The V8 ICE What's it all about?

The V8 ICE What's it all about?

Author
Discussion

baconsarney

Original Poster:

11,990 posts

160 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
I've noticed in a number of threads peeps expressing a desire to own a car with a V8... For some their first and for others a compunction to revisit....

So what is it about a V8 that makes large numbers of petrol heads lust after them? I can think of many reasons, but would be interested to hear the thoughts of others... I remember the first V8 I drove back in the '70s, an early Range Rover with the old 3.5 on twin (IIRC) Strombergs... It was a wonderous thing back then, and an event to drive...

There's just something about a V8.......

What's your excuse? smile

StuntmanMike

11,671 posts

150 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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The noise. The engine dominates the car.

You don’t even have to drive fast, just burble around in it and enjoy.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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The noise on start up
The burble when going along
The way the burble turns into a growl into a roar and then a scream and you exercise the Rev range.
Generally very powerful
Displacement is normally high too.
The fact they have been used in so many sports cars for decades

V88Dicky

7,302 posts

182 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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StuntmanMike said:
The noise. The engine dominates the car.

You don’t even have to drive fast, just burble around in it and enjoy.
yes

Exactly. It's just as pleasurable cruising around in the Monaro as it is riding its tidal wave of torque when you bury the right pedal.

And the noise, obviouslybiggrin

https://youtu.be/s6XpC34Qhwc

Edited by V88Dicky on Sunday 18th October 08:05

595Heaven

2,387 posts

77 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
Yep, the noise.

Doesn’t matter whether you’re wafting through town, cruising on the motorway or blasting down a favourite road. They just sound awesome.

Gad-Westy

14,521 posts

212 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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Noise and delivery for most of them. There's also an element of accessibility compared to more exotic v10 or V12's. You can own a V8 in many different flavours and it needn't cost the earth to buy or run. Harder to ay that about 10 or 12 (or more!) cylinder engines.

Also interesting that although they sound completely different both flat plane and cross plane cranks can both deliver magnificent noises. Cross plane I guess is what most people romanticise over with the burble but I have to say the 355 I drove along time ago sounded more than acceptable to me. smile

Funnily enough, I never especially coveted a V8 personally though some of my bucket list cars do have one. The only V8 I've owned was a 4.6 Alpina and if I'm being honest, the noise was just okay (too quiet) and the torque didn't necessarily blow me away either. I actually didn't think it moved things on massively from the BMW 3.0 straight six in either department but it was a lovely, effortless drivetrain generally. I'd still like to own a V8 of the more traditional, dirty variety. A big capacity, lazy US Mustang or similar has a lot of appeal.

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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I'm on my 4th in a continuous run since 2003. For me, it's a mix of power delivery, smoothness & noise.

Mine have all been in a relatively low state of tune and so there's plenty of low-down grunt below 2k, a big slab of mid-range up to 4k and then the snarly top end up to the redline.

In town you can live below 2k and, in my current car, the engine is virtually silent. It really suits the sybaritic nature of an air-sprung barge and, this side of a V12 or an EV, you're not going to find anything so refined and near-silent.

In the mid-range you just get a nice melodic hum - muted but tuneful and just a hint of what's to come when you open the taps it comes over all Nascar. That never fails to make me smile.


Magikarp

754 posts

47 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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I’ll probably need to hand in any car enthusiast card I have after this, but I really don’t get the love for the sound of a V8. There are a few that go rattling up and down the dual carriageway near where I live (normally between 12 and 1am) and they just sound coarse and ugly.

Generally I don’t like loud cars but there seems something especially ostentatious and attention grabbing about the V8.

I must be missing something!

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
Magikarp said:
I’ll probably need to hand in any car enthusiast card I have after this, but I really don’t get the love for the sound of a V8. There are a few that go rattling up and down the dual carriageway near where I live (normally between 12 and 1am) and they just sound coarse and ugly.

Generally I don’t like loud cars but there seems something especially ostentatious and attention grabbing about the V8.

I must be missing something!
Do you like Group C (mainly) V8 race engines? They are rather special.

