I went to the show to choose my next van, but couldn't resist stopping by the Jaguar stand. The F-Type looks REALLY nice in person, just the right mix of aggressive and classy, although I'm not keen on the humungous trumpet-like exhausts at the back. They look too after-market for me.

The only XK was a black convertible XKR-S, which looked a bit vulgar with its bucket seats and carbon fibre trinkets. I prefer my X100

 

Have to admit that after my initial response of "ew, it looks horrid - like an Audi" - I have since seen a lot more photos and colour options, and I've changed my mind - the F-Type looks luuurvely.

 

Lovely car, but I'm not so sure about the 'wide mouth frog' front.

 

I do like the Roll Bars !!!!

 

That wide open mouth looks a bit Maserati-ish. No problem though - I LIKE Maseratis. I'm just not enough of a masochist to own one AND a Jaguar at the same time.

 

No problem looking like a Maserati, but I thought it looked a bit Peugeot.

 

Unsure about the front end, it looks more like a shark (eye, mouth and gills) head on than it does a cat, but the Audi wide mouth look came to grow on me. Maybe this will too. The rest looks pretty good.

Can't wait to see one in the flesh. That often makes a big difference.

 

I predict that this will be the best selling Jag in history.

Makes the best of modern design cues and wreaks (sp?) of quality and technology.

 

People often comment that a car looks nicer in person than it does in photos, and I can never really understand this. However, I did think the F-Type looked 'just right' (except for the silly exhausts) when I saw it yesterday. Also, the photos were taken with my iPhone, which is never great...

 

I think the key to the F-type's success will be in its performance and the appearance of the coupe. Its looks are very nice, a mix of retro (a la the late BMW Z8) and modern, and should present no obstacles to potential buyers. But, let's face it, it appears to me that this foray into true sports car territory is aimed squarely at Porsche 911-Boxster-Cayman potential owners, and in that vein will have to prove itself on its handling and performance prowess. At its pricing, the object is not to lure away Toyota or Subaru customers looking at their twin little sports entries (which in my humble opinion are both just plain ugly. Hold a picture of either one up to an original 240-280Z bodied car and come to your own conclusions.) It's not to capture some 370Z and GTR owners. Jaguar is looking at the Porsche business model and model lineup as the quickest way to a successful automobile marque. High end niche sports and GT cars with some larger luxury and performance oriented family sedans and an SUV (which I believe we'll see in the re-badging of some Range Rover models) thrown in to emulate Porsche. The F-type had better be a great drive, one where an A-B comparison to corresponding Porsches is successful. And, the coupe had better come sooner rather than later as it will be the one that proves itself on the track as opposed to the convertible. I hope the F is all of those things.

 

I hope they depreciate as fast as our cars did so I can get one. (Sorry all you new car buyers).
Go to the Jaguar site and build one, it's fun on a rainy day.....

 

Top Gear returns to our screens soon, so perhaps they will get their hands on one.

 

The new series starts on Sunday January 27th. Don't know about the F-Type, but according to their website, they'll be jumping a Bentley!