Dang the picture of the modern Morgan didn't post up

 

yes i did, i am "ravi" its superb! stunning...i could have driven 700km with a tank, the noise is fabulous, i only need a cover and try not to drive it everyday, i m getting a scooter indeed now! but i could drive it everyday i am sure. its fabulous, it seems super reliable, very strong, great ride, wheels does a lot i m sure, the seller was excelent. I did 600 km playing a lot with it.

 

yes i did, i am "ravi" its superb! stunning...i could have driven 700km with a tank, the noise is fabulous, i only need a cover and try not to drive it everyday, i m getting a scooter indeed now! but i could drive it everyday i am sure. its fabulous, it seems super reliable, very strong, great ride, wheels does a lot i m sure, the seller was excelent. I ve driven 600 km with a tank without trying to save fuel.

 

The Rapide is got to be one the best cars on the road; good for you!!! I am trying to get a friend to buy one, but he wouldn't know cool if it was freezing out... Either that or he's too scared to actually be cool and has been bragging about an S65. S classes are livery cars and the kind of car you have to tip valet to park out front.

The Rapide and they are rolling out the carpet for you. I just can't get over how that car sounds and the smell inside! I hope to drive or go in one some day.

 

men when you accelerate the v12 exhalt all kind of sounds, but many different ones depending how you acelerate and the downshift how long you push it etc,..its something.

this is what I wrote over at amoc forum about it.

I am back! so here are my impressions, at first driving slowly, I fell like the steering was a bit odd, like you feel a lot the road, tension in the front end steering (you gonna think I am idiot) etc, but quickly i was not caring about it.

the noise is a real pleasure, i could have driven 700 km with a tank of gas if i wanted.
very good, excelent, the car is more beautiful in real, the seller picked me up with a maserati ( he did'nt want use the rapide) we arrived at his shop, huge garage with good tecnicians, he removed the cover, an amg light weight style, breathing kind, and the car was there, it was not parked outside like the ad images could make you think.

He started the engine and let it warm up maybe 5 minutes inside, i could not even smell nothing (gas) , and we went for a ride. he is an ex racing pilot with his father too so a lot of car history and passion, he was Turkish/french probably why he was so integre. He filled out the tank of gas, and honestly i could not hope for a better deal.

He said the warranty was registered with AML le cannet, so I will check with them.
I like it a lot, its better than the xkr, its nicer, I wander if indeed it use more gas, i do not think he need more gas than the xkr when you drive it with spirit.

so I am very happy and its not going to be a car I plan to sell quickly, cause i like it a lot.
when you start the engine, the noise is fabulous.
you know i had 10 jaguars in 15 years.

I thought the gps was odd but the colors are beautiful, it was very helpfull to help during the trip and radars.

I have seen many stupid videos of people complaining the room in the rear, or other stupid things, I think the car is stunning, i like it 100%, i would not change anything to it.

 

Even with the seats folded down, the rear cargo height is not very high. The depth is decent. I can't ever see the design of the Rapide getting old. It's like the best of Bentley and Rolls in terms of keeping it timeless. Such a home run car.

Is the transmission smooth? I thought the pre S one's were pretty aggressive engaging into gear.

 

Yes in fact it will be a real classic because it was Ian Callum's best work. Which itself was an interpretation of Malcolm Sayer. Ian will go down in history as one of the greatest designers of this century. Also the car was made iconic by placement in Bond. I cant see such a readily identifiable shape in Ferrari or any other car.

 

All this gushing over the V12 Aston makes me think that none of you have driven one of the Jaguar V12 cars (XJS, E-Type, or XJ 12): simply fabulous and turbine smooth...sadly, no longer manufactured.
But yes, as a modern version of a V12 sedan the Rapide is lovely...hate the seats though, with the quilted pattern...

 

I have, before there were rozzers and speed limit enforcement. London to Brighton ***** out. Yup turbine smooth and what sound. That was the Etype, the XJS was that way too. While all v12s are the most naturally balanced engines. Something about a British tuned V12- there was nothing like it.

 

Yes I am finally at the age of appreciating that there are moments in time that will never happen again. We better enjoy combustion engines while we can.

Have you heard a BRM v16. Nick Mason from Pink Floyd was kind enough to make a good recording of the one he owned. Fangio said it was the best car he had ever driven.

 

Source on that if you can? I've always understood the BRM's power curve from its centrifugal supercharger was very difficult to drive, frustrating are the words I've heard used by those that drove it. I know from personal experience that I've enjoyed driving a kart that the driver just in it cursed the setup, so perhaps I've just never heard or read Fangio's comments.

