i just saw a commercial for the new Xf and related models... and it struck me much to my chagrin how much these new jags look like all the high end asian stuff out there i.e lexus , infinity , and even the new hyundai stuff. i dont know.. even with the new german imports, i think mercedes is the only one who actually makes something distinctive at the present time - styling wise. dont get me wrong, i would imagine they are excelent refined cars, but from the outside , dont really do it. of course i am prejudiced towards the traditional jags, and happen to think it is so very refreshing to see one on the road, few of them that there are.

 

The ones I'm thinking of (past couple of years?) look like Volvos to me.

 

I prefer X308s over X351 though ,however let's not forget Jaguar needed new customers to compete with other marques this is why a major design was necessary on this regard .
I think new styling is not awful either .Still, I would prefer new gen Mercedes over Jags because they look nicer to me , not a fan of mesh style grill either
I agree with you on the Mercedes point too.

 

OFF TOPIC -> Here in Europe we used to say that in the past (I mean 60's, 70's, 80's) the EU and Asian markets were offering standard cars for standard people without leaving the well imposed traditions... while in US each car had its own temper, its totally unique appearance... Cars like Chevy Camaro, Impala or Cadillacs, or Buicks etc... Such unique beauties!

Well, unfortunately this is all in the past. Now the entire market has entered this strange monotony of the car design. Even Italians who had Pinin Farina or the luxury and at the same time sport appearance of the British - it looks it's all gone...

So don't blame on Jaguar! It's just we live in such times when people prefer to be part of something well known and equal...

 

definitly not blaming jaguar.... this trend started way before the first XF came out. im happy that the marque continued , just commenting on how much to the otherside the swing went away from jaguar styling tradition, at least for the saloon. the XK/DB9 is still clearly jag and i cant think of anything else that comes to mind which reminds me of it. but yes i agree with your statement about the monotony of design these days. i remember when ford came out with the next gen mustang after the fox body... that was well strange, and now look where they are. it goes to show you can maintain your traditional styling while integrating modern technology. i understand the need to appeal to new customers, but IMHO , jag was always a niche, boutique if you will , operation which appealed to a very specific demographic. i think they should have remained so and just tried to keep their customer base through continual improvement and quality and service.

 

I prefer the X308s over the X350/X351 also. Even though they are a little less practical, I like the long low profile and the more Jaguaresque styling. I also like the way that Ford has gone retro on the Mustang and Chevy with the Camaro and Dodge with the Challenger. It would be great if Jaguar would come out with a retro XKE !

 

now that would be a great artistic design challenge! i know they were looking to pull ques from the XKE when they designed the 97 on XJR, but somehow i think something was lost in translation. but a true retro xke with modern guts would be something to see. the closest thing i can think of , which happens to be my favorite BMW, is the X3 coupe. i love the long nose and the coupe body tucked way back. would be interesting to see a modern XKE hardtop (and drophead of course).

 

AMEN to that! I still remember that when I first learned to drive, I could tell you what a car was from a block away; I could also tell what was coming up behind me at night in the rear view mirror. All because of distinctive styling. No more. We are in an age where cars are basically designed by physics and wind tunnels. There is only so much you can do with one basic shape; henceforth all the lighting tricks and accents everyone is using to try and be "different".

It's only gonna get worse, I'm afraid.

Cheers,

 

The new Jaguars are not my cup of tea if I'm honest, I really hate the XF and the new XJ looks like a Citroen C6

The First picture is of the new XJ and the second is the Citroen C6, they are the same.

I would not like to own anything younger than an X308 if I'm honest with you, modern cars are a LED lit electrical time bomb. Which is why they're designed to be thrown away.

 

I was not very fond of the new XJ either but last weekend there was an XF and an XJ brand new with the stickers still on them parked outside my hotel. I did not like the XF but i must say the XJ was the most comfortable car I have ever sat in. Everything in that car was plush with so much style. The sticker was 87K. Boy I love my 01 XJ!! Here is a picture I took of the two.
[IMG]aolemb://E4DFE326-3011-4F39-9366-3CC6FABE2FE5/Untitled.jpg[/IMG]

 

or....Attachment 14969

crap , attachment didnt work.... was a 2011 equuis

 

The new XJ and XF looks fabulously upmarket and contemporary, and the narrow power bulge in the bonnet remains. They are going to have to try again at the BMW 3 series, the Bertone B99 would be perfect (it was suggested as a 3-series fighter, not a new XJ)... It has the same hips as the X308, and doesn't have the weirdness of the X-Type.
Imagine, the big cars are modern and cool, and the 3-series competitor looks 101% as upmarket, and yet costs under 40,000. This is the way it should be!

The Smaller Jaguar 4d cars, (mk I XJ, Mk II Saloon, anyone?) have always been the sportiest and most fun.

I like the new XJ, because it's a great car, the styling is only 7/10/ The re-vamped XF is really pretty. Now make the Bertone-Styled 3-series Fighter! Italians can style Jaguars very well. Again, the Mk I. So we have, in the pic above, the new mk I XJ (the new XJ is way larger). Just imagine it with a 340hp 3.2 I6 or something like that. It would be awesome.

I made a thread once about how the two were identical. Thanks for agreeing with me lol! They are the same exact shape. A Jaguar's shape should never be that close to some little French car. Ian Callum is talented, but just put him on the coupes. The saloons should be left to someone along the lines of Bertone, Pininfarina... did Geoff Lawson have a son?

New Mercedes are designed by a 29 year old Asian guy(the SLS wasn't, the CLS was), hence the Nippon styling, with some huge 3-pointed stars plastered on. The Mustang-GT side scallops on the CLS are ugly. C/D, quoted: "The CLS's taillights resemble the overly-mascaraed eyes of an asian-prostitute." And they are RIGHT on. CLS, E-Class Coupe_Convt, S-Class, SL, all pigs covered in fancy creases in the metal, and some chintzy LED's all over. Merc= disgusting. Some BMW's are acceptable, but certainly not the 7, 6, 5, or X3.

 

wow, i hadnt seen that concept.. looks like a step in the right direction. could be a nice modern take on the XJC of 80's vintage which was stunning IMHO. now all they have to do is get rid of those rediculously large wheels while shrinking the wheel wells a tad so it doesnt look like some sort of crossover.. and add maybe 8" to that front end overhang. it could be as sleek and timeless as the BMW 850 series coupe of late 80s early 90's , but with the jag flair of course. i do like those quarters and smaller pillars.

 

@domer94... it is a 4d, not a coupé... It actually has suicide doors, which are awesome!

 

nice... as long as you can actually sit somebody back there that is bigger than tattoo from fantasy island!! (for those who remember). i was a fan of the facelift xjs coupes, but thought it was crazy how you couldnt use the rear seats without chopping somebodies legs off! i hope they address that if this thing goes into production. shouldnt really matter to me in the end due to the price of these new cars, but they sure are fun to debate

 

That car was actually the 70s, Produced from 75-78. It was the very last project Sir William Lyons was involved in at Jaguar. Sadly it was built at the wrong time under the wrong company owners (BL)

They suffered from bad water ingress and had a vinyl roof because the body flexed so much the paint on the roof would crack.

A modern version however...

 

i stand corrected good sir.... yes i recall reading how they could never get pillar-less glass to seal as it should. as far as a modrn version , i think you get what im saying about this concept... certain traits are definitly remeniscent..

speaking of the XJC, i dont know who may have seen it, but there was superb example on ebay a couple of weeks back in florida. red and pristine.. if i only had the spare funds and additional garage

 

I'm actually not a fan of the Bertone designed concept. It looks to be too high off the ground and wouldn't fit in Jaguar's current direction at all. I can see the subtle Jaguar elements in the design, and although the concept is from years ago, it looks very dated IMO. Really only the side profile looks like a Jag which is the only area that this concept looks good. The hood ornament looks woefully out of place.

I bet the new XJ will look horrible in a few years. The first gen XF already looks dated IMO, whereas the brand new refreshed ones look good for now (well the front end does, not the rearend nor the interior).

I'm surprised that I have never ever seen anyone comment on the similarity of the new XJ and the Masarati Quattroporte's front ends. Maybe I'm alone on that?

I think a perfect new XJ would look like the quattroporte on the outside and like the new XJ on the inside. A 4 door XK might look good as a CLS competitor too.

 

After the 2003 model ended it seems to me that the new style for the XJ's were just the generic style of everthing else new on the road. The car companies could build all the autos in the same factory and when you buy one at the dealership just pick out the brand badging to stick on it.

Just my opinion.
Dave