[Lux700]

Well, my bother-in-law is into American cars, which he buys and does up and tries to make few quid in the process. His wife (my sister) and b-i-l are like peas in a pod and, in addition, she really looks down her nose at anything modern and believes that older cars are always better and, unfortunately, is a bit of a ‘no one can do it better than we do’ type. I generally just bite my lip...

To add to their classic collection, they’ve just acquired a very clean XK8 convertible.

Right, well family are family and there’s the usual bond but they are the types that like all the attention and need to hear how wonderful their cars are whilst never showing any interest in anyone else’s (unless it’s American or an old classic). Seriously, my car isn’t even worth a glance. In fact, it’s almost a deliberate eye aversion!

I heard all about how this Jaaaaag pumped out 290bhp and blah, blah, blah.. Anyway, we’d just had a bit of dinner out and exchanged pleasantries and was invited back to their house for a coffee. We were parked in the same car park and were both heading in each other’s direction. As we all walked out to the car park, tonge-in-cheek, I said ‘so where are we going to race then’? My sister said ‘anywhere you want’!

Me and my dad got in mine, and my sister and brother-in-law in their newly acquired Jag. They reversed out of their space and drove off and I pulled out behind them. As I followed it was obvious he was accelerating briskly as he pulled away from a couple of junctions. I was in their neck of the woods but I knew the roads from when I used to live in the area. I knew which way they were going and was hoping for a clear road. I selected sport mode and felt the ride firm up and the gearbox respond with a quick change down.

He was the only car in front of me as we approached a green traffic light. We turned left onto a very wide and straight road, which was national speed limit, and not a car or anything in sight! As soon as he had turned out of the corner and got the Jag straight, he booted it!!! I anticipated it and did the same. Keeping my throttle mashed, within little distance covered, I had no choice but to pull out and literally zap past him. My dad said the look on his face was brilliant. Seconds later he was a long way behind. I eased off and trundled back to theirs for my coffee. Slightly smirking.

When they arrived, at least my brother-in-law was honest enough to tell me that he was standing on the gas pedal. Guess what my sister said? Not a word!

How satisfying

[RobUK]

Originally Posted by Lux700

...My dad said the look on his face was brilliant.

He probably spotted the 335d wheel-arch gap as you flew past

Sorry, couldn't resist that

[Lux700]

Originally Posted by RobUK

He probably spotted the 335d wheel-arch gap as you flew past

Sorry, couldn't resist that

Oh dear, is that your car in the picture? You need to get that checked out, it’s not normal... unless you’ve just let it down off a jack and are trying to emphasise something?

Mine’s on ACS springs and looks ok - it’s a Touring after all. If it was a Ferrari I’d expect it to sit a little lower though.

Anyway, have you not noticed the wheel arch gap on XK8’s, and that’s supposed to be a sporty car!

[Hooded]

The XK8 cab is quite slow .. of course you blitzed it .. http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel6195-541.htm

[RobUK]

I don't use the oily stuff, it's a still from a video of a 335d on stock springs launching. As you say, it was an excuse for the guy to get different springs fitted although I think he went down the Eibach route.

No doubting the 335d will humble a lot of cars tho as many here will attest

[sahajesh]

They will still say that top speed isn't everything and that modern BMWs just aren't classy.

That type of person always has a smart (in their view) reply.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by sahajesh

They will still say that top speed isn't everything and that modern BMWs just aren't classy.

That type of person always has a smart (in their view) reply.

And IMO they'd be right; actually, I'd go even further and say straight line performance (as opposed to just top speed) isn't everything either!

That's not meant to sound smart (so apologies if it does) but I think many would accept a car can be quick in a straight line without being especially involving or fun to drive (and I'd say the 335d is a good example of that!).

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by JNW1

And IMO they'd be right; actually, I'd go even further and say straight line performance (as opposed to just top speed) isn't everything either!

That's not meant to sound smart (so apologies if it does) but I think many would accept a car can be quick in a straight line without being especially involving or fun to drive (and I'd say the 335d is a good example of that!).

Agreed....but that was the immediate challenge laid down by the Bro In Law.

All you can do is beat him

[sahajesh]

Originally Posted by JNW1

And IMO they'd be right; actually, I'd go even further and say straight line performance (as opposed to just top speed) isn't everything either!

That's not meant to sound smart (so apologies if it does) but I think many would accept a car can be quick in a straight line without being especially involving or fun to drive (and I'd say the 335d is a good example of that!).

