So Jag or Aston ?

[mikey k]

Yep same here

Jag would have been a "head" purchase
Aston was a "heart" purchase

[ds2000]

I see a Jag parked up in Reading station most days and while someone that isn't interested in cars might think the two look similar to me it was just ugly. I did like them a few years back when the first appeared.

My heart was on the Vantage from the start, I should have test driven an R8 and various Porkers but imo they are all so damn ugly.

[sadlerj]

My mate has an XKR-S and I have a V8 Vantage Sports Pack. We did a trackday at Bedford a couple of weeks ago and I got to drive them both hard back to back. It was cold damp tarmac that turned very wet in the afternoon. The Aston felt much more suited to track work, the size and weight of the Jag was very apparent. BUT the power was fantastic! Down the back straight I was managing around 150 mph indicated in the Jag but only about 135mph in the Aston even though the exit speed from the corner before seemed slower in the Jag and I was on the throttle a bit later. The Aston could use most of its power most of the time, the Jag did feel to waste a lot of it, but when it got hooked up it did fly. We were not timing but I would say the lap times would have been similar. In the dry the Jag would have been a bit quicker perhaps, but we were both having a ball! (I was lovin my new Sport Pack on track, big big difference). As Autocar stated the Jag does sound nice, not has hard edged as the Aston, also it is louder, the static test I was on 96 and he was 99 so very very close..

Personally I would have the Aston everyday of the week. The Jag seemed like a harder to drive GTR type car, fast but with little sophistication, more of a 'blunt instrument' you could say.

Did a little video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgmWWmk6S8

[Lunablack]

sadlerj said:

I know I'm biased, but just looking at them side by side, I know which one I'd rather be driving

I've done the BHP thing in the past, big horsepower bikes, etc etc.... It wears thin in the end... For me it's much more about the feeling I get when I'm in the Aston, the fact it's not the fastest car in the world has very little meaning these days...


My mate has a ZXR 750.... Big bore, high cams, lightened balanced etc, etc over 140 BHP...
He's just bought a Bonnevile...tuned it up to 86 BHP.... Guess which one he prefers to ride??

[George29]

Lunablack said:

I know I'm biased, but just looking at them side by side, I know which one I'd rather be driving

I'm going to guess you prefer the one with the chavvy black wheels, and awful spoiler/body kit?

[Lunablack]

George29 said:

I'm going to guess you prefer the one with the chavvy black wheels, and awful spoiler/body kit?

No.... I much prefer the green one....... You know, the one with the windows wound up

[Speedraser]

I posted this on the Autocar website after I watched the video:

3rd gear at just 30 mph...
These are both great cars, and the supercharged XKR is certainly quicker. But the "drag race" you show greatly exaggerates the difference -- it looks like you started in 3rd gear at just 30-ish mph. This is barely more than 2000 rpm in the Aston (and presumably similar (perhaps even lower) revs in the Jaguar), and no naturally aspirated (petrol/gasoline) engine can compete with a forced-induction engine at such low revs -- of course the Jag will motor off into the distance. A better way to show their comparative performance would be to also show them side by side in a lower gear (or start at higher revs). The Jag will still be quicker, but the gap will be much narrower. The other side of the coin is the high-rev fun the Aston's naturally aspirated engine encourages, especially when you get to access it with that wonderful MANUAL gearbox.

[Speedraser]

sadlerj said:

My mate has an XKR-S and I have a V8 Vantage Sports Pack. We did a trackday at Bedford a couple of weeks ago and I got to drive them both hard back to back. It was cold damp tarmac that turned very wet in the afternoon. The Aston felt much more suited to track work, the size and weight of the Jag was very apparent. BUT the power was fantastic! Down the back straight I was managing around 150 mph indicated in the Jag but only about 135mph in the Aston even though the exit speed from the corner before seemed slower in the Jag and I was on the throttle a bit later. The Aston could use most of its power most of the time, the Jag did feel to waste a lot of it, but when it got hooked up it did fly. We were not timing but I would say the lap times would have been similar. In the dry the Jag would have been a bit quicker perhaps, but we were both having a ball! (I was lovin my new Sport Pack on track, big big difference). As Autocar stated the Jag does sound nice, not has hard edged as the Aston, also it is louder, the static test I was on 96 and he was 99 so very very close..

Personally I would have the Aston everyday of the week. The Jag seemed like a harder to drive GTR type car, fast but with little sophistication, more of a 'blunt instrument' you could say.

Did a little video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgmWWmk6S8

James,
Haven't seen you post in a while. The car looks great, and the Sports Pack wheels look fantastic (I would say that). How long have you had the Sports Pack setup now? Did you also do the power kit?

[sadlerj]

Speedraser said:

James,
Haven't seen you post in a while. The car looks great, and the Sports Pack wheels look fantastic (I would say that). How long have you had the Sports Pack setup now? Did you also do the power kit?

Hi Speedraser

Thanks, I am lovin the wheels and the sports pack setup, makes the car much more focused, the way I like it! I have not bothered with any more power I find there to be enough, especially on a cold wet Bedford Autodrome. I got it done last February but don't get out in the car (or on PH) enough these days...perhaps that's a new year resolution!

Cheers James

[Speedraser]