Since acquiring my 1987 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas, I’ve worked through gaskets, bushings, and filters in the naive pursuit of reliability. Embarrassingly, however, I neglected one of the most critical consumables till this month — tires.
Whether out of fear or ignorance, I never dared to check the date codes on the rubber wrapped around my Jag’s Kent alloys. At best, the tires were mounted in early 2015 shortly before my great-grandfather gave up his keys. In actuality, they were likely a few years older.
Though outwardly showing no physical signs of wear, unforgiving sidewalls and questionable wet-weather traction were beginning to reveal the tires’ age and compromise the “boulevard” ride I’d worked so hard to restore. And that’s not to mention the safety concerns that come with running nearly decade-old tires — it wasn’t a question of whether they needed to be replaced, but rather whether when I was going to pull the trigger.
Tires for the Jag had been on my mind for years and I’d contemplated several options including the Pirelli P5 Collezione, Cooper Cobra Radial G/T, and BFGoodrich Radial T/A. Chief among them, however, was the Vredestein Sprint Classic, which seemed to balance looks, performance, and value best.
As such, when the folks at Vredestein called me up to see if I’d like to try out a set of Sprint Classics for RADwood SoCal, I was excited to put my theoretical front-runner to the test to see if it lived up to my expectations.
A Sprint Through History
For those not in the know, Vredestein is a tire manufacturer based in the Netherlands with a history dating back to 1908. Although it began by producing bicycle tires, Vredestein released its first passenger car tire in 1912. Today, the Dutch company produces everything from agricultural tires to summer performance rubber, including the collector-oriented Sprint Classic that would be going on my Jag.
First released in 2001, the Vredestein Sprint Classic initially came in just a handful of sizes. Today, however, the classic line offers a broad range of sizes in six unique styles, including the three-season touring Sprint Classic and specialized options like the Transport Classic, for vintage work vehicles, and the Sprint+, a variant initially designed for the unique needs of the Audi Ur Quattro.
While the aesthetics remain period-accurate — one of the Sprint Classic’s biggest selling points — a Vredestein representative let me know that the company’s classic offerings have adapted alongside the latest tire technology over the last 24 years. The latest versions incorporate modern compounds and construction enhancements, including silica-infused compounds that improve grip and braking performance. The Sprint+ is notably a full-silica compound, unique for this class of tires by meeting high-performance standards.
With a 3,800-pound curb weight and merely adequate 181 horsepower, it was good to know that the Sprint Classic could, on paper, handle much better than the Jag.
The Competition
Although drivers of rubber-band-–shod modern fare might not realize it, finding summer touring 215/70R15 tires is a difficult task. Most options for tiny 15-inch wheels are economy-focused all-seasons or crossover-minded all-terrains.
This limited the competition considerably, and although there are a handful of manufacturers that offer tires that fit the bill, my online shopping cart had seen four on repeat over the past few years.
The aforementioned BFGoodrich Radial T/A and Cooper Cobra Radial G/T come in cheaper than the Vredestein Sprint Classic by about a third, but offer a lesser all-season compound. In the looks department, both options also cater to American muscle with a more squared-off sidewall and white lettering on one side — somewhat uncouth for the Jag.
When it left the factory in late 1986, my XJ was equipped with a set of Pirellis which initially drew me toward the contemporary Pirelli P5 Collezione. The temptation quickly wore off, however, between a seemingly perpetual backorder and spendy price tag — nearly double that of the Vreds at some vendors.
For those not used to shopping for premium tires, the price for Sprint Classics may still feel a touch extravagant. But in the collector space and amongst the competition, their performance rating, wide availability, and comparatively approachable cost make them a great option.
Pavement Princess
On road, the Vredesteins perform admirably. A spirited shakedown through the Santa Susana mountains (or Simi Valley Togue as my boyfriend and I call it) revealed adequate grip and progressive, communicative limits. I won’t posture as an expert tire reviewer, but even slanted over on its bump stops, I can say the Jag stuck to the road with confidence.
Here and there the tires would let out a faint whine letting you know you were touching the limits of adhesion, but always with enough forewarning to gently back off. If I were to have one wish, it would be for a smidge more lateral grip — but at the end of the day, the Vredestein Sprint Classic is more than up to the task of keeping a big, softly sprung luxury car confidently on the road when driven by a Mini Cooper evangelist.
During more relaxing motoring, the Vreds work marvelously with that soft suspension to iron out minor pavement imperfections and LA’s notorious freeway expansion joints — both of which used to translate into the cabin with unbecoming ferocity. Although the Jag always did well with big bumps, dips, and other obstacles, the old tires would trip up on the small stuff. Given the car spends 90 percent of its time on LA’s pockmarked city streets, this newfound competence is notable.
Although I can’t comment on how the Sprint Classic stacks up against its competitors in the real world, I can say I’m quite impressed with the difference they made in my application. With the Vredestein Sprint Classic, the Jag finally lives up to that old “Grace, Space, Pace” advertising promise.
Cinderella Slippers
Parked at the Vredestein booth at RADwood SoCal, I caught myself stealing a glance at the Jag and its shiny new shoes more than once. The Sprint Classic’s elegant, simple side walls and nostalgic-looking tread are the perfect complement to the XJ’s flowing bodywork and rad-worthy diving board bumpers. A significantly improved driving experience, whether cruising or dipping into the pedal, is but a plus to the looks alone.
Owning a vintage car is seldom easy, and it often feels like my wallet has the same resilience as one of the Jag’s cork gaskets. With that said, it’s nice to know that companies like Vredestein are continuing to innovate for enthusiasts, invest in the hobby, and provide products that keep our cars on the road to be enjoyed.
Parked in a sea of RADwood’s best, I asked the Vredestein team what the future of their classic offerings would look like. Like any good PR department, they aren’t revealing the goods just yet, but they did let me know that their commitment to supporting collector communities with “quality and authenticity” is unwavering.
As it relates to Rad-era cars, they did let it slip that they’re currently working on a project that addresses the evolving needs of 80s and 90s classics. With more details to come in 2025, I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned.
In the meantime, I plan to enjoy my Vredestein Sprint Classics for years to come — just maybe not 10 this time.
