E Type and 308

Actually I owned a '74 XK-E V12 roadster, followed by a '76 308 GTB (glass) in sequence, back in the day...

E-type had great torque, but handling was just average; not terrible but not great. I remember a lot of cowl shake. Fun cruising on the Pacific Coast highway at moderate speeds and the occasional pass. The 308 was sort of the opposite, wanted to be driven at high rev's to get performance, but handling was much better. The carbs starved on hard right turns though.

 

Yes I own an E-type as well as a 308. The E-type is a slightly different car than the 308. It is softer and a slower steerer so makes it more suitable to long open bends or a tourer. Although I have done lots of touring in the 308 as well, the 308 gets around the tight stuff quicker.

 

Interesting choices and yes my very first car was a E type 1969 and I now have a 308. I also had a 308 in between. Apples and oranges really. I drove both as every day drivers and the Jag fit the bill for that much better. The 308 as an every day driver was a littlle bit of a pain. Parking, constant gas ups, frequent oil changes, service stops etc just made it a difficult proposition. The Jag was better for this. As for cruising the 308 is tops in that department. Handling is much more tighter also. Also, the jag was never designed for radial tires. That means you will be driving on standard tires and they don't hold the road as well. That being said, the Jag is very comfortable on long drives and nice on gentle curvy roads. I remember the leather smell was the best of the two. Neither has A/C worth a damn. So to sum up: every day driver Jag, cruiser goes to the 308.

 

I just sold my '66 E-Type Series 1 Roadster and previously owned a US Spec '77 308GTB. The E-Type roadster was engaging to drive and a fantastic touring car. I drove it to Pebble Beach from OC this past summer on a road trip and it was a blast. The E-Type was a great car for its time. I really enjoyed open top cruising in the E-Type. The 308 had a more visceral feel and was fun at higher revs and in the turns. Two different cars but both quite enjoyable.

There are a few pictures of some of my previous cars on my blog: http://www.ifinddealsdaily.com/sold.html

 

Had 3 Es through the years and my only thought is that it is as classic and beautiful as the 308 but just as slow . In retrospect I should have kept one but two divorces set the coarse for my collection. Cornering? 308 hands down! lost

 

Love the E type, beautiful car. Never drove one though

 

At Charlotte Cars and Coffee earlier this year there just happened to be an E type and a 308 right next to each other, with the added bonus of red and blue contrasting colors
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I had a 66 coupe until rust took out the rocker panels. I loved the car even with the 3 SU's that always seemed to need a tweaking. I would say it was a little smoother riding and yes slower in the steering category but the 265HP pushed it along. I would say that the 4 speed was much smoother to shift then my 308 but they are both enjoyable. My wife loved the E both riding and driving much better then the 308. Then again the 308 is more mine then the Jag was . I've had 4 Jags and I think I'll go back to an XKR in the next few years. I have had 12 years with the 308 but will be looking for a softer creature comfort ride as I get older.

 

Used to a own a 1970 E-Type FHC (series II) and a 1988 328 GTS.

The Jag was stunning to look at and I loved how "British" everything was on the inside.
The wooden steering wheel, the dash full of switches, the horn being a push-in design on a steering wheel stalk, etc.

There is no comparison in how the two cars drove. The 328 was a much better car in almost every aspect of handling and acceleration.

Here is a pic of my former Jag's interior.
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I have had both. They are so different, it is hard to get my mind wrapped around comparing one to the other.

However, IF you get a good example, either is a fun and exhilarating car. I would suggest buying either one, having fun with it. When you get bored, sell it and buy the other.

If you do not get a GOOD example, you won't like either one.

An automotive enthusiast should have had owned at least one of each in a proper lifetime.

 

Got a lump in my throat when I saw this picture. It was 1972 when I sat in my first car at age 16 and the smells and textures of that car changed my life. Looking at yours brought back the smells and truly wonderful memories I have of that time and that car.

 

I had a 61 Series One E Type coupe for quite a while as my daily/only driver. Comparing it with my current 85 QV really defines the differences between a "pusher" rear/mid engine car and a "puller" front engine. E Type with that big lump in the nose was definately prone to understeering although someone braver than I could get it to drift with enough wellie on the loud pedal. The QV just rams you through the twisties and has far better balance but requires greater attention to drive well. The E Type is a true "grand touring" car whereas the QV is a "road rocket" at least in 1985 terms.