I'd agree too but that's the game he played and lost and no doubt they would then say something similar to what I posted.

[R0B]

Cracking story

[Lux700]

I totally knew what the outcome would be... it was actually about putting my sister in her place. Love her lots but she often spouts condescending nonsense, so was glad that conditions allowed me to render her speechless, which it did. Yep, totally agree about cars on straights vs corners but another thing is, they like drag cars and are definitely not corner people, so the fact that the 335d isn't a corner muncher was irrelevant.

[Scottiedog]

Originally Posted by RobUK

He probably spotted the 335d wheel-arch gap as you flew past

Sorry, couldn't resist that

Cheeky, that's from the benchmark

[XK140]

True petrol heads,especially old ones like me,try and have decent knowledge of old cars and current models...

As such,no-one would back an XK8 against a 335d...an XKR might have been a different result?

Last old car I had was a TVR S3.It was a decent example but too crude in too many respects for me.

I think if you become bored with modern cars and yearn for the past the restomod route is the way to go...sadly an Eagle E type is not in my price range.

[creepy coupe]

People can be strange where cars are concerned. I know people who will drive a 2004 Merc C180 and think it's the best car in the world, because it's a Merc. A lot of it so they can impress family members,who have as little a clue about cars as them.

[Lux700]

Originally Posted by XK140

True petrol heads,especially old ones like me,try and have decent knowledge of old cars and current models...

As such,no-one would back an XK8 against a 335d...an XKR might have been a different result?

Last old car I had was a TVR S3.It was a decent example but too crude in too many respects for me.

I think if you become bored with modern cars and yearn for the past the restomod route is the way to go...sadly an Eagle E type is not in my price range.

My sister and B-i-L know quite a lot about old cars, but very little about the new stuff.

It's not something that is likely to happen again - they live oop north, and I live in the south. The way the whole thing unfolded, was like the perfect storm... although when I was following, I was willing him to gas it! He obliged - demonstration successfully completed!

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Agreed....but that was the immediate challenge laid down by the Bro In Law.

All you can do is beat him

Sounded like the immediate challenge was actually laid down by the OP (where shall we race to then?) and his sister was daft enough to bite and take him up on it!

An XK8 had less power and torque than an F31 335d Touring even when it was new and an old one will probably be even further down on the BMW; throw in the fact it weighs more as well and how on earth was it ever going to be quicker? I'm sure the OP realised all this when he issued his tongue in cheek challenge though!

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by XK140

True petrol heads,especially old ones like me,try and have decent knowledge of old cars and current models...

As such,no-one would back an XK8 against a 335d...an XKR might have been a different result?

Last old car I had was a TVR S3.It was a decent example but too crude in too many respects for me.

I think if you become bored with modern cars and yearn for the past the restomod route is the way to go...sadly an Eagle E type is not in my price range.

depends on the age.. a 2012 XKR would be closer to an M3 from rolling.. but a 2002 one would get beaten by the 335d.

[ian332isport]

I'm surprised they see an old XK8 qualifying as classic. It's just an old modern-ish car. It's got to get a lot older before it achieves classic status.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by ian332isport

I'm surprised they see an old XK8 qualifying as classic. It's just an old modern-ish car. It's got to get a lot older before it achieves classic status.

I think beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder where the term "classic car" is concerned! A country estate close to where I live hosts a couple of classic car events each year and, while you see some genuinely tasty machinery heading there (E-Types, Astons, etc), some of the stuff was frankly rubbish when new (Marinas, Allegros, etc) and is therefore now just old rubbish in my eyes!

[Lux700]

Originally Posted by ian332isport

I'm surprised they see an old XK8 qualifying as classic. It's just an old modern-ish car. It's got to get a lot older before it achieves classic status.

I don’t actually think that they believe it to be a proper classic, but they may keep it.

[Flyboy-fil]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

People can be strange where cars are concerned. I know people who will drive a 2004 Merc C180 and think it's the best car in the world, because it's a Merc. A lot of it so they can impress family members,who have as little a clue about cars as them.

This type of person who never uses the ‘car’, it’s always ‘We’ll pick you up in the Mercedes’ or ‘Tarquin is washing the Mercedes today’. etc. Then they turn up in said 04 C180 Classic looking down at anything else on the road. Mrs Buquet anyone? Yes dear