The good fairies at Beacham can help:

BEACHAM E-TYPE

Based on the 4.2 SC and not an alloy body, but still pretty quick. And (since I know they do a lot of custom stuff) I'm sure they could do a 5.0.

 

COOL and nice trick. I wonder if they can ship to US . Somehow I bet it won't meet some of the DOT standards . I am not to keen on the mesh grill but if it were the same as the old V12 grill I would like that. How much is the next question.

 

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the F-Type IS the evolution of the XK. At some point Jaguar thought, we really need to modernize the X150. Nobody wants a 2+2 GT car anymore. Let's chop off a few inches here, add one more over there. Redo the interior, add some V6 engine options. Restyle the exterior and give it a brand new interior! And add more electronic gizmos!!!

I mean, I guess my point is isn't that exactly the development process they would go through to make the next XK (if they wanted to just modify the existing X150 chassis)? Except they took out two seats, tuned the handling a little bit more and marketed it as a sports car instead of a GT?

 

They ship everywhere - most of their business is export, I believe (with only 4M people, the NZ market's a bit small).

Oh, price? Racing Green has one for £145k:

Beacham E-Type 4.2 V8 SC

And it has the standard Series III grille.

 

That's more like it except for the steering wheel. Also I can understand why there are no badges on it but they could be added later. Nice job.

 

I'd call it a lateral as well. Awesome car but I wouldn't call it better. Newer-yes
More a true sports car - yes
Faster ???
XK is one of the best cars on the market. Period!!

 

looked at an F type too.. but as with most of these small cars.. I fit, but barely.. which allows for no room to sitback, relax and take a 4 hrs drive comfortably.. and that's just what the XK delivers.. But I think that's with most cars nowadays.. I mean what are the other options in the spectrum of the XK.. Sure Aston Martin comes close but puts another few $$ on the price and maintenance.. BMW 6 series.. but that certainly does not deliver the class of the XK.. the Audi R8 is nice, but more of an F-Type competitor..


I say.. have Jaguar upgrade the dash a bit (ALOT!) , put in some electronic gadgets and the XK is ready for another few years..

 

I am not sure I can agree with that. The F type still has the same terrible center display with too many features commanded through a too slow touch screen interface which you have to look at to make a selection.

Jaguar has let out that they will build another 2+2 and will most likely be offered next to the F-type. F-type is way cheaper then the XK, cheaper than the cost of two seats. They may have improved on the suspension, ECU, TCU etc, added launch control but on a different platform with less room in passenger compartment as well as trunk area, that is not just deleting two seats and not a further development on the GT platform. Aston is selling more cars than they ever have.

Just some thoughts ... in no particular order ...

 

I agree that Jaguar has not forsaken 2+2 GT's, but they need to huck the F-Type without any other car in their line up stealing the limelight. Once enough F-Type's are on the road, they can fill in gaps with a GT, stripped down F-Type, supporting race series, etc...

Putting ****** into 911's armor is going to take some time and confusing a small buying audience can create indecision and/or the potential to look at other marques since the product line is not as decisive as it was with just XK.

BMW's sales/fan base is large enough to have overlapping products; not Jaguar.

 

I had been off the grid (no email/internet on my flip phone , LOL) over the weekend as I was attending a wedding of a friends son in Boca Raton Fl. Having a free day on Saturday we took a ride up to West Palm Beach to visit friends and relatives. On the way back south we stopped at West Palm Beach Austin Martin / Jaguar. I finally met the sales guy I had looking for a car for us. During our visit I looked at the F-type coupe and in my opinion it is to small. My bride got in and quickly got out saying it was to small and claustrophobic. It was sitting next to a 2014 XKR coupe and there was no comparison in size. The convert sitting next to the F-type coupe was also small in comparison. Although both looked cool there is no doubt in my mind that this is not the car I would consider. Now talk about the Austin's I would pick one of them up as they had 3-4 used ones but there is no where around me that would service them so as much as they were sharp I couldn't buy into them.

 

I live near by and stopped at Palm Beach Jaguar last week. They do have some nice Astons. It's funny when you look at their service dept and see the huge dedicated space for Jaguar, and the relatively small parcel for Astons. Driving an Aston without a warranty must be a frightening experience.

