XF Estate

[jBlackwell]

XF Estate or sportbrake to give it its correct title on the way.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoe ... brake.html

James

[555ttg]

Looks like an Infiniti or some other rice rocket material!
Not Jaguar for me.

[shugmcd]

Thanks James - can you ask them to remove the rear end covers so we can see what the thing actually looks like!!!

Hugh

[jeff1954]

Nor me

Whats the "Jaguar world"coming to 4 cilinder engines and now estates I really do think that the nicest Jag`s stopped at the X350 S type and XK`s

[J44EAG]

Similar views to my own. However...

On a visit to HA Fox in Southampton with my pal in an immaculate dark blue X308R, we parked up with all the even more highly polished new XJ`s, XK`s and XF`s. Sadly, the 308 looked dwarfed and suddenly dated. I surprised myself with my own reaction. Even late X350 models struggled to visually keep pace along side the new cars.

When the Series One XJ first appeared, I imagine the effect must have been the same as it sat alongside old model S-types, MK X`s and the like.

I suppose the newer models now go with the flow in modern design. I wonder how much further the three box, four wheeled passenger conveyor can be stretched in visual terms. What we have now is the sort of vehicle that appeared in our futuristic Dan Dare comics which we read as boys.

Back in the fifties and sixties, Jaguar lead the world with performance and unique aesthetics. Then other manufacturers caught up, began to equal and then in some cases exceed and encroach upon Jaguar territory.

For me the new stuff is love/hate. The hate is that a modern Jaguar just doesn`t stand out from the crowd. A 308 coming down the road is so completely different from anything else around it that it immediately screams "Jaguar". I also dislike the modern interior of the newer cars. Hard plastics and alloy effect panels. Worst of all those dreadful circular chrome rocket type look vents on the XJ. With Jaguar trying to break new ground, I fail to understand why they have hung on to and embellished the huge amount of distracting, verbose, tasteless and vulgar chrome work that now adorns cockpit interiors. It`s just too much in a relatively small space. It reminds me of a pox doctors waiting room.

Please discuss.

Mike

[jeff1954]

Hi Mike
I could not agree more with your last statement I think the dash board on the older cars ie X350 XK`s SType is truly Jaguar and I think if that type of layout was used on the XF & XJ (allbeit in a little more modern form to mach the external contours) then I think they really would be on to a winner.

Jeff.

[stuarthardy]

Interesting comments chaps, especially when the received wisdom from non-Jaguar Enthusiasts was that the 'old' XK8 etc. dashboard was antiquated and held back sales of those models. Comments about planks and generic switchgear were common.

I don't think its a coincidence that Jaguar sales have picked up since the new models (with their new, more modern, dash layouts) have been launched. Personally, I love 'em and wish I could stretch to a new XKR. You'll struggle to find a genuinely better car at any price and that is the true Jaguar heritage, not the walnut veneer.

I guess we've just got to accept that Jaguar have to move with the times, otherwise they'll be just another lost marque in a long list of other such British icons.

Regards

[shugmcd]

I have a degree of sympathy with what Mike says. I "used " to feel much the same way, until I acquired and lived with one of the "new breed" ie XF. The new environment is pleasant and equally Jaguar.

I think you can still value and appreciate what Jaguars were in the past, but I agree with Stuart, the company has moved on, in my opinion, in a really tasteful way.

I may change my mind when XF Sportbrake appears - jury is out on that one.

Hugh

[stuarthardy]

We shouldn't be surprised that the worst critics are within the ranks of the true enthusiasts. We should also be aware that all the other quality marques are similarly pillaried by their faithful. The only Jaguars I have trouble loving are the XJS, the X-Type and late model S-Type. Not a fan of the Mark 1 either. Although I do believe they are all fine cars and I can understand what others see in them.

At the moment Jaguar Cars seem to be in the ascendency and we should monopolise this for the benefit of the club and the cars themselves.

It would be a dull world if we all liked the same things.

Oh, by the way. What does a pox doctor's waiting room look like?

Regards

[andypryce]

I'm not quite sure what a "pox doctor" is Mike, it sounds nasty! 6 months on I have mixed feelings about the XF, but I do agree that it has lost Jaguar's unique look that the old XJ had, and to a lesser extent the X type. However, it is undoubtedly a fine car. I am not an estate fan, but if I were I would certainly be looking at the XF.

andyp