I'm struggling to understand a disturbing trend I've noticed over the past few years here in the Los Angeles area...first of all, spotting an X350 or X358 on the roads has become very rare these days, but when I do, 9.995 times out of 10 they are being driven by older women, ranging from middle age to elderly. Even most of the X351s I see are driven by women (mostly younger than the X350/X358 drivers though). What is going on???

 

I have noticed the trend in Toronto to be mostly elder men in x350 ( excluding myself!). Younger men driving x351's. I do see more X351's than x350's though.

 

Years ago I used to see older men driving them. I guess they moved on to something new and passed the old X350 to the missus.

 

I always get razzed for driving an old person's car. I'm 30.

 

Many years back I stayed in a Business Hotel in England on a Friday night - expecting it to be empty with all the reps etc having gone home. In fact it was packed with 60+ year old women and 3 (rather happy looking) old men!

They all belong the 'Thanks George Club' .... George being the poor old sod who grafted in the Mill all his life then snuffed it at 64! Many had large Jags because they couldn't bear to part with that connection to hubby. Yeah - thanks George!

 

I'm also 30 and I do get some odd looks once in a while, but always in a complimentary fashion. In fact, the guy at the alignment shop yesterday said he's never been into Jags, but had to admit that my X350 was really nice.

I saved up for my first Series III XJ6 when I was 19 ($1500!). My girlfriend and I used to catch a lot of interesting looks in that car back then, especially the time it broke down in the middle of Melrose Ave!

Ha!

 

Torrid, Give them a ride in an old persons car, a fast ride, age them a few years while you have the chance

 

The biggest gripe about the X350 Ford era premiere was the styling. (We all know the legitimate gripes now though don't we?)

The goal as I understand it, was to show some of that "Sir William Lyons" classic styling that the original XJ was famous for. The result for some - "This is an old man's car".

Hence the X351 style change.

Everyone that rides in my car feels the need to mention their Dad, so I guess without actually saying anything, their still saying something.

A quick punch of the accelerator shuts em up though.

I love my ride. My wife loves the ride.

I'm 58 so I guess I am in the Old Man camp and it's a good thing I don't care what others think of my car. Dammit, it's 4:30. You just made me late for dinner.

 

Hahah!

 

Coming out of LOWES this afternoon, I had to stop to allow an older XJ6 or Sovereign float by. It was the same color as my 05 XJ8L and basically the same looking grill--or close enough to cause me to look twice. As it went by I couldn't help but notice the room inside that car--big large confy seats, a beautiful dash and it looked a mile long--had to be an L model for the year. Low slung or at least lower then my car and wide. I caught myself just standing there as it turned into traffic.
Walking back to my car I couldn't help notice that my car looked shorter, higher and narrower, and somewhat older then the one I had gotten out of. A beautiful car but, comparing the two, I think at the moment, I would have loved to have that older car.

Cheers

 

Yes Chuck - when the X350 was launched they lifted the roofline - destroying the length/height ratio and completely changing the look of the car. The X350 looks like an X type from a distance and a big X type from close up. The X300/308 range however has that long, low slung majestic look.

I have two 308's - one a yr 2000 Sovereign in the (very seventies) bright blue with chrome window and grille surrounds etc, and a 2002 Sports Exec in British Racing Green with no chrome and body colour grille. One looks like a vintage car, and the other could be this year's model!

 

Ah, yes,

Art for your driveway...fenders like hips under silk...Series IIIs are beautiful cars. I drove my 86 Daimler double Six around the block today - getting it ready for our club's British car show in two weeks...but...after just a week with the SV8 I was expecting the Daimler's driver's seat to move back and down when I pulled the key - it didn't - and while the V12 was smooth, it didn't have the punch of the V8... and it seemed smaller inside. Beautiful car, yes, but 20 years of advances, priceless. I love them both.

 

I'm sorry but the X300/X308 is definitely a boring old man's car and I'm convinced it's responsible for bestowing that reputation upon all Jags. They are a poor imitation of the inimitable Series III XJ6, which is indeed a beautiful majestic automobile.

I will agree however, that the X350 looks much better with the long wheelbase. The SWB is a bit short and fat looking.

To my eye, the X350 is the Series III's beefed up son, while the X300/X308 is related to the XJ40, which is a totally different branch of the family. And I've owned 4 Series IIIs and 1 XJ40, so I'm well acquainted with them. I decided to completely skip the X300-X308 line and jump right to the X350.

Now, the X351 looks like the ******* child of an X350 and a Lexus, who didn't get their looks from the Jag side of the family...but that's for a different thread.

 

I understand that the X350 is a better car but (grits teeth), it's NOT a Jaguar!

 

I will agree however, that the X350 looks much better with the long wheelbase. The SWB is a bit short and fat looking.

To my eye, the X350 is the Series III's beefed up son, [/QUOTE]

Maybe it is the chrome delete of the XJR that I like. My 2006 "flows". The lines and stance make it look muscular and graceful both. The LWB has a much better back seat, but does not do much for me. Never sat in the back of mine.
And it may not really be a Jaguar. But is sure uses a lot of the same parts as my Audi A8.

 

It's as much a Jaguar as the X300-X308 is! Both have tons of Ford parts! If we're going to be nitpicky, then the Series III is the last true Jag.

But I did not know about the parts sharing with the Audi A8. That's very interesting, as they were the only production aluminium cars.

 

I love my X350 but I've always preferred the X308.

 

Sorry, a load of rubbish! The x350 brought much needed headroom, which the x308 did not have. The x308 looks small when parked next to a x350, Do love the lines of the x308 though.

 

The X350 was the first XJ to actually be a part of the full size bracket where the S-Class, 7-Series and A8 live.

And back to the original thesis of this thread, 10 out of 10 times I see an X308, they are exclusively driven by blue-haired little old ladies.

 

Oh no - the flat cap was bad enough - now I've got to start wearing a dress !!