You have to understand that 99% of the time I drive my cars like an old lady--no offense to old ladies here. My friends and family consistently make fun of this fact. Even though I have sought out performance-type cars, I rarely really stomp on them since it is generally good enough to know that the power is there if I need it. Especially when I owned my Corvette, I got into the habit of driving like there was an egg between my foot and the pedal. This was due to the fact that, even though the car had "only" about 300+ horsepower, it was pretty light and I tried to avoid jackrabbit starts.

Since owning the XKR I have continued to drive as if it were the Corvette but, since it is a much heavier car, this generally results in rather tepid starts from a stoplight with most people ending up ahead of me--no big deal. But yesterday I was stopped at a light and some bright yellow Asian rice-cooker-mobile was next to me revving the engine in an annoying way. Of course he had the giant wing, the usual logos, etc. Anyway, while I did NOT floor the car when the light turned, I did push the pedal much more authoritatively than normal. Man--the car took off like a rocket leaving the ricer in the dust.

I don't normally participate or condone street drags but I have to say it felt good. Moreover, this was without even flooring the pedal--I am impressed.

Doug

 

burnin' rice is always good

 

Like you...no need to flaunt what the world (should) know you have.

Although I do not have the jump of your XKR, my XK8 sometimes needs to "re-align" those folks who are need adjustment. Mostly it is rude folks who did not get the lesson in kindergarten about taking turns at lane mergers or that my blinker does not mean speed up and close the gap I am heading into...

Recently put a fat ole' hog to bed at a green light...felt real good...damn things are too noisy for civilized folk...

 

Yo ... Doug ... thanks for writing. I'll put my Komatsu D21-P5 against your vette anyday ... head to head. What is your prob bro? This is a Jag XK8/R site man. When I was in Nam .. the '68 Vette was in Playboy .. every gi's dream machne. The ultimate ***** magnet.

I know .. you're just pissed off at yourself, for not buying Ford at $1.26 October 2008. Yeah .. me too. But, this is a Jag site ... not a Vette site bro. Enjoy the ride, always too short.

 

What the hell was that all about !?!?!

Doug

 

?????????????????

 

Doug, sounds like he misread your post and thought you were driving a Vette.

 

yep ... I think ur right .. my apologies .. jack made me do it .. really oscifer

 

No more drunk posting for attaboy, now attach that breathalizer to your PC I'm going to send you, if you're below the legal (we'll use TX since i'm familiar with their rules) the forum will allow logon privileges.

Doug, feels good to know your car will perform when you need it, he? At least in this case, when you wanted it to. TBH, I haven't tested my regularly aspirated version yet. When I do, I'll post...with disappointment I'm afraid.

 

Well, the normally aspirated is about 300hp which was about the same as my old Vette. I drove a few while shopping around and they felt pretty peppy considering they were lugging around 600 pounds or more than the Vette (consequently I believe the XK8 was about a second slower to 60 than the Corvette). Actually, the XKR feels a bit mild (at least the way I drive which is very gently on the pedal) probably due to the low compression compared with the normally aspirated. But when the SC kicks in there is a real rush.

Doug

 

It is fairly disappointing. My old C4 vette would run to 60 in 4.9 stock. It would eat my current jags lunch anyday. My Subaru Legacy GT Wagon absolutely destroys our XK8 when performance driving is involved. Hell the AWD Suby wagon complete with turbo is some 500lbs lighter as well...sigh. But then again, that isn't really the point of the N/A Jag anyway. The Jag outclasses the bejesus out of the Suby any day of the week and has far more "soul".

 

Is this something that really needs to be pointed out?? Kinda like telling someone the sun will be rising tomorrow.

Doug

 

Was wonderin where attaboy was comin from there for a minute till I read on....
Anyhow...
Nice one Doug...still life in the Ole dog yet huh?

 

Doug,

Select the "Sport Mode" then give it a kick! You may change your mind!!!!!!

 

Doug, Doug, Doug, you should teach someone a lesson at least once a week, just because you can, not just when they make the god awful noise out of the fart cannon exhaust.

 

I'm not sure when my "wimpy" driving style started but it is a hard habit to break. Before shopping around for the Jaguar that I eventually ended up with, I test drove a BMW 335i. The sales guy that was in the car with me was pissed off that I was always just gently cruising away from stoplights. At one point he actually yelled at me to "floor it". I did so but reluctantly. Not sure when or why this all started but the I can count on a couple of fingers the number of times I floored the Corvette in 14 years of ownership--something I just don't do much.

Doug

 

You do save a lot of gas driving this way. Start from a stop uses more gas than any other way. With all of that oil floating around in the gulf, gas prices are going to go sky high soon. We may all be driving conservative soon. I tend to drive the same way as you. I think because I drove an EV1 electric car for 5 years and made it a game to see how much energy I could conserve. I tend to drive faster than most drivers, but I just take my time getting there.

 

What constitutes a 'rice-cooker' mobile?

I have Oriental heritage - so when I'm driving my XKR - do I become a rice-cat driver? In taxonomy - it would be a Pantera Onca Javanicus (if there's such a thing) since I grew up in Java ....

I refer to the XKR supercharger on my previous post as the satan's own tea kettle - so I guess a satanic tea kettle burns a rice-cooker?

Having too little coffee this morning .... my mind keeps thinking all kinds of stuff ......

 

Similar story, but I drive a 'lowly' s-type 3.0l. I normally drive very conservatively since you want people to see you drive by and not in a flash (well normally). Well, was a stop light when a lowered, tricked out, mod'ed, honda crx 4 banger pulled up and the young kid kept revving and trying to burn rubber right next to me. For a split moment of juv adrenaline, with sport mode on compeletly destroyed the poor kid in his honda by the next light. No contest. I kept the engine below 6K rpm but definitely let the engine run full out. No leaks, no squaks, engine produced power nice and smoothly. Ahh, what a nice feeling. Haven't done it since because I'd like to get 150-200K out of my old Jag. I can only imagine how you folks with the XKR, etc have to go through to keep your feet light on the peddle....

Scott

 

Years ago...I heard Jsckie Stewart, arguably one of the best race drivers of all time, talk about fast driving...in essence he said to consider the space between the accelerator and your foot as an egg and do not break it...smooth is fast.

We, as Jag owners, can do smooth fast...