enjoy the handling so you can lock it in gear and power round the bends. I suspect a manual car if such a thing existed would be a better drive.
The overall character of the XJR8 is much more luxury car with lots of effortless grunt - maybe the XJR6 had a different character - closer to an S-Type R perhaps?
I had an '04 XJR which I loved and found that as you speeded up the suspension firmed up, though it was never boneshaking hard. It was also pretty nimble which I put down to the aluminium body. The air suspension can be removed by the likes of Racing Green and Paramount, but you will no doubt lose the magic carpet effect at the same time. Lets face it, no roadgoing sports car is a track racer, and its a pretty good compromise.
I had no issues with the steering. What the car does undoubtedly need is the 420 bhp engine and paddle shift like the new XK. Maybe a more aggressive 'Sport' button would be nice, but we have to persuade Jaguar not all of us are retired.
Isn't it a lovely bonnet to look over as well?
I had no issues with the steering. What the car does undoubtedly need is the 420 bhp engine and paddle shift like the new XK. Maybe a more aggressive 'Sport' button would be nice, but we have to persuade Jaguar not all of us are retired.
Isn't it a lovely bonnet to look over as well?
Edited by cardigankid on Friday 28th September 18:02
Johnniem said:
I was stunned at ... how spongy the ride was, even in sports mode (on permanently! )
On the post 03 Aluminium models I think I'm right in saying the Sports button only affects the rev range for each gear. It doesn't affect the suspension at all -- although the ride height and damping/roll is affected always by road speed.) It is a slightly unusual floaty ride (my other drive is a TVR Chimaera, which is rather more solid
), but I wouldn't say spongy or unncontrolled. I find you can certainly press on well and throw it into the bends with confidence and very little body roll, yet it still manages the magic carpet effect on motorway and A-road cruises. It was never going to be a great B-road cross country hack, but it is a fabulous GT syle car.[quote]Next car will probably be the XKR but not if the ride is like the current XJR. Cornering under load would be a bit scary I imagine!
I've driven a lot of cars over the years, hut I think the XJR rates as one of the cleverest and best all rounders. Great for the limosine cruises, great for the press-on A roads, fantastically comfortable and good fun to drive with lots of feedback, superb brakes, and excellent grunt. They could have made a little more of the V8 suondtrack though
hugh
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