Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2002 Ford Thunderbird VS 2002 Jaguar XK8 Near Phoenix, AZ

Both the Thunderbird and the XK8 have standard driver and passenger side airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, Isofix Child Safety Seat Latches, four wheel antilock brakes and available traction control.

There are over 27 times as many Ford dealers as there are Jaguar dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the Thunderbird’s warranty.

The Thunderbird has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The XK8 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

The XKR adds an expensive supercharger, for added power. This extra component turns much faster than the engine, and is an additional component to maintain.

The battery on the Thunderbird is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures which can degrade battery life. By keeping the Thunderbird’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The XK8’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Thunderbird gets better fuel mileage than the XK8 with its standard engine (17 city/23 hwy vs. 16 city/22 hwy).

The Thunderbird with its standard antilock brakes stops shorter than the XK8 with antilock brakes:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Thunderbird’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the XK8 (107.2 vs. 101.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Thunderbird is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the XK8.

The Thunderbird handles at .83 G’s, while the XK8 Convertible pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Road & Track skidpad test.

The Thunderbird goes through Road & Track’s slalom 1.7 MPH faster than the XK8 Convertible (60.6 vs. 58.9 MPH).

The Thunderbird is 7.3 inches narrower than the XK8, making the Thunderbird easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

As tested by Road & Track, the interior of the Thunderbird is quieter than the XKR Convertible: