R.I.P. Ford V8 1932 - 2017

[danthecapriman]

I've driven a flat twin, 4 pot boxer, straight six but never a V8. I need to get something done about this.

Yes, yes you do!

It should be made a legal requirement that anyone with a driving licence must have and use a V8 engined vehicle, and will also then qualify for free, state sponsored fuel to go with it.

 

In fact, this May vote for me, not all those other muppets! I'll see you right!

[STUNO]

Electric cars are just a stopgap measure, easy to develop and only held back by batteries. Those who live in the city and park in the street have a big problem with overnight charging, think about it, running a cable out the window to wherever the car is parked is not really practical. Yes it can be solved but at what cost and who pays for the installation of charging points at every parking bay.

The fuel cell and hydrogen are coming long nicely to name two things.

Am I right thinking that "enthusiastic" driving in a Tesla can drain the batteries in less than 30 minutes ? Yes I know you can do that in a V8 too, but it's somehow just not the same. Try popping down to the garage for a can of electricity for your Tesla !

[OwdChina]

Indeed. The Merc SLS and Tesla, P1, Porsche, i8 etc show what is possible.

All we are going to miss is the noise.

 

Acceleration in an electric sports car with a motor for each wheel, has the potential to be brutal.

 

It could be a lot worse!

Well, the actual cost and environmental pollution of leccy car production outweighs present rates.

Then the limitation on recharge mileage. No more chod trips abroad without long stops to refill batteries.

Cost of replacing said batteries........not cheap.

Future power outages (we know it's coming) everything stops.

Home repairs ???? I doubt it.

Price of leccy goin through the roof as demand goes up. Almost certain.

Introduction of some new tax to cover fuel tax losses etc, etc. Certain.

Less miles in winter because heater draining batteries thawing ice, toes etc. Yup.

 

And a lot more that hasn't flashed straight into mind. We do not have the infrastructure for lectric cars.

 

As a side note, the owner of the company I used to work for has a Tesla. Very expensive, cost outweighs practical.

Anyhoos, it nearly flattened me in the car park. Look left, look right, proceed on and WHERE"D THAT COME FROM.

You cant hear the things, in this world sodding dangerous.

As a remedy to this issue they should all be fitted with a big trumpet loudspeaker on the roof and be made to play

loud ice cream van tunes when in use. Purely for safety reasons of coarse. I'd live with that.

[RichL]

For petrol engines its all going smaller displacement, direct injection and turbocharging. 

 

So I look forward to the 2.0 V8 Twin Turbo.

 

Who knows what the future is, but I hope its not all this electric plug-in shit.

[mercrocker]

Who cares?  If I ever buy another V8 I sure as hell don't want it wrapped in airbags, engine management or go-slow modes.   Anyway, 2017 is 31 years away yet.....

[eddyramrod]

I've driven a flat twin, 4 pot boxer, straight six but never a V8. I need to get something done about this.

Yes you do!  I've driven and in many cases owned most of the combinations* up to and including V8, and it really is the way to fly.  I can't vouch for V10 or V12 from my own experience... yet.

 

*50cc singles (mopeds)

Upright twins

Triple

Fours in straight, flat and V, innumerable including diesels

5 pot Audi

Sixes in straight and V, many including diesels

V8, easily the best.

[Partridge]

Instant torque response though... Yes please. Besides technology will march onwards, people said that computers would never have more than 8GB hard drives now look what you can buy. Fast charging and better batteries are on the way.

 

Fuck the heritage, it's just an engine at the end of the day and it's discontinuation makes no difference to anyone's life really. The other big US car manufacturers will drop V8's in coming years too I'm sure. As for the backward ass fucks across the pond saying that they've been buying Fords for years and won't buy another because they are stopping production of an engine in three years' time... I mean really? Some fan/loyal customer you are.

Are you some kind of yew-rope-eean pussy ass communist?

[OwdChina]

Eddy,.....Ive driven the V10 Ram 2500. It's a hoot. The power is OMFG.

Put it on the bucket list.

[oman5]

As people said, it won't make much difference to us lot but it still seems like the end of an era. If Ford think that outright performance is all that matters no matter how it's generated, they are missing the point. I mean can you imagine a 1.6 4 pot Lamborghini? It may well be as fast and more economical than a big lunged V engine, but where's the Soul? The character, the reason for choosing it over any other dross?

This is the point where even a mustang becomes automotive white goods.

 

I'm definitely not buying a 2017 mustang now!

[Partridge]

^^This. And even though I never would, it's saddening that I will never be able to buy a brand new V8 Mustang.

[dollywobbler]

Am I right thinking that "enthusiastic" driving in a Tesla can drain the batteries in less than 30 minutes ? Yes I know you can do that in a V8 too, but it's somehow just not the same. Try popping down to the garage for a can of electricity for your Tesla !

