OV9

Fancy a low mileage B5.5 W8 estate ?

https://www.barons-auctions.com/view-lo ... ion-estate

Aren’t these horrendously unreliable or have I imagined that?

Theres definitely an appeal to that even though 275 bhp from all those litres doesn’t sit well with my 100bhp / litre expectations. Still interesting though and mega low mileage too.

Saw one recently. Does have some understated appeal, but as I recall (and mentioned above), they're not terrible reliable and due to the engine being so big, quite difficult (and thus expensive if paying someone else) to work on. Much the same as the V10 Toerags I believe.

I quite fancied one a while back just for the oddness lols.

However having only 275bhp from such an unusual and complicated engine and the cars weighing as much as a small moon, plus the majority of them are slush box autos put me off.

A manual w8 estate would still be quite a cool thing though.

integrale_evo wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:14 pm I quite fancied one a while back just for the oddness lols.

However having only 275bhp from such an unusual and complicated engine and the cars weighing as much as a small moon, plus the majority of them are slush box autos put me off.

A manual w8 estate would still be quite a cool thing though.

Everything Harry said. I considered one years ago too. It's like the MG ZT260 though, in that another 80bhp is needed.

mik wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:36 pm

integrale_evo wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:14 pm I quite fancied one a while back just for the oddness lols.

However having only 275bhp from such an unusual and complicated engine and the cars weighing as much as a small moon, plus the majority of them are slush box autos put me off.

A manual w8 estate would still be quite a cool thing though.

Everything Harry said. I considered one years ago too. It's like the MG ZT260 though, in that another 80bhp is needed.

At least with the ZT, you can bang a supercharger on it at a realistic cost (because IIRC it's just a Ford lump at the end of the day).

What can you do to a W8...? Other than understeer through every corner you can find...

Beany wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:41 pm

mik wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:36 pm

integrale_evo wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:14 pm I quite fancied one a while back just for the oddness lols.

However having only 275bhp from such an unusual and complicated engine and the cars weighing as much as a small moon, plus the majority of them are slush box autos put me off.

A manual w8 estate would still be quite a cool thing though.

Everything Harry said. I considered one years ago too. It's like the MG ZT260 though, in that another 80bhp is needed.

At least with the ZT, you can bang a supercharger on it at a realistic cost (because IIRC it's just a Ford lump at the end of the day).

What can you do to a W8...? Other than understeer through every corner you can find...

Mustang/Ford 4.6. Wasn't the reason it only gave 260 (when in standard Ford form it was 300) that the packaging was so tight it was struggling with cooling or gas flow? I seem to remember something like that.

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:52 pm

Beany wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:41 pm

mik wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:36 pm

Everything Harry said. I considered one years ago too. It's like the MG ZT260 though, in that another 80bhp is needed.

At least with the ZT, you can bang a supercharger on it at a realistic cost (because IIRC it's just a Ford lump at the end of the day).

What can you do to a W8...? Other than understeer through every corner you can find...

Mustang/Ford 4.6. Wasn't the reason it only gave 260 (when in standard Ford form it was 300) that the packaging was so tight it was struggling with cooling or gas flow? I seem to remember something like that.

The 2 valve SOHC Ford V8 never made more than 260bhp in anything. The 3 valve SOHC made 300 - 315bhp but the cylinder heads made it too wide to fit in the MG/Rover engine bay.

NotoriousREV wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:56 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:52 pm

Beany wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:41 pm

At least with the ZT, you can bang a supercharger on it at a realistic cost (because IIRC it's just a Ford lump at the end of the day).

What can you do to a W8...? Other than understeer through every corner you can find...

Mustang/Ford 4.6. Wasn't the reason it only gave 260 (when in standard Ford form it was 300) that the packaging was so tight it was struggling with cooling or gas flow? I seem to remember something like that.

The 2 valve SOHC Ford V8 never made more than 260bhp in anything. The 3 valve SOHC made 300 - 315bhp but the cylinder heads made it too wide to fit in the MG/Rover engine bay.

That's what I meant to type, obviously.

Mike, would you have anything interesting on these?

Jobbo should get it once the Volvo lease is out;





More oomph;

NotoriousREV wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:56 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:52 pm

Beany wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:41 pm

At least with the ZT, you can bang a supercharger on it at a realistic cost (because IIRC it's just a Ford lump at the end of the day).

What can you do to a W8...? Other than understeer through every corner you can find...

Mustang/Ford 4.6. Wasn't the reason it only gave 260 (when in standard Ford form it was 300) that the packaging was so tight it was struggling with cooling or gas flow? I seem to remember something like that.

The 2 valve SOHC Ford V8 never made more than 260bhp in anything. The 3 valve SOHC made 300 - 315bhp but the cylinder heads made it too wide to fit in the MG/Rover engine bay.

I can't be sure whether the 3 valve head was too wide for the inner wings, or for the bonnet to close. I've a distant memory it was the latter.

Simon wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 9:59 pm

NotoriousREV wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:56 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:52 pm

Mustang/Ford 4.6. Wasn't the reason it only gave 260 (when in standard Ford form it was 300) that the packaging was so tight it was struggling with cooling or gas flow? I seem to remember something like that.

The 2 valve SOHC Ford V8 never made more than 260bhp in anything. The 3 valve SOHC made 300 - 315bhp but the cylinder heads made it too wide to fit in the MG/Rover engine bay.

I can't be sure whether the 3 valve head was too wide for the inner wings, or for the bonnet to close. I've a distant memory it was the latter.

Could've been both. The 3V head makes the engine both wider and taller.

nuttinnew wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 8:48 pm Jobbo should get it once the Volvo lease is out;

The W8 is crap. It's in a car which was dull and reliable when it was new, but it isn't particularly reliable as an engine. It doesn't sound nice like a V8, it isn't quick, it has crap economy. Why anyone would have one over a C5 Audi S6 (same platform but nicer inside, more space, quicker, cheaper) I don't understand.

Jobbo wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:12 pm Why anyone would have one over a C5 Audi S6 (same platform but nicer inside, more space, quicker, cheaper) I don't understand.

JLv3.0 wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 9:20 am Why not? I'd drive it. Why is he not like me? I don't get it? Why does he like different things? We must all like the same things - the things I like. I don't get it.

They're generally half the price of an S6 aren't they?

Jobbo wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:12 pm It doesn't sound nice like a V8...

Maybe not like some V8s, because flat plane crank.

ste wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:24 pm They're generally half the price of an S6 aren't they?

They were at one point; now they seem to attract a premium from VW fans.

Passat R36s are inexplicably expensive too.

Maybe I need one, to complement my M3 wth half a McLaren F1 engine in it, I can have a Passat wth half a Veyron engine in it

Marv wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:34 pm Maybe I need one, to complement my M3 wth half a McLaren F1 engine in it, I can have a Passat wth half a Veyron engine in it

And your Porsche with half an engine, too.