Hi DangerMouse. Yes you are missing something! The V8 is superb and I wouldn't go back to the V6. Even though it was 6k dearer when I took the plunge.

So, I had a SDV6 for 4 years. Admittedly it was a 292bhp, as I had one of the very first. It was fine, good even; and I got 38mpg.

In Sep-17 I upgraded to a SDV8 AB. I'd already borrowed a V8 for a weekend and knew it was good; but I didn't realise how good. From the word go it has sounded much more interesting (muted growl), been much more responsive, with better in-gear acceleration, and it just pulls and pulls and pulls. Now it has 6,000 miles on the clock it really is loosening up, and absolutely flys.

In the V6, for an overtake, I used to manually knock it down 2 gears and then change up once it was building a head of steam. In the V8, you just don't need to work it manually - the kick-down is instant and so smooth and it whips through the gears beautifully with no drama whatsoever - sounding lovely

Search this forum. There is another member who has a SDV8 and his wife has a SDV6 - they both think the V8 is a distinct notch above. Some compare vehicle weights, saying the V8 is heavy; but I think that is because the V6 is quoted as a basic spec model with the V8 quoted as a loaded, all the toys as standard AB.

Renaco (hybrid owner) will be along in a minute to tell you it is nose heavy. For me it is a revelation - my V6 was a HSE with no dynamic pack. Now I have all the electronic aids and the car is transformed; the torque vectoring is seriously impressive and if it is nose heavy then I can't tell that it is - open the throttle in a corner and the line tightens.

I've averaged 32mpg since new.

I have only one complaint - no V8 badge, so it is indistinguishable from a V6 (apart from the V8 rumble). But at least I feel smug knowing I have the 4.4.

For context, I drove an SVR and a BMW X5M before taking the plunge. Both fabulous, but license losers and as an everyday proposition I think the 4.4 SDV8 takes some beating. Current: Cayenne GTS (got fed up with waiting for LR to build my third RRS)
On order: RRS3 510e AB
Gone: RRS SDV8 AB, RRS SDV6, Vauxhall Nova 1.0, Nova 1.3 SR, Nova 1.4 SRi, Renault Laguna (why?), BMW 318is coupe (fabulous - despite having to buy a radio and tape player for it from Halfords), 323i saloon, 325ti compact (superb), 320td compact (awful), VW Golf 2.0d 4Motion (all the car you really need), BMW 120d compact (excellent), 118d compact (slow), 335d coupe (rapid)

Last edited by Cooperman on Tue Feb 06 2018 9:10pm. Edited 2 times in total

Very interesting , thanks cooperman .

Cooperman,
i would be wary of admitting to doing 85 mph far less over 100mph on public roads on a public forum.
Tim

Interesting thanks for that !

Having a bit of a ball-ache getting insurers to give sensible quotes for the SDV8 in Central London.

The SDV6 due to the value is an easier proposition but both are not cars insurers seem to want to insure.

Will continue looking.

Try direct line, they were far the cheapest when it came to insuring my s/c v8 @ just shy of £1k for a 34 year old living in the capital.

They were silly - 3k-ish.

Aviva were a lot less than that. NFU Mutual don't service my area apparently?

Will keep looking. Will speak to A-Plan tomorrow.

Ad blue on all RR, RRS, Disco MY16 models where they needed to make engines EU6 compliant from Sept 15.

SDV6 lighter, cheaper, lower tax and nearly same power and pretty much same torque as SDV8, what’s not to like!

My SDV8 is 2016 model and no add blue. Perhaps not needed for the Ozzie market, in any case I am well pleased I do not have.

To me the fuel economy is negligible between the V8 and V6 the driving experience though is noticeable IMO. M16 SVD8 ,4.4 HSE with a few extras, Sold R50 , Wife SQ5 , BMW R1200GSW.

DangerMouseUK wrote:

They were silly - 3k-ish.

Aviva were a lot less than that. NFU Mutual don't service my area apparently?

Will keep looking. Will speak to A-Plan tomorrow.

Running a MY2016 SDV8, my friend has an identical but 1 year old SDV6.

Leaving aside the book figures, the SDV8 is a different car. The smooth and continuous urge under acceleration is fantastic. Whilst not in petrol V8 territory there is a real sense of power. The SDV6 sounds more like a diesel and whilst nice and quick in its own right, is not the same.

Mind you, his SDV6 is for sale .......http://www.knowlhill.com/component/rdautos...obiography 2016 RRS 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography Dynamic in Montalcino Red and Stealth Kit

Slimtrim wrote:

DangerMouseUK wrote:

They were silly - 3k-ish.

Aviva were a lot less than that. NFU Mutual don't service my area apparently?

Will keep looking. Will speak to A-Plan tomorrow.

Try run a quote stating the car has a tracker. Having one really helped as it drastically reduced my premium and if your intended purchase hasn’t already got a tracker, get the dealer to add cat 5/6 as part of the deal.

Insurance companies only require proof of installation and don’t have access to your daily driving habit - which is fantastic.

Also it’s transferable come upgrading/selling up.

Don’t forget the prices on the approved used list are what the dealer is asking for the cars, not what he might have paid the previous owner to take it off his hands.......... so depreciation will be even steeper by the time you remove the dealership mark up.. say £3000-£5000 mark up.....
What I can’t get my head around is that the Mini dealer who is taking my RRS as a part exchange has a JLR franchise in their group and the Mini franchise are offering me £3500 more for my car than the LR dealership.......... who will doubtless get the car to put on their forecourt as an approved used 3 year old car! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I didn't factor that in when I looked at those prices !

Also that is ridiculous regarding the Mini !!!

Tim in Scotland wrote:

Don’t forget the prices on the approved used list are what the dealer is asking for the cars, not what he might have paid the previous owner to take it off his hands.......... so depreciation will be even steeper by the time you remove the dealership mark up.. say £3000-£5000 mark up.....
What I can’t get my head around is that the Mini dealer who is taking my RRS as a part exchange has a JLR franchise in their group and the Mini franchise are offering me £3500 more for my car than the LR dealership.......... who will doubtless get the car to put on their forecourt as an approved used 3 year old car!

My previous RRS was a 2014 SDV6 and my current RRS is a SDV8 and I'm certainly glad I've now got the SDV8. The performance of the SDV6 is not bad but the power band is narrow and it suffers from significant throttle response delay at low rpm which can be embarrassing when you're trying to filter onto a roundabout. The SDV8 also suffers from the same kind of throttle response delay but its much less pronounced and the mid range oomph is significantly better. When overtaking in the SDV6 I always used to shift into Sport for maximum performance but in the SDV8 I rarely bother because it always feels like it has a bit of speed to spare. The only slight downside is that with the heavier engine, the SDV8 doesnt turn into corners as well as the SDV6 but IMHO its a small price to pay for the extra driving pleasure. As for economy I averaged about 34mpg over the 3yrs of owning my SDV6. I'm getting about 29mpg from my SDV8 but I would expect that to improve by 1-2mpg as the engine beds in