On my way to work this morning in the 30 degree clear weather, the road was dry and I was getting on the interstate and on the ramp, the rear end of the XKR breaks away pretty good. I was probably pulling about .6 G and starting to get on the throttle and was not expecting that. I reeled it in but if I had been distracted, it could have been a trip through the weeds. The very sticky 20" Yokohama summer-only advan sport tires just let it go. Just a warning that summer only tires are just that! If it's freezing out, go easy! A 180 wear index tire can be very hard in the cold.

Kind of embarrassing too! Hope nobody noticed.

 

If anyone noticed they were probably amazed by the awesome power of your XK, and thrilled by your incredible driving skills.

 

Yeah, and they probably gave me a lot of room after that!

 

I've taken mine out in the snow some (I try to get the car out once a month and then give it a bath before tucking it away) and it's always an adventure.

 

For whatever it's worth, check your tire pressure. I've had a set of Yokohamas and noticed that if the pressure was down a few pounds, the rear tires could spin most unexpectedly. Maybe the cold ambient air temperature lowered the pressure just enough to cause the same thing.

 

I took my XJR with 19" wheels and Summer High Perf tires to VA last year at Christmas. Let me tell you, never again. I had never had these type of tires on a car before so that's my only excuse.

Since then I have switched over to all season tires - year round. Even though I live in central Fla where Summer tires make sense, I do like to go North in the Winter from time to time and it's not worth the risk with Summer Hi Perf. tread compounds.

 

I really am going to have to move to the US......it was 1.4 degrees here that is -17 in my money


Sorry I was more surprised by the summer temperatures than the XK letting go

 

We'd be happy to have you!
I live right on the south end of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia where it meets the Atlantic and the water modifies the temps around here.....they change more slowly and are less cold in winter and cooler in summer. Our typical winter day temp is around 45-50F. It has been colder than normal the last couple weeks, highs around high 30's to low 40's.
Sounds like Europe is having a mini ice age!

 

One of my most unhappy tire adventures was the year I took my brand new 89 Honda Accord (500 miles) with factory performance tires on it to Vermont skiing. I ended up pushing the derned thing up a mountain to the Trapp Family Lodge where I was staying! On the way home through New Jersey, it was the black ice at night as the car became a roller skate! White Knuckle all the way. I learned if it doesn' say M+S on it, stay home in the winter! Guess I forgot.

 

It is a good practical thing to do from time to time. You need to know what your limitations are, in all conditions. Otherwise, you could loose it ...IN A BIG WAY. I don't know about you, but I have a drophead, and I have seen what these look like after a roll over....I get a sore neck just thinking about it.

 

My XK8 came with Bridgestone Potenza 050's and I changed over to Turanza's because of the concerns for driving in the rain. That also improved the ride for long distance cruising!