GM cars are like 75% imported parts anyway, so where do these plastic and rubber parts come from? Probably the same place that Toyota parts come from.

 

I get there is perception and then there is reality. We fight all the time on this board the (well deserved) reputation of Jaguar for being a problematic car when we all know in reality the X150 is a world away from that untruth.

So the (well deserved) reputation of American cars for low quality interiors is based on a past perception. I am no blind homer that is loyal to American cars simply because I am American, I owned Toyotas all through high school and college, couple of Nissan Maxima's after graduating, then 20 years of American cars supplied by my company. Even the mass produced, fairly low priced Malibu I was given had an interior and fit/finish that was on par with any foreign car I ever owned. Like I said my Grand Cherokee Summit with all leather (dash included) and Sienna Brown interior gets more compliments than my Jag, which I say not to belittle the Jag but meant to elevate the JGC. And I never had to go through and denature all my buttons and faceplates to remove sticky residue, can't say that about my XK.

Like Cee Jay said, with global share parts and suppliers the difference between my plastic in my American cars vs Euro doesn't seem to be comprised of a different resin or quality, it is just plastic?

You have your opinion and it is all good, I am not offended in the least, clearly there is a disconnect between what you see when looking at a Corvette interior and what Jagtoes is reporting. I would need to see one myself as such things are very subjective, we all process through preconceived filters!

 

I should think that the interior quality of "American" cars isn't so much the fit/finish/quality potion, but more the "What Sells Most" mentality. Do most Americans care that their "premium leather" seats are actually "Genuine Leather" grade, which is 'not great'.
Also would be the thought in designing the interiors, with not an immense amount of aesthetic thought put into it, as long as it is GOOD ENOUGH TO SELL. Does it look okay? Sell It!

 

Nothing sells cars like the smell of Soft, Rich Corinthian Leather! Ricardo Montalban, you've been replaced! Here's what it sells today:

How well did it sell? More than 8 times its cost!


In case you're not old enough to remember Ricardo Montalban's commercials, here's the first one - it's at the 1:00 minute mark:


And here's the hysterical truth about soft, real Corinthian leather. Some of it was made from Nauga skins - they're so rare that they're on the Endangered Species list!
https://automudgeon.wordpress.com/th...s-are-on-fire/

 

As I mentioned we all have our opinions so if you want to get more information on the dramatic change of the C8 all you have to do is go on youtube and type in C8 Corvette . You will see a 100 + reviews and comments on the car. I started reading them back in Dec. 2019 and was seeing new reviews every week. Take a look and see other people's opinion.

 

Ignoring whether it is or isn't a great car, do you honestly expect American car reviewers to do anything except wax poetic on the new vette? C'mon, it's an institution.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/c8-c...sx-2020-12?amp

 

The C8 offers a lot at its price point and it's not so fair to comment on the interior pieces compared to a car that is 30-60K+ more. American cars can offer just as nice a crafted car as any marque in Europe. Look at the '05 and current Ford GT. Take an indepth look at the new NSX. All are just as good or better than the competition in their price range.

 

Yeah, FOR THE MONEY, the C8 seems like a VERY lot of car.

 

Have any of you experienced the new Jaguar models such as the F-Pace and XE? Sorry, but those cars are loaded with plastic and also lack the noise dampening insulation. And remember modern and current JLR vehicles are all running on Ford derived power plants.

It's really simple, has been this way for several decades and has nothing to do with American VS foreign, it's all about cost, you get what you pay for. This are not meant to be accurate numbers but a $20K car is going to have more plastic, less fit and finish and less acoustic dampening materials than a $60K car.

 

Unless you have the performance upgraded seats ( final fifty , xkrs, dynamic etc) the standard interior is barely adequate for a price tag well over $200k AUD when new , I really don’t know why the c8 interior is copping a beating

 

All of this chatting about the interior got me curious. The only plastic in the interior is the switches and the AC outlets. All of the trim pieces are either aluminum or carbon fiber. The speaker grills are aluminum. The paddles are aluminum and large. I have the LT2 package which is all leather . Seats , door cards , steering wheel , center console and dash. All with contrasting single stitched thread. Oh the outer cover on the infotainment system is plastic. Headliner on the HTC is alcantara. Now thinking back to my 2012 XKR I seem to recall more plastic in it. There is no comparison to the C7 cars as they did have more plastic in them. All of the reviews I have read have compared this car to Ferrari or Lambo or McLaren or Porsche interiors and have put them in the same class. So it is what it is and you can either like it or not . That's what opinions are all about. My old boss used to tell me "you don't need to blow out someone's flame to make yours shine". I loved the Jag and it was great in it's time. This car is just a whole lot better. If I had the money I would have bought a Ford GT. Enjoy the ride.

 

Pesonally I have no dislike for plastic.
Plastic has allowed very shapely forms to be mass produced.
Not all plastics are equal.
Not all plastic parts are engineered equal.

The X150 made use of plastic.
A list of parts with plastic in the Jag's interior is longer than I care to write.

Some people see cost, others see value.

 

As my dealer offers loaners during service, I drove all of these at some point. I disagree, even the basic XE is not anywhere near as bad as comparably priced plastic-fantastic American-made car. Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro for example.

You are also comparing apples to oranges. XE base is a 40K when new and XKR is 100K when new. Some of that delta goes to additional noise dampening insulation. Why do you expect 60K in price difference not result in interior material difference quality?

 

I think you’ve missed my point. I have had the cars I used as examples as loaners many times unfortunately. You can’t expect a low priced mass produced car to have the same level of materials and sound deadening as a car that costs 3-4 times or more to purchase. And for those who say American cars use more plastic than Jag, have a look at Jaguar’s current generation models.

 

OK folks as this is a Jaguar form and specifically the X150 maybe we should refocus on the target. In order to appreciate any automobile and make any comparisons it usually requires an in person view . So I would recommend that all interested in any cars features go take a look and draw your own conclusions. So on with the show and enjoy your ride . Stay safe.

 

i'll admit i think the C8 is ugly, but i want to congratulate you on being able to acquire something you really like! i love to see that, no matter what.

 

The Graduate, made in 1967 with music by Simon and Garfunkel, is one of the greatest movies of all time and made Dustin Hoffman a star. To understand the joke behind the "plastics" scene, read these comments.
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-me...m-The-Graduate

 

Forget the plastic debate unless you have a supercharger 5L your stuck with a open diff ..not on

 

footnote to that, the I-PACE and E-PACE are manufactured 100% by magna international. possibly those models as well, which might explain what you're seeing: it's an outsourced product for a target market, not a traditionally thoughtful 100% JLR product.