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
Magikarp said:
I’ll probably need to hand in any car enthusiast card I have after this, but I really don’t get the love for the sound of a V8. There are a few that go rattling up and down the dual carriageway near where I live (normally between 12 and 1am) and they just sound coarse and ugly.

Generally I don’t like loud cars but there seems something especially ostentatious and attention grabbing about the V8.

I must be missing something!
They just sound live attention-seeking kn*bs with stupid exhausts.

Mine have all been subtle to the point of being anonymous. My current one is de-badged and to most people it looks just like a diesel airport run car.

But there are some right sockets round here with pressed plates, illegal tints black wheels & stupid exhausts that take the absolute piss. There are many contendors for the top prize but this week it goes to bellend in the purple Range Rover SVR thing who seems to think doing 0-60's in the high street makes him look cool. Knob.

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
Magikarp said:
I’ll probably need to hand in any car enthusiast card I have after this, but I really don’t get the love for the sound of a V8. There are a few that go rattling up and down the dual carriageway near where I live (normally between 12 and 1am) and they just sound coarse and ugly.

Generally I don’t like loud cars but there seems something especially ostentatious and attention grabbing about the V8.

I must be missing something!
Ever heard a CanAm racer?

mhurley

823 posts

132 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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I own a 2008 V8 Vantage , as much as I like the noise, I still miss the straight 6 on my BMW. A differerent sound but still enjoyable

Chewbacca NE

73 posts

43 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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It’s the noise for me and I can be very specific. It is noise of big old cast iron block, pushrod V8’s that do it for me.

Glenn63

2,732 posts

83 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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The noise was my first love after going to classic American car shows with my dad when I was about 10! Something about the old school idle just sounds wonderful to me, similar to a Harley in bike world. I finally got one in the form of a c63 and still loved it, most enjoyable at slow speeds, start up noise then gently burbling around town, sat at lights and there’s a slight ‘rocking’ as it idles cloud9

sideways man

1,307 posts

136 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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AC43 said:
Ever heard a CanAm racer?
This.
Even at idle they make your chest shake in sympathy. A grid full blasting off the line is enough to wake the devil. Shame videos can’t do them justice.

Steve93

1,104 posts

189 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
Mostly the noise

My old Disco V8 with it's single box exhaust system was by far the best sounding car i've ever owned (and one of the slowest). Even though I love my fleet of 4 pot turbos, you just can't compete with the sound of a V8

Love spending a weekend at Santa pod at the Mopar euronats etc. Videos do not convey the sound of the pro mods or even a lot of the street cars that show up.

mwstewart

7,554 posts

187 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
quotequote all
For me:
1) The sound
2) The smoothness: it's amazing that a collection of mechanical bits can be so silky smooth (assuming cross plane)
3) Exclusivity. Generally a bit special. Not cheap to run.

Garvin

5,156 posts

176 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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Don’t tell Greta but I have three of the things and all different in character.

The Range Rover is tuned for low end torque not power and has a very/muted but nice thrum through the aftermarket exhaust fitted. At idle it’s childishly amusing to gun the throttle listen to the woofle it makes whilst the vehicle makes a noticeable lurch on its suspension. This is the vehicle for wafting about in with complete smoothness and adequate grunt from low speed for such a heavy vehicle.

The Mustang has the unmistakeable cross plane crank burble of a large capacity American V8. Lovely deep, throaty, bass notes more tuned for power than low range torque requiring a few revs before it gets up and goes hard but smooth with the musical notes remainIng right up to the red line and never sounding stressed about it.

The F355 is a completely different kettle of fish with its flat plane crank V8. Tuned for power not torque this thing only really enjoys itself above 5k rpm. With its Tubi exhaust it wails more like a race engine which literally does make the hairs stand up on the back of the neck and every tunnel is treated as if the driver is a teenage hooligan again, drop a cog or two and give it the beans - lovely.

Whatever the vehicle or engine ‘flavour’ only the V8 best combines size, torque, power, smoothness and audible enjoyment in one package.

tejr

3,101 posts

163 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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The noise and exoticness relative to most daily drives. Making it a goto engine for something fun.

Terzo123

4,309 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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The noise, the torque, the power, the large capacity, but mostly the noise. smile

https://youtu.be/GC_XBkcfD0U