 

I can still vividly remember the introduction of the XK-E; I was about 14 and just getting into cars. Seeing the those first jawdropping pics of an XK-E in R&T was a transformational event...made me a lifetime sports car guy. Had an XK-150 many years ago...and always wanted to get a E-type but for some reason, it eludes me.

 

I currently own both cars - a 70 XKE roadster which I've had for about 30 years, and a 308QV for the last 8. Both are great cars and are icons. My wife and I have put over 35,000 miles touring with the E. It has webers, cams, headers, etc and runs great. During the '80 I tracked the car and up to last year, I used the car for autoX. And several weeks ago, I run the FCA-ESR Fall Tour with the Etype and did not feel out of place.

The 308 has be primarily a track car, but we have often use it for daily touring (the 308 is also rather heavily modified for performance and handling).

In both cases, whenever I think of selling one or the other, I just take it out for a ride and that immediately dismisses the thought. One thing for sure, no one will ever say that either car is not classic in their own right. So my suggestion to you is buy and use both. You will not be sorry you made that decision.

 

328. Not a 308.

Close but no cigar.

 

Really? Porsche 356 owners uses radials all the time, and those cars can predate the Jag by a decade. Modern tires improve anything I can think of, off hand. Not that you'll be outcornering new 911s/XKs/458s, but I can't see how they would be worse.

I know a couple of concours cars with original tires, but no one actually drives on those things.

What he said. Different machines.

 

TO SLIDE OR NOT TO SLIDE?

Recently I was conversing with a very knowledgeable Jaguar technician and professional race driver. He swears that the E-type with bias-ply tires will easily outhandle one fitted with modern radial tires. Furthermore, he says that the wider tires often recommended today actually hinder handling in the XKE. His opinion is based upon years of experience on the track and on the street and, while too complicated for me to follow, is rooted in the premise that the E-type was meant, for optimum speed around a curve, to slide through the curve. He points out that wide radial tires make the rear end stick in the curve which does

not allow the oversteering Jag to use its torque to push the car on through. I have done a pitiful job describing his elaborate explanations of the physics involved, but I must say that I was both impressed and confused. It goes against current belief.

The handling superiority of bias-ply tires re E-types has been cited in various articles and books, most notably in mags such as Classic Car & Automobile. At straight-out speed, though, I should think the radial tire would have a greater margin of safety. If Dunlop 6.40X15 bias tires were available at a reasonable price (Coker lists them for a king's ransom), I'd put them on in a minute. My car originally had the Dunlop bias-ply tires and handled much better on twisty roads than the Michelin Xs that replaced them.

 

Interesting stuff.

On tire width, I understand that wider tires may affect handling in ways that the original suspension design won't account for. There was worry in the 1950s that going to tires 4" or wider would stress the suspension and lead to failure, although obviously modern engineering takes wide tires into account.

On safety, I'm not sure when wheels began to have retaining rims - to keep the tire on in the event of a blowout - but I know the 356s and I'd guess the E-Types came without those. I don't know that I'd trust a tube-tire assembly at modern highway speeds. I believe radials can "fail gradually" rather than bursting.

On E-Type handling, I have to defer to the experts, never having driven one on a track. That's the first good word I've heard on behalf of bias-ply tires, but then again we've had traction control for long enough now that the idea of deliberately upsetting the tires' grip seems completely foreign.

 

LOL I discovered this thread searching Google for "308 and E-Type". Well, count me as one that owns both an E-Type and a 308 (1984 QV). My apologies for resurrecting a 1 year old thread!

Pretty much all that needs to be said here has been said. I can also give you a comparison to a C2 'Vette, as my father owned one, and my brother now owns the very same car (1961 Corvette).

No comparison - the 'Vette is a truck compared to the E-Type...it's remarkable how much better the E-Type is over one of its contemporary, but I have a lot of seat time in that Corvette and the experience is unpleasant when driven back to back with the E-Type.

It's unfair to compare the E-Type to the 308, given that the 308 is nearly 20 years newer. All I can say is that I am incredibly blessed to own both cars - and both are red! Did you ever take the plunge??
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I owned a Series 2 E type 4.2L roadster for many years. With that big beautiful engine, the cabin would get so hot it could almost melt your shoes at the pedals. There was really nothing to be done about the tires and the stance of the car is very narrow and long so cornering is not great to say the least. The steering wheel is huge and made of very thin wood. I was always worried about snapping it. All that said, the lines on the E type rival the 308. I almost forgot the negative ground, not good. All around the 308 is a better car.

 

If I could afford to buy one other occasional-use car, and had a place to keep it, it would be an E-Type.