Back in the early 2000s, there were two sports cars that were vying for the hard-earned money of car buyers. We’re talking about the Jaguar XK8 and Chevy Corvette C5. While these two vehicles didn’t exactly cater to the same audience, they have one thing in common, and that’s the engine that resides inside their hoods or bonnets.
Both the Jaguar XK8 and the Corvette C5 are V8-powered. TLFclassics on YouTube tried to compare the two in a good ol’ drag race featuring an XK8 convertible and a red fifth-generation Chevy Corvette. They were both virtually stock, except for their exhaust systems.
The XK8 is powered by the British marque’s 4.0-liter AJ V8 engine that produced 290 horsepower and 290 pound-feet (393 Newton-meters) of torque when it was new. These figures are sent to the rear wheels via a 5-speed automatic transmission.
The convertible version of the Jaguar XK8 was capable of sprinting to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 6.7 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 156 mph (251 km/h).
Meanwhile, the Corvette C5 was known for its power, with its 5.7-liter LS1 V8 engine that generated just under 350 horsepower. It sent power to the rear wheels via a gearbox with fewer gears – a 4-speed automatic 4L60E. It was rated quicker to 60 mph than the XK8, though, completing the task in just 4.5 seconds.
The weight difference between the two classic cars wasn’t mentioned in the video. But with the Jaguar having a more luxurious appointment such as wood panels, along with its bigger body, we’re waging that it’s heavier than the ‘Vette.
The Corvette was more powerful and supposedly lighter but did those things predict the actual result of the race? There were many factors to consider, including the driver and their gearbox differences. The video above settled the score, including comparisons in rolling-start races and brake tests.