 

Probably, though I spent over an hour putting one through its paces last October, including motorway hammering and plenty of acceleration 'tests.' Still had plenty of miles left rangewise. I have to say, in terms of powertrain, I thought it was absolutely magnificent. I'm not even sure I actually missed the soundtrack that much. That constant stream of uninterrupted, fierce oomph is bloody exciting and because it's so instant, you can have a surprising amount of fun at entirely legal speeds, because you're not waiting for the engine to hit peak power, which would probably be well over the speed limit depending on which gear you were in at the time.

 

Charging is an issue. Via a 13amp plug, you're probably looking at about a day of charging time! 20 mins for a half-fill at a Tesla Supercharger, of which there are not enough.

[OwdChina]

Probably, though I spent over an hour putting one through its paces last October, including motorway hammering and plenty of acceleration 'tests.' Still had plenty of miles left rangewise. I have to say, in terms of powertrain, I thought it was absolutely magnificent. I'm not even sure I actually missed the soundtrack that much. That constant stream of uninterrupted, fierce oomph is bloody exciting and because it's so instant, you can have a surprising amount of fun at entirely legal speeds, because you're not waiting for the engine to hit peak power, which would probably be well over the speed limit depending on which gear you were in at the time.

 

Charging is an issue. Via a 13amp plug, you're probably looking at about a day of charging time! 20 mins for a half-fill at a Tesla Supercharger, of which there are not enough.

Yup.......that just about sums it up.

[cort16]

I'd love a shot of a tesla it's proper up to date technology

[Junkman]

I'm not sure, but the Pug 405 wasn't released until 1987. Go figure.

 

That's why I would replace mine with a '78 Caprice Classic in an instant, if there wasn't a slight budget issue.

[PhilA]

You can get engines that are smoother (I6), with just as much torque, power output et al.. but the slightly offbeat thrum of a V8 is addictive.

 

Even the slow, miserable ones. The sound is pleasant to the eardrums.

 

 

I'm all for a small displacement V8 with forced induction. Especially one that'll rev up like crazy. A V8 sounds good either at low revs or when you're wringing its' neck out.

 

People here will just move to Chevy (whose motto for the longest time was "Heartbeat of America"), or whoever is still making V8 engines.

 

Having a V8 is synonymous with a powerful vehicle here. It's ingrained. Doesn't matter if the V6 is torquier, better on maintenance, fuel etc.. they'll check the "V8" box every time. I did.

 

--Phil

[oman5]

Exactly. And none of this flat plain crank nonsense either.

[Squire_Dawson]

Never really understood modern Yank shite or even old massive engine Yank shite. Certainly not after the year 1950 and the ridiculous horsepower race. Their speed limit was 55 mph, and even a Morris 8 could cruise at that speed. There is an old saying that American cars are 'all show and nothing under the bonnet', which I'm inclined to believe as it seemed for so long to be purely about size and the bigger the better. A four cylinder car would do in America, which many Yanks have long realised and is why their domestic auto industry is on its arse. Yes, big fat cars are part of the old American Dream, but as somebody once said, you have to be asleep to believe it.

[Squire_Dawson]

As a postscript, I must say that I am in no way put off desiring to own some classic Yank shite.

[xtriple]

I can't see it being a 'good move' for Ford! Even though reading the article seems to imply (infer?) that 'tis the governments fault. I did think it odd when I saw that the new Ford GT40 was going to have this ecoboost V6 instead of a V8  has to be corporate strategy...

 

I love V8s. I want another as with the correct exhaust - not noisy, just fruity - they are the car worlds equivalent of Pink Floyd, i.e. superb!

[DS20]

On my visit to the USA in August last year, my hire car was a Buick Regal. I was excited about driving a Buick, as I imagined something with a large engine, good soundtrack, and lots of chrome. The reality was a Vauxhall Insignia with a toothy grin, and a 4-cyl turbo engine. It was fine, I suppose (apart from dire visibility), but such a dull and uninspiring vehicle - particularly the drivetrain. I R DISSAPOINT.

[Matt]

Indeed. The Merc SLS and Tesla, P1, Porsche, i8 etc show what is possible.

All we are going to miss is the noise.

 

Acceleration in an electric sports car with a motor for each wheel, has the potential to be brutal.

 

It could be a lot worse!

 

Having been lucky enough to play in some properly fast internal combustion engined cars I can confirm that electric cars of the future could potentially offer truly amazing performance on a level we haven't seen before from road cars, especially when the batteries get lighter. Also am I right in thinking that the Tesla Model S is the first proper car that just happens to be electric?

 

Are you some kind of yew-rope-eean pussy ass communist?

 

Maybe I'm just a closeted hippie and I don't know it yet.

[barefoot]

I have only ever driven a couple of V8 engined motor cars, a Rover P5b and a Rover P6.

Both were automatic and both were ok, but neither were faster, torquier or smoother than my old 5 pot Audi 200t c2. Times change.

[OwdChina]

PhilA is correct.

 

Buyer:         I need a new truck

Salesman:   Ahh, youre in the right place sir. We have the most economical, up to date planet friendly

                    workhorse available to mankind. Four pot, one litre develops a million brake horse power

                    with a one gallon gas tank that you only ever fill once because it will last a lifetime.

Buyer:          Got any V8s ????

Sales:           Yes we've got one over there sir.

Buyer:           I want it.

Sales:            But it's shit sir.

Buyer:           I don't care, it's V8 and I want it.

[steve_earwig]

As a side note, the owner of the company I used to work for has a Tesla. Very expensive, cost outweighs practical.

Anyhoos, it nearly flattened me in the car park. Look left, look right, proceed on and WHERE"D THAT COME FROM.

You cant hear the things, in this world sodding dangerous.

As a remedy to this issue they should all be fitted with a big trumpet loudspeaker on the roof and be made to play

loud ice cream van tunes when in use. Purely for safety reasons of coarse. I'd live with that.

That might be dangerous though, imagine all the little kids running out into the road everywhere you go... (Do ice cream vans playing hideously distorted melodies still even exist?)

 

It's an idea though, a big pa speaker playing engine noises could keep everyone happy, especially if the pitch & volume was linked to engine speed and loud pedal. It could even have a menu with alternative noises:

Ford V8

Chevvy V8

Merlin

Wright Cyclone

Harley Davidson (potato potato potato...)

F-15

Tie fighter

Milk float, complete with chinking bottles

VW air-cooled

Lawnmower

 

We should patent this now, before someone else thinks of it (yeah, right)

 

(sorry, feeling a bit odd today...)

[mercrocker]

^^We are  not far off that now.....Heard a Maserati of some kind going through the high street here the other week.  It was stuck in slow moving traffic but sounded like the car chase from Bullitt.    I reckon a bit of stiff plastic clamped to a caliper riffling through the spokes of an alloy could  be as much fun as it was on a bike when I was 8.....

[steve_earwig]

I'd add that to the list but I can't decide between "playing cards on bicycle spokes" or "Wheel nuts left undone by negligent mechanic".

[Asimo]

New Ford V8 on Show

 

http://www.hotrod.com/news/first-look-inside-the-ford-gt350s-flat-plane-crank-5-2l-v8/

 

Efficiency is a good thing.

 

The efficiency that requires all of the bobs and wiggles shown in the photo above, I don't want that.

 

I approve of efficiency, particularly the sort of efficiency that has one camshaft, two valves per cylinder and bigger cylinders for more torque.

 

Chrysler Hemi for example.

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I genuinely had no idea about that. Sod 1970 - that engine has existed since 1959! (albeit in tiny 6230cc form). Now I want a 512bhp Silver Cloud.

 

 

The last fully interchangeable component was replaced in 2005 when Cosworth were building them to replace that BMW 4.4 nonsense. They are have been built at Crewe since 2010, twin turbo, cylinder spark phasing and it exceeds all current regs. Now THAT is a V8.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Never really understood modern Yank shite or even old massive engine Yank shite. Certainly not after the year 1950 and the ridiculous horsepower race. Their speed limit was 55 mph, and even a Morris 8 could cruise at that speed. There is an old saying that American cars are 'all show and nothing under the bonnet', which I'm inclined to believe as it seemed for so long to be purely about size and the bigger the better. A four cylinder car would do in America, which many Yanks have long realised and is why their domestic auto industry is on its arse. Yes, big fat cars are part of the old American Dream, but as somebody once said, you have to be asleep to believe it.

 

That, unfortunately is bollocks. In the 40's, 50's and 60's the US built the best cars in the world bar none. Compare a Cord with anything we or there Krauts made - well, the top end 540K Mercs excepted perhaps.

Let's go back to 1949 and the Bentley offering. Straight six OHV, mechanical brakes. Now a 1949 Cadillac, preferably a stunner such as the Club Coupe. OHV V8, hydraulic brakes all round and generally a superior vehicle that was well built and capable of huge mileages if not as superbly finished. GM pioneered stuff like turbocharged road going cars, push button auto trans, self seeking radios and self dipping headlights - In the 1950's.

 

Cord were making front drive cars in 1929 LONG before Citreon* discovered it, and the '36 Cord 810 had FWD and a four speed auto box with electronic control.

 

Americas problem was that it was all for the domestic market - they just didn't think about proper exports and that's why Rover and ultimately PSA were/are bolloxed. If you can't export, you're buggered.

[xtriple]

Always been a great fan of the Cords, in fact any of the Errat Loban Cord triumvirate. Great inovations and usually well implemented. But, price was a problem (except on the Duesenburg [sp?]) which was the darling of the rich and famous.

 

The coffin nosed Cords were, simply, bloody marvelous!

 

I guess American cars became too insular and when the european cars really started making inroads, it showed up the American cars deficiencies-suspension, brakes and interior plastics etc. Plus, Euro cars were seen as 'exotic' so more desirable. In a (semi) closed market, easy to get complacent.