 

I absolutely agree with that.

 

I don't get sense where I live (Boston). There's an Aston dealer 4 miles from my house and an Indy British garage walking distance to me. I bet if the Aston were a daily driver without a care on miles, newer Astons would be similarly reliable to Jaguar. I'd like to get an Aston next. I am committed to the XK for another 2.5 years, and I wonder if the Vantage & DB's era I could afford will start showing their styling age?

My indy mechanic says it's hard to gauge how reliable Aston, Bentley, and Rolls really are as so few ever driven regularly enough.

 

Why change the xor for an F-type? It is like changing a club chair against a wooden chair. Apart from that the boot and backseats of my xor a suitable for vacation luggage, whereas the boot of an F-type is of no use at all if you consider going away for one or two weeks.

 

I owned a couple of XK's in past years but, gave them up for a new XJL and an XF. Not long after I began missing the GT. I test drove all 3 variations of the F-type, thinking that it would be the logical move. But, like so many others, I found the space/room in the car rather limited for my 6', 190 lbs frame. Not sure how Jaguar managed to make such a wide car to have such limited people-space? I suspect that the solid bulkhead behind the seats adds good rigidity to the chassis (particularly to the vert models) but, it also causes a level of claustrophobia, noted by others too.

Following my latest test drives of the F-type, upon returning to the dealership I walked over to a new XKR, sat in it and felt like I arrived back home... much more room in the car and, IMO, a much more luxurious cabin atmosphere. Call me old-fashioned, I like that British Gentlemen Club environment with the wood, the fine leader and pure elegance. The F-type design lacks much of that, attempting to replace elegance with simple functionality. Fine but, for me, it does not compare well with the XK(R) GT. So, I ran back out and got an XKR. (sight of relief...)

 

axr6,
A few weeks ago while attending the Queen's English Car Show, my 2002 XKR convertible was parked next to an F-type convertible. Although I had seen the F-type at the L.A. Car show and had seen many driving around Los Angeles, it was the first time I had spent some time around it and compared it size and style wise. The first thing one notices is just how wide and tall the F-type is and while a bit shorter in length than my 2002, it simply looks massively larger and taller sitting side by side.

I understand it's not a direct competitor to the XK line, but I came away thinking that the XK(R), both in convertible and coupe form is just a more appealing and more luxurious vehicle, (and probably more comfortable at housing my 6'-2"--220lb. frame) and consequently I'm picking up a 2010 XKR coupe, today! I didn't need it, but I wanted to extend the life of my 2002 convertible (145,000), I wanted to be able to drive something a little more modern than my '72 Pantera, the two or three times a year that I go to the track, and I just find the aesthetics of the profile among the most beautiful of any modern cars.

So, this evening it gets added to the stable.

 

So I can tell you that the quality of Aston Martin cars - like Jaguar - has improved tremendously over the past 10 - 15 years. You are correct when referring to low mileage cars in that they don't get driven enough to exercise their systems and not only is this counterproductive for the machine's intent, it actually creates new problems that you would not experience. Battery issues, tires, suspension, etc. My Aston dealer said they do not like to take really low mileage/garage queen Astons in trade because of this. There's just so many things they have to work through with them.

Astons systems have evolved in reliability just as Jags systems have evolved, an example being the AJV8 Gen III for Jag. Also, Aston is introducing a new Vantage GT that sells for $99K, which will no doubt impact Jaguar (and others). They are taking orders for the Vantage GT now.

As a big Jaguar fan I hope the next XK knocks my socks off, because the F Type just sort of whimpers at me. Of course, there are some that like the F Type and I guess it will do ok sales wise, but it does not reach and grab me like my XKR did.

 

F-type does not look long enough, especially when the silhouette is compared to the XK. Once the XK is no longer next the F-type in the showroom, perhaps more potential customers will cozy up to the design?

 

Enjoy! I've just given mine a run across England & Wales to catch the ferry to Ireland. Happiness is XKR-shaped...

 

Yes, enjoy, you will. I was looking for a 2010+ XK figuring that 385 HP was enough. Well, I still think that IT IS enough but, sure is nice to have those extra ponies AND the steering/suspension differences, as well.