Jaguar XK8 & '73 E-type V-12

The all-aluminum 4.0-liter DOHC powerplant is only Jaguar's fourth clean-sheet engine design in the company's history, and is the cat's first V-8. A first glance of the stats (290 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 290 pound-feet of torque at 4250 rpm) might give the impression that you have to rev the daylights out of this engine to make it perform. Not so. Thanks to techno-goodies like sophisticated electronic fuel injection and variable cam timing, a full 80 percent of that max torque is available between 1400 and 6400 rpm, which gives the car a more relaxed, V-12 sort of feel. Uh, did we say V-12? That's just what's under the hood of the vintage Jag, a 5.3-liter SOHC 12 that pushes out 265 gross horsepower at 5750 rpm and 304 pound-feet gross torque at 3500 rpm. Connected to the then-optional three-speed automatic, the four-Stromberg-carb V-12 delivers an initial rush of torque mixed with a sensation of long-legged power. But, as with the XK8, the overall driving flavor of the '73 E-type is more "grand touring" than all-out "sports."

Line 'em up and drop the green flag, and it's the new cat that has the performance edge, romping 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds and turning 15.2 seconds at 94.3 mph in the quarter mile. Interestingly, that's about identical to the prowess of the original Series 1 E-type, but the heavier and smog-equipment-beleaguered Series 3 drops back to 8.0 seconds in the 0-60-mph dash, and 16.1 seconds at 88.0 mph in the quarter mile. Unlike the vintage car, the new ragtop feline is only available with an automatic, a five-speed electronically controlled unit shifted via the Jag-trademark J-gate quadrant. Smooth it is, perhaps too smooth for an enthusiast's car. We'd like to dial a couple clicks more "sport" into the XK8 overall, but we'll have to wait for the upcoming "R" model to get that wish. For the majority of buyers, however (many of whom are women), the car will probably feel perfect as is.

In deference to the vintage car's value and temperament, we didn't subject it to our handling or braking tests, but suffice it to say that, while the XK8's average slalom speed of 62.8 mph might be equaled by the E-type, the new car's skidpad grip of 0.85 g, and 60-0-mph stopping distance of 118 feet would be far superior to the best we could hope to wring out from the vintage Jag, while no doubt frying a set of tires (at least!) in the process.

The basic suspension design of the E-type was state-of-the-art when it was first penned for the D-type racer back in the early '50s and features double-wishbones up front augmented by torsion bars and an anti-roll bar. Out back, the independent setup utilizes inboard Girling disc brakes, equal-length halfshafts, lower wishbones, radius arms, coil springs, and an anti-roll bar.

By '73, the tires were still-skinny Dunlop SP Sport E70x15s on 15x6.0-inch steel wheels, and the rack-and-pinion steering was power-assisted. In contrast, the XK8 at once looks simpler yet more sophisticated, with an all-new double-wishbone front design with coil springs and an anti-roll bar; the rear setup is constructed of modified double control arms with each halfshaft serving as an upper link (borrowed from the current XJ-sedan and similar to the E-type's arrangement) backed up by coil springs and an anti-roll bar. Rolling stock is brawny 245/50ZR17 Pirelli P Zero radials astride 17x8.0-inch cast aluminum wheels.