No pictures this morning but needless to say I'm glad the XJR has heated seats - it was -28C with a wind chill of - 35C when I left the house this morning for an early meeting.

Interestingly enough, while this should be hibernate at home weather, I also had a number of meetings late yesterday afternoon and evening where the XJR was parked on the street despite the cold (she takes it better than I do ).

On the way from one meeting to the next, as I unlocked the XJR using the remote and stepped off the sidewalk a young man (at my age virtually every other man looks like a young man, particularly when dressed for this kind of weather) was crossing the street and said "nice car, what year is it?". He was crossing from the front of the car and, as front plates aren't required in Alberta, couldn't read the "2001XJR" plate she wears at the back).

I replied "thanks, she's a 2001".

He said "I have a new F-Pace but those are still the nicest looking Jaguars they ever made" and we went our separate ways as it really wasn't "chatting in the street conducive weather".

While you have to overlook quite a few strikingly beautiful Jaguars for his statement to be entirely true, all of them are likely quite a bit older than the XJR and none of them are likely to be seen on the street in passing here, particularly in the winter.

Driving these cars every day the way they were made to be is like being at a party every day with the most beautiful girl in the room but much less dangerous and probably much less expensive.

 

Its admirable that you drive the XJR every day, especially in that sort of weather. I'm sure you get compliments all the time. I have been driving my X350 every day since September (about 8k miles already) and have loved every second of it. I have to admit I much prefer driving my 350 to my 308, but the 308 definitely has it beat in the looks department.

I have to ask - Did you consider an X350? Huge bonus in your climate is that rust would not be an issue (at least on the body).

 

While I understand where that sentiment might come from, I find it hard to accept that doing something that brings me joy every day is something that might be considered "admirable".

Prior to the XJR, I did that "every day thing" year round with a 1992 Series 3 V12 VDP so "especially in that sort of weather" and "compliments all the time" are not novel although they are never taken for granted.

To answer your question, I did not consider an X350. While this is primarily having been given the unsolicited opportunity to purchase this particular XJR (an offer that I am led to believe is sometimes regretted by the offeror but the acceptance of which has never been regretted for a minute by the offeree), if I was to have made a conscious choice between an X308 and an X350 it would likely still have been an X308. For me:

1. The looks... The X308 is still to my eye what a Jaguar should look like and feel like. Even though the X358 is still unmistakenly a beautiful Jaguar it was starting to sit a little too high/tall. While the seamless front and rear screens hint at the more generic styling still to come, having a glass rather than a steel sun-roof would be nice so the changes aren't all for the worse. As for those silly front wing gills, they should have just retained the full length mouldings that emphasized the horizontal lines of the cars rather than the vertical. Perhaps they knew they were about to embark on that "bar of soap" styling path that makes hard to differentiate between makes without seeing the badge and they wanted a stylized overdone element like Lexus' or Audi's grills that say "look at me - now you know what I am".

2. The room... The X358 is clearly a larger car with more cabin width, more head-room, more back seat space and a larger trunk. For me (don't forget I'm coming from that Series 3), even though I'm tall, the X308 already gives me more head-room, more width, a back seat that never gets sat in anyway (there has been someone in the back seat maybe a half dozen times in the past 10 months) and the trunk, while not overly large, is still wider and deeper and taller than what we're used to.

3. Performance... It's hard for me to assess that never having driven an X350 but at least on paper there isn't much difference between the two supercharged cars.

4. Mechanical... I'm more than happy with the "traditional" suspension/drivetrain set up of the X308 (although I sometimes wish it had a limited slip differential) and I'm quite happy not to deal with added complexity - and potential costs - of the CATS air suspension in the X358.

5. Construction... While there might be some advantages to the X358's aluminium vs the X308's steel construction, I'm not sure that lasts over the life of the cars if you need someone local to work on or refinish any of those components. If I could afford and find a XK120, that would matter less but an XK120 wouldn't be a daily driver.

If I had been offered a comparable X350 I may very well have been tempted to have simply "done a deal" as I did with the X308 and not look any further but that would have been doing a deal, not making a choice.

 

Understood, I was unaware (or forgot) that you were given the opportunity to purchase rather than chose to seek out this car. I was referring more to the X350/X356 rather than the X358, but that's neither here nor there. I much prefer the 350/356 to the slightly gaudy looks of the 358. I would agree that the 308 is prettier than all of the above.

 

Indeed, the X308 is in a class by itself in many categories.
Looks....it goes without saying.

 

oops... I have updated my post because all of the references in it, not just some, should have been to the X350, not the X358 (I could try to blame it on fat fingers but it was probably more likely just brain cramps).

As the saloons continued to get bigger and bigger, this photo of the non-winter driven 1992 Series 3 V12 VDP that's in my signature illustrates where I come from when looking at them and thinking that while they might be getting bigger and bigger, I'm not sure they're really getting better...

While I'm sure they have their place - and they probably make a lot of people happy who might be in the same place - I can probably see myself in an I-Pace before a saloon that I would have a tough time fitting into the garage.

 

I was referring to the X350 (04-07), that's the X351. I can't really stomach the X351 either to be honest, way too bloated. I'd get an XF before I bought one of those to be honest. While I still think the 308s are best, the 04-07 X350 are still good looking cars and not much larger than the 308 they replaced. They do have a lot more interior room though. My 06 has by far the best interior of any car I've ever owned. Roomy, classy, understated, and ergonomically correct all at the same time.

 

I know that’s an X351, I was just illustrating where Jaguar was heading after the X308 vs where they’ve come from (and where I’m still at to some degree).

 

Having owned all three (the Series III V12 Vanden Plas, the X308 XJR and the X350), all in the same prime condition, I can definitely agree that the first two are more beautiful, but for comfort, luxury, overall performance and long distance driving, I definitely prefer the last of the three, the 2004-2008 X350. Let’s not talk about the last version of the XJ.

My problem with Jaguars is always the same: seller’s remorse. Every time I see a photo of one I have sold I sink into a cloud of “why did I sell it” thinking….but the answer is also always the same: because another gorgeous Jaguar replaced it!

1992 V12 Vanden Plas, #92/100:


2001 XJR:



2004 XJ8

 

Got it, and yes seeing those two together illustrate that point perfectly. I think that's been a trend with most cars and its rather unfortunate. Everything is bloated these days and for the most part completely lacks style.

 

And then there’s this one…

 

Wow, that is a striking comparison! And that's supposed to be a "Mini". New cars are typically awful, I'm not a fan of any for the most part. That Jag just looks even more beautiful next to that thing.

 

All this talk makes me want to add an X350 to the Series 3 / X308 garage but I don't think my marriage would cope, and since I really don't want to part with either of the current cars, I will have to remain stuck with the most beautiful of Jaguar saloons.

On those size comparisons, I believe that the standard Mini Cooper wheelbase is only an inch less than the original 1969 Range Rover (seen as a big car at the time) and current countryman is 5 or 6 inches longer (and only 6 inches shorter than the Series 3).

Those temperatures, Ken! When we lived in New York we thought we were going to die when it went down as low as -15c - a temperature never experienced in the UK. Goodness knows how you all cope up there...

 

Last thing I'll say on the topic - You would not regret the X350 one bit. Even though my 06 is just an XJ8L wirh the N/A 4.2, I have driven my X308 XJR exactly twice since I brought home the X350 in September. I still love looking at it in the garage, but for actual driving the newer car is just so much better. Since I can't look at the car while driving I'll take the X350 over the X308 any day. One of these days I'll list the 308 and move on to an X350 XJR to put in its place.

 

Yes, they're ugly but they're also not typical all winter long. Our average for January is around -10C and this weekend it will be back to daytime highs of close to 0C. and there's lots to do outdoors as well as is for those who choose whether it's cross country skiing or skating or festivals outdoors or a vibrant sports and entertainment and cultural and dining options indoors.

Our summer temperatures average 23C in July and we'll get 17 hours of sunshine on the solstice so those glorious days are long and enjoyable.

Edmonton also gets about 2,300 hours of sunshine every year and lots of clear skies at night so it's bright and beautiful for much of the year regardless of the temperature.

 

While the original question was "did I consider an X350" and the answer was "no, I did not but if I was choosing between the two my choice would probably still have been an X308".

Also as previously noted, if there was no choice and the offer had been for a comparable X350, there would likely have been a similar thread to this one on the X350 & X358 sub-forum as I'm sure I would have accepted the offer and have been equally pleased.

I would, however, probably still be a little envious of those lucky enough to own an X308 in much the same way as I am with those lucky enough to own an XKE or a Mark 2 or an XK120...

 

For anyone wondering, the first photo is what the XJR looked like this morning at -25 C.

The second is what things looked like on the way home yesterday evening after picking up some take-out for dinner (fish and chips and a tuna poke bowl).

After talking about things like skate cheeks, Spanish octopus (octopi?), her new store, and settling the bill, the shop-keeper glanced outside as I was starting to leave and asked "is that your car?" When I replied "yes", all she added was "nice car". She's right.

 

That color is fantastic. Have never owned a red car, but I'd like one in that shade some day.

 

I have probably said this previously but I agree - that Carnival Red Mica is a very deep and complex paint colour that I'm still getting used to 10 months after first seeing it (not by any means in a bad way). In most lighting it's quite similar to the Regency Red Mica of the Series 3 VDP she replaced but in others it's almost "where does that come from?".

The only other "red" car I've ever owned was a '74 Fiat Spyder with a black top and black interior that was a dark burgundy. It was a very pretty car (as well as a lot of fun) but the paint colour was quite simple - even though it shined well with a good wax it always "was what it was".

 

I agree...that front shot shows a dark tint to the color I've never seen and I think its fantastic.