Yesterday, minding my own business I accelerated away from a stop light, I heard a noise to the side and a PU was starting to barrel by. I felt ‘somewhat’ challenged and pushed harder..only to see the rear bumper of the truck pass me by!If I had responded with a serious kick down I think the downshift would have launched me forward and in front…but I didn’t. Since I don’t (as yet) have an XKR I was wandering if I could change the wiring from the steering wheel phone control (I have no phone) and use that to create the momentary contact that is used for deactivating the dsc . The change in driving character with out dsc is certainly more exhilarating and a tiny bit quicker in acceleration… it is just not driver friendly to reach forward and push the button in most driving situations…using this non-used button would solve that for me.Any thoughts other than to get the xkr quick?

wj

 

Being dusted by a pickup sure brings back memories. Back in the mid-eighties my buddy had a Chevy pickup truck with a built 427 in it. Many a Corvette and Camaro were shamed that summer!

Not sure how you go about doing that with your DSC, but I'd like to do that with the sport mode switch. My big gulp is always in the way when I need to get to it in a hurry.

 

Its not as simple as just changing the switch connections over, as all four audio buttons on the steering wheel (volume up/down and mode/phone buttons) use the same two wires to connect to the radio/cassette, using different resistance values depending on which button is pressed.

You would have to add a fairly simple electronic circuit to detect the phone button being pressed, rather than any of the other buttons, and use the output of that to control the DSC (or the sport mode).

The other button that might work, is the trip select button on the end of the indicator stalk. That goes to the instrument pack by two wires and is just a simple switch. You could use that and add a different button somewhere for trip select.

 

PU Truck is geared low for pulling loads and has bags of torque. The Jaguar is a GT car and not a drag racer. Comparing potatoes and oranges. The same pickup truck would do poorly on a rapid cruise through a scenic mountain highway because its not designed for that purpose

 

Pick-up truck is designed to pick-up manure and other crap. The Jag is designed to pick-up other things.

 

lol I am sure the drivers I dust with my lifted 4x4 Nissan with a Ken bell super charged V6 engine I built with 475hp. Running 4.56 gears front and rear on mud tires It is seriously fast and walks from a lot of unsuspecting people

 

thanks for the replies everyone.
This PU was not built but rather a 'stock' version. I simply didn't respond quick enough to remain in front.
(last year I sold an old 88 1/2 ton with a built 350 + turbo @ 14psi, 425hp, 500 ft lbs. all this with a short wheelbase, 3:08, open end re...not driveable in the wet but a lot of fun in the dry)
I'm going to pursue the steering wheel switch idea a bit.
wj

 

 

Really, that matters? My jag is not a car that does anything fast, sure it can handle and do 90 with ease, but racing anything? I know what you mean, sometimes it just seems like when you kick down the pedal it just goes...try the sport button under the shifter, I keep it on all the time as it aides in quicker shifts. My Jag is a lazy cruiser and does that as well as any car. Most pick ups that are full size have v8 engines and are geared for torque and lower speeds, so they can be quick off the line.

My m3 does 0-60 in 4 seconds, but, but if you punch it in 1st or 2nd anytime under 40 mph it lights up the rear tires...sure it goes but a race car off the line I leave to others. What matters to me is that the car I am driving excites me and I enjoy it.

 

no, nothing as exciting as that truck. It was a 'plain jane' Dodge 1/2 or 3/4 with a v8. It sounded very stock to me but when you have the drop on someone, you have the drop on them.
A close family member picked up an xf last year, 6 cylinder-340hp-auto. In stock form it would have trounced the pu as it started to pass me. He has since added some software and it now has 415 hp!
I love my XK8 for what it is, I just need an XKR to squelch some of my other needs.
wj

 

It's tough to catch up if someone else even in a less powerful car has an initial speed advantage of just 15 mph. Downshift doesn't launch a car forward, it's effectively more wasted time while the other car is accelerating. I used to, ahem, practice embarrassing faster cars a lot in my younger days.

There are limits, in my 2100lb, 500hp car I can't even tell if a Corvette is accelerating or not when I'm on it.

 

http://www.jaguarspecialties.com/XK8-LSx.asp

Stick a Chevy LS series V8 in it!

 

Had a similar experience with my XKR. I had the dreaded rotary switch failure at the time so no sport mode and no first gear, an SUV tried to race me at the light and while we were neck and neck it was embarrassingly slow. With my car it was particularly embarrassing because of all the aero on it. Got the switch fixed and its fine now. Mucking with the switches (all mine have been remoted into the glove box) has its own risks. Realize these cars are geared high for cruising and really suck off the line anyway. Fixing that was too big a pain for even my pain tolerance. If you want fast off the line move to an F-Type V8. (Though the LS swap, as long as you have an early car, is always a huge temptation).

 

Last weekend I had my 2005 XKR out and came up to a light next to a Jeep. I know those are quick off the line but run out of go fairly fast.

The light changed and he jumped on it and pulled ahead of me. The kid in me said "no, not today" and I floored it.

I'm not sure what his expression was but I did see him in my rear view shortly after that.