 

Since this thread appears to be going away from a discussion of what is different about today's Jaguar buyers, I thought I might share a short video of the sounds produced by cars from a small Italian racing team I was part of many years ago:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5SoZiTxdQyw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

yes very smooth, palette or in D, no problem, something I noticed compare to the 5 liter jags, its much less frustrating to drive slowly than the xkr, who makes you feel it wants goes all the time,,like if the car demand is to accelerate, otherwise you do not feel confortable, this one, no, you can drive it at 130 km /hour with ease....

I guess its cause i wanted a v12 jaguar that i bought this rapide, i did not want go thorugh the hassle of an old engine.

really the noise are from an elephant screaming to a ferrari, there is plenty of weird beuatifull noise coming from the v12....

my xj6 1995 had that lightning noise when i was doing kick downs, it was scaring the hell of myself each time even when you were waiting for it, and like this one, it really does scare the hell of other drivers

 

We've had the XJS V12 in our family. Actually that particular car was previously owned by the drummer of Extreme. The V12 Jag's are actually quite popular in my locale and often for sale. Totally different V12 though. The Jaguar engine is smoothing idling engine of it's day and quiet like a ninja. The Aston V12 is like an IMSA race car starting up.

 

Yes demonic power, all of which that came at once. Then again whats so different than the F1 turbo of Senna's day.

You owe me for this. I will ask for the favor back someday.

After a particularly trying time with reliability problems during a 1952 race at Ulster, Fangio was asked if he would ever drive the BRM again. He replied; "I will. I consider it to be, basically, the best Formula One car ever made. All it needs is improvement in certain details. No car has ever given me such a thrill to drive, or a greater sense of absolute mastery. I will stand by it".Unfortunately for both Fangio and BRM, the following day, tired after an overnight drive from Folkingham across Europe to Monza for a race, he crashed while driving for Maserati, breaking his neck, and retired from racing to recover until early 1953.

So note, he said that at the end of the career and not beginning.

 

When I had my 12 cylinder Jaguars, I always thought the felt and sound like a turbine. I remember them as smooth, powerful and almost effortless. They were very special and I was very disappointed when they were discontinued. As a matter of fact I bought a grey market 85 VDP just to be able to get the V12.

 

In the past Jaguar was very ill-suited to make 12 cylinder cars. I am in the same predicament in my business (not remotely related to cars) and can attest. If you offer v12, and your competitor is offering a rice burning v4...would you believe you give your incompetent competitor a 4x advantage over you. You may as well write him a check.

Worse for Jaguar, reliability and manufacturing become a real challenge.

However, TODAY JLR makes one of the best engines in the world in terms of reliability and efficiency. A V12 IS BOUND TO BE COMING- because no body does it better and its the only way to recapture the pole position that was theirs.

Guy a new V12 Jaguar, something little bigger than the Ftpe- I would sell my liver immediately. Wait- its more reality than you think. The 5.0 v8 is such a success that it can be used across the board in cars and large suvs. But the V6 is the exact same engine, just 2 less cylinders. Do you see where I am going. 2 V6 blocks bolted?

 

It will be interesting to see if your theory proves correct as it appears the industry is moving to smaller, forced induction engines to meet fuel economy and emissions standards of the future.

Not sure I agree that 'nobody does it better' when it comes to V12 engine design, build quality and power output per litre.

Aston Martin use the two V6 block arrangement in their V12 with the Ford Duratech 3.0 litre as the basis.

 

I wish some would bring the BRM V16 back!! It makes more sense now than ever.

1.5 litre engine
600HP

pistons the size of lawnmower engine- insane fast revs, low center of gravity, near perfect response curve. Naturally balanced. What a sound. With todays design of direct injection, reverse cooling, micro turbos, variable cam, you could even do an insane version with 1000hp easy from the same 1.5l engine. Even back then you would get 12,000 rpm.

 

Speaking as a manufacturer, to establish a marquee brand you have to have a flagship- a massive loss leader. It has to be outlandish because the objective is above and beyond. The worst car company in the world Audi did this with the Veyron. I can understand Jaguar's dilemma because they have always made attainable exotics. My hope is that someone at HQ is looking at all those posters of the V12 and the penny drops.

My industry is going through the same capitulation of making smaller stuff more palatable to the millenniums and those living in their parents basements. We are doing a show in Chicago next month and decided to bring a Cummings diesel to a Prius car show (metaphorically